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Current Affairs Study PDF – August 2023
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam
Table of Contents
NATIONAL AFFAIRS ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
CABINET APPROVALS ............................................................................................................................................... 7
PARLIAMENT NEWS ................................................................................................................................................ 14
LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION ............................................................................................................................... 20
OTHER NEWS............................................................................................................................................................ 39
STATE NEWS ................................................................................................................................................................. 63
GOVT SCHEMES ............................................................................................................................................................ 71
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ......................................................................................................................................... 73
VISITS............................................................................................................................................................................. 78
INDIAN VISITS .......................................................................................................................................................... 78
FOREIGN VISITS ....................................................................................................................................................... 83
BANKING & FINANCE NEWS....................................................................................................................................... 89
BANKING NEWS ....................................................................................................................................................... 89
RBI IN NEWS ............................................................................................................................................................. 89
SEBI .......................................................................................................................................................................... 102
LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS..................................................................................................................................... 109
AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED............................................................................................................................ 110
OTHER BANK NEWS .............................................................................................................................................. 119
FINANCE NEWS....................................................................................................................................................... 128
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS.................................................................................................................................. 136
MoU’s & AGREEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 141
COMMITTEES & MEETINGS...................................................................................................................................... 160
SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE ........................................................................................................................ 167
INDEX ........................................................................................................................................................................... 178
RANKING ................................................................................................................................................................. 178
REPORTS ................................................................................................................................................................. 182
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 187
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 206
ACQUISITION & MERGERS ....................................................................................................................................... 225
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ......................................................................................................................................... 228

DEFENCE...................................................................................................................................................................... 247
EXERCISE ................................................................................................................................................................. 247
TESTING .................................................................................................................................................................. 250
OTHER DEFENCE NEWS ........................................................................................................................................ 250
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 253
OBITUARY ................................................................................................................................................................... 278
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................... 287
IMPORTANT DAYS ..................................................................................................................................................... 289
APPS & WEB PORTAL ............................................................................................................................................... 326
ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................................................................................................... 335

NATIONAL AFFAIRS
CABINET APPROVALS
Cabinet Approves Rs 1.39 Lakh cr for a Last-Mile Broadband Connectivity Plan
On 4th August 2023, the Union Cabinet approved Rs 1.39 lakh crores for a last-mile broadband
connectivity plan for 6.4 lakh villages across India as part of the BharatNet project. It will involve a change in
execution strategy, with a focus on providing optical fiber-based connections to the last mile through village-
level entrepreneurs.
• The last-mile connectivity will be delivered by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely
Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), an arm of state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL), in partnership with village-level entrepreneur (VLE).
• This partnership aims to ensure effective and efficient broadband connectivity reaching the
grassroots level in the villages.
• BharatNet is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.Around 1.94 lakh villages have
been connected at present, and the balance is likely to be connected over 2.5 years.
Background:- The Union Cabinet approved the BharatNet Project on 25th October 2011, one of the biggest
rural telecom projects in the world implemented to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in India for providing non-
discriminatory access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
• Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) is the implementing agency of Bharat Net Project.
• Under the BharatNet programme, the government has a target to provide broadband connectivity to
250,000 gram panchayats by 2025.
Key Points:
i.Similar to private telecommunications companies (telcos) Airtel and Jio, the Government will now involve VLE
or Udyamis in providing fiber connections to homes. This will be done on a 50:50 revenue-sharing basis.
The project is expected to create 2.5 lakh jobs in India.
ii.Under the modernised model, the government will bear the cost of taking the infrastructure to the home,
while the rural entrepreneur will be responsible for the maintenance and operations of home connections.
iii.So far, the government has provided internet connections to 5,67,000 households. Of these, 351,000 fiber
connections have been given using the new BharatNet Udyami project.
Third Package:
i.The approval of the recent package marks the third such initiative for BharatNet by the Centre.
ii.In 2017, the total funding of the BharatNet (Phase-I and Phase-II), approved by the Cabinet, is Rs 42,068
crores.
iii.In 2021, the Cabinet allocated another Rs 19,041 crore to implement the last-mile connectivity project under
the public-private partnership (PPP) model which, however, failed to generate significant interest.
Broadband Package:
i.Under the BharatNet project, the home broadband package will start at Rs.399/ month, offering unlimited
data at a speed of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps). The other plans include Rs 599, Rs 799, etc.
Note: In the pilot trial, BharatNet showed an average speed of 175 GigaByte (GB) per household per month.
Cabinet Approvals on August 16, 2023

On August 16, 2023, the Union Cabinet Chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the
following proposals:
i.7 Railway Projects worth Rs 32,500 Crore.
ii.‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in Traditional Craftsmanship.
iii.Digital India project’s extension with outlay of Rs 14,903 cr.
iv.Rs 20,000-crore project for FSVs.

v.PM-eBus Sewa” for augmenting city bus operations.
vi.MRA of Authorised Economic Operators between India and Australia.
vii.MoU on Cooperation in Sports between India and Australia.
viii.MoU between India and Suriname in the field of Medical Products Regulation.
Cabinet Approves 7 Railway Projects worth Rs 32,500 Crore
The Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves seven multi-tracking projects of Indian Railways
with an outlay of Rs 32,500 crore. These projects are fully funded by the Central Government.
• These will add 2,339 kilometres to the existing network of Indian Railways.
• These seven multi-tracking projects aimed at easing operations and reducing congestion by covering
cover 35 districts across 9 states of Andhra Pradesh (AP), Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and West Bengal (WB).
Key Points:
i.These will help increase the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate
ease of travelling and transportation
ii.The projects have been identified through PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multi-model connectivitys.
iii.Apart from the infrastructure enhancements, these projects are anticipated to augment freight capacity
significantly, accommodating approximately 200 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually.
iv.The projects will provide employment of 7.06 crore person-days to the people of the selected states.
About Projects:
Four projects have been approved for doubling of current tracks, one project has been approved for adding a
third line, one project for quadruple the existing network & one multi tracking project.
1) Gorakhpur Cantt to Valmiki Nagar — doubling of existing line.
• The total length of the project is 96 Km at a cost of Rs 1,269.8 crore.
2) Son Nagar-Andal multi tracking project.
• Total length is 374.5 Km at a total cost of Rs 13,606 crore. This project will cover parts of Bihar,
Aurangabad & Jharkhand.
3) Nergundi-Barang and Khurda Road-Vizianagaram — third line to be added.
• The length of the project is 385 Km which will be covered with a total cost of Re 5,618 crore.
4) Mudkhed-Medchal and Mahbubnagar-Dhone — doubling of the existing line.
• It will be carried out across 418 Km, at a cost of Rs 5,655.4 crore, this project will cover parts of
Maharashtra, Telangana & AP.
5) Guntur-Bibinagar — doubling of the existing line.
• It will be carried out across 239 Kms at a cost of Rs 3238 crore.
6) Chopan-Chunar — doubling of existing line.
• It will be carried out across 102 Km at a cost of Rs 1,553 crore.
7) Samakhiali-Gandhidham — quadrupling of the line.
• It will be carried out on a total length of 53 Km at a cost of Rs 1,571 crore.
Cabinet approves ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in Traditional Craftsmanship
The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional
craftsmanship/artisan works. These include Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and
such families.
• Around Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore will be allocated for the scheme.
• Click Here to Read
Govt approves Digital India Programme‘s extension with outlay of Rs 14,903 cr
The Union Cabinet also approved extension of Digital India programme with an outlay of Rs 14,903 crore. The
Digital India programme was launched on 1st July 2015 to enable digital delivery of services to citizens.
• Under the extended project 6.25 lakh IT (Information Technology) professionals will be re-skilled
and up-skilled, and 2.65 lakh persons will be trained in information security under the Information
Security & Education Awareness Phase (ISEA) Program.

Key Points:
i.540 additional services (Currently 1,700 services) will be available under the Unified Mobile Application for
New-age Governance (UMANG) app/ platform.
ii.9 more supercomputers will be added under National Super Computer Mission (NSCM).
• This is in addition to 18 supercomputers already deployed;
iii.Bhashini, the AI (Artificial Intelligence)-enabled multi-language translation tool (currently available in 10
languages) will be rolled out in all 22 languages in the 8th schedule to the Constitution.
iv.There will be modernization of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) which connects 1,787 educational
institutions;
v.3 Centres of Excellence(CoE) in Artificial Intelligence(AI) on health, agriculture and sustainable cities will be
set up;
vi.There will be new initiatives in the area of cyber security including development of tools and integration of
more than 200 sites with National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC).
Central Govt. approves Rs 20,000-crore project for FSVs
The Central Government has approved Rs 20,000 crore project for the construction of five Fleet Support
Vessels (FSVs) for Indian Navy (IN). These will be manufactured by the Visakhapatnam (AP)-based Hindustan
Shipyards Limited (HSL).
• This decision has been taken to bolster India’s naval capabilities.
• Each of these ships will weigh approximately 45,000 tonnes, and are expected to be ready by the
next decade.
Need behind FSVs:
The ships are needed to support warships on long range patrol and can carry a variety of equipment, such as
fuel, ammunition and food supplies. They will be able to support ships of all classes, including the two Indian
aircraft carriers.
Cabinet approves “PM-eBus Sewa” for augmenting city bus operations
The Union Cabinet approved the bus scheme ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ for augmenting city bus operation by 10,000 e-
buses (electric buses) on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• The Scheme will support bus operations for 10 years till 2037, and also generate 45,000 to 55,000
direct jobs.
• Under this scheme priority will be given to cities having no organized bus service, and will cover
cities having a population of 3 lakh and above.
Outlay:
Its estimated cost is Rs 57,613 crore, out of which support of Rs 20,000 crore will be provided by the Central
government, and the rest will be borne by the State Governments.
Scheme Coverage:
The scheme will cover cities of Three lakh and above population as per census 2011 including all the Capital
cities of Union Territories (UTs), North Eastern Region (NER) and Hill States.
Key Points:
i.There will be two segments of the scheme.
• Under Segment A, 10,000 e-buses will be deployed on PPP model in 169 cities.
• Under Segment B, Infrastructure will be upgraded in 181 cities under the Green Urban Mobility
Initiatives(GUMI).
ii.States/Cities will be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators. The
Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidy to the extent specified in the
proposed scheme.

iii.The program boosts e-mobility and backs private power setups.
iv.Urban areas get aid for charging stations through GUMI.
v.It speeds up electric bus use, innovation, and supply chains, while also cutting pollution and promoting public
transit.
Cabinet approves Mutual Recognition Arrangement of Authorized Economic Operators between India
and Australia
The Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratification of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA)
between the Central Board of Indirect taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance,
Government of India, and the Department of Home Affairs, Australian Border Force, Australian Government.
• The deal is part of a global effort by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) through its SAFE
Framework of Standards to secure and improve global trade, and strengthen end-to-end security of
supply chains.
• This MRA will benefit Indian exporters to Australia and enhance the trade relationship between the
two nations.
Key Points:
i.As per the agreement, Mutual Recognition of the Australian Trusted Trader Program in Australia and
the Authorized Economic Operator Program in India will come into force from the date of signing by the
authorized representatives of both the countries.
ii.The agreement intends to offer mutual advantages to authorized and reliable exporters from both sides in the
clearance of goods by the Customs authorities of the importing country.
Cabinet approves MoU on Cooperation in Sports between India and Australia
The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Sports between
the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYAS), India; and the Department of Health and Aged Care of the
Government of Australia.
What will be done under the MoU?
There will Bilateral exchange programs in the field of sports between both nations, sharing of knowledge and
expertise in the area of sport sciences, technologies and infrastructure; athlete and coach training and
development; sports governance and integrity; grassroots participation in sport; major sporting events;
diversity and inclusion in sport.
• All athletes, regardless of their caste, creed, region, religion and gender, will equally receive the
advantages resulting from the bilateral cooperation in the field of sports with Australia.
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Suriname in the field of Medical Products
Regulation
The Union Cabinet has also given its approval for the MoU
between Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
(CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoH&FW), Government of India and Ministry of
Health, Government of the Republic of Suriname on
Cooperation in the field of health and medicine or medical
product regulation.
• It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and
Suriname by facilitating a constructive dialogue
on the laws and regulations pertinent to medical
products, among other matters.
Note:
This MoU was signed on June 4, 2023 during the visit of the
President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to Suriname.
Areas of Cooperation:
The main areas of cooperation between the CDSCO and Ministry of Health, Suriname are as follows:

1. Promoting an understanding between the Parties of each other’s regulatory framework,
requirements and processes
2. Exchange of information and cooperation on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Good Clinical
Practices (GCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Pharmacovigilance Practices
(GPvP).
3. Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia
4. Exchange of safety information, including Pharmacovigilance, and adverse events. This includes
safety concerns relating to medicines and medical devices.
5. Participation in scientific and practical conferences, symposiums, seminars and forum organized by
the Parties.
6. Capacity building in mutually agreed areas
7. Coordination at the international fora
Key Points:
i.The MoU aids medical product exports, boosting foreign exchange and supporting self-reliance.
ii.It enhances comprehension of pharmaceutical regulations, covering materials, devices, and cosmetics.
Recent Related News:
i.On the lines of the Central Government’s plan to expand the foodgrain storage capacities in India, the Union
Cabinet has approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for the
facilitation of the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector.
ii.The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New
Delhi, Delhi. This office would focus on UPU’s development cooperation and technical assistance activities in
collaboration with UPU.
About Suriname:
Capital– Paramaribo
Currency– Suriname Dollar
President– Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokh
Cabinet Approvals on 29th August 2023

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals on
29th August 2023:
i.Decrease of LPG prices by Rs. 200 per cylinder.
ii.Rs 50 Lakh grant for startups to promote Technical Textiles.
iii.Adopts Resolution Hailing Soft-Landing of Chandrayaan-3.
Central Govt approves reduction of LPG prices by Rs 200 per cylinder
Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs(CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the price
reduction of 14.2 kg LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder by Rs.200 per cylinder for all consumer across the
country with effective from August 30,2023.
• This will also be applicable to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), which means, PMUY
beneficiaries will now get a total subsidy of Rs 400 per 14.2kg-LPG cylinder.
Note: The prices for non-subsidized domestic per 14.2kg LPG cylinder currently stand at Rs 1,103 in Delhi; Rs
1,129 in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB); Rs 1,102.50 Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Rs 1,118.50 in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu (TN).
Key Points:
i.The decision will ease the financial burden on citizens and promote the welfare of households.There are more
than 31 crore domestic LPG consumers in India including 9.6 Cr PMUY beneficiary families

ii.The central Government will provide 75 lakh new LPG connections for free under PMUY.
• New connections under the subsidy scheme will be completely free.
iii.The total expenditure for PMUY is Rs 6,100 crore for the FY2022-23 and Rs 7,680 crore for FY2023-24. The
LPG subsidy allocation for FY2023-24 is expected to be revised upwards.
About PM Ujjwala Scheme
Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
AIM: To provide LPG connections to women from BPL households.
Launch Date & Place : 1st May, 2016 at Ballia, UP
Ujjwala 2.0 :-
Launch Date: 10th August,2021
Launched at : Mahoba, UP
Ministry of Textiles approves Rs 50 lakh grant for startups to promote Technical Textiles, gives nod to
26 engineering institutes
The Ministry of Textiles has approved the Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles – Grant for Research
and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT).
• The information for the same was provided by Rajeev Saxena, Joint Secretary Textiles, Ministry of
Textiles, during a press conference in New Delhi, Delhi on the important developments in the
National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
i.This initiative offers grant-in-aid of up to INR 50 Lakhs over a span of 18 months.
• To be eligible for the grant, startups must not have been operating for more than five years.
ii.The program’s goals are to increase exports and generate high-value jobs.
iii. Ministry offers an additional 10% of the total grant to incubators (organisation or institutions support
startups in their early stage business),whereas incubates(startups or individuals in the incubator
program) are required to make a minimum investment of 10% of the funding in two equal instalments.
Highlights:
i.The guidelines foster the development of Technical Textiles startups, aiding conversion from prototypes to
products and commercialization.
ii.GREAT emphasizes areas like Agro-textiles, Medical-textiles, Smart Textiles, Bio-degradable textiles, High-
performance materials, and Indigenous Machinery, employing technologies like AI (Artificial Intelligence), IoT
(Internet of Things), and 3D/4D printing, among others.
Other Approvals by the Ministry of Textiles:
i.The Ministry also approved 26 institutes to upgrade their lab facilities and train trainers in the application
areas of technical textiles. These institutes will contribute to the development and introduction of technical
textile courses/ papers in the key departments/specializations and introduce new degree programme in
technical textiles.
• Rs 151.02 Crores has been approved for this project, where, 15 applications valuing Rs 105.55
Crores are from Public Institutes and 11 applications valuing Rs 45.47 Crores are from Private
Institutes.
• It will support upgrading existing courses across various technical textile domains, including
specialty fibers, geotextiles, smart textiles, among others.
ii.The Ministry will also reopen the Academic Institutes Guidelines for Technical Textiles Education (Round II)
under National Technical Textiles Mission(NTTM) with broader criteria, including institutes with National
Board of Accreditation (NBA) scores above 750, National Assessment Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating
A+/3.26 or higher, and top 200 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked institutes as eligible
private ones.
• These guidelines have received initial approval and aim to incorporate new courses by the 2025-26
academic year.

iii.On the quality and regulation aspect of technical textiles, the Ministry notified two QCOs (Quality Control
Orders) for 31 technical textile products including 19 geotextiles and 12 protective textiles, which will come
into effect from October 7, 2023.
About National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM)
The mission aims to position India as a global leader in Technical Textiles with 4 components: i.Research,
Innovation and Development. ii. Promotion and Market Development. iii. Export Promotion. iv. Education,
Training, Skill Development
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Textiles.
Implementation: For a period of four years , starting from FY 2020-21 till FY 2023-24.
About Ministry of Textiles:
Union Minister – Shri Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha Constituency – Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS) – Smt. Darshana V Jardosh
Union Cabinet adopts Resolution Hailing Soft-Landing of Chandrayaan-3
The Union Cabinet adopted a resolution hailing the soft-landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface,
highlighting that the mission’s achievement signifies not only Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO)
success but also India’s advancement and global stature.
• Through this resolution Cabinet congratulated ISRO on its efforts, and thanked scientists for making
India, the first country to land near the Moon’s South Pole.
• The Cabinet also welcomed the decision to celebrate August 23 as the National Space Day.
• Two points on the moon were named as Tiranga Point (footprint of Chandrayaan-2)
and ShivShakti Point (Chandrayaan-3’s landing spot).
• Chandrayaan-1: Launched in 2008 by former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Chandrayaan-2: Launched in 2019.
Chandrayaan-3: Launched in July 2023.
• Chandrayaan-4/LUPEX: it is expected to launch by or after 2026. Lunar Polar Exploration Mission
(LUPEX), a planned collaboration with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
About Chandrayaan 3:
On August 23, 2023, India accomplished the successful
landing of its Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface,
becoming the fourth nation to achieve this feat, following
the United States, Russia, and China.
Launcher: LVM3(Launch Vehicle Mark-3)
Launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR,
Sriharikota,,
Budget – Rupees 615 crores
Project Director : P Veeramuthuvel
i.The Union Cabinet, approved the Draft of Digital Personal
Data Protection (DPDP) Bill, 2022 which frames out the
rights and duties of the citizen (Digital Nagrik) and the
obligations to use collected data lawfully of the data
fiduciary (entities that collect personal data).
ii.Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) MMDR Act of
1957, for the commercial mining of 6 critical minerals: lithium, titanium, beryllium, zirconium, niobium and
tantalum.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
Chairman– Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment– 1969

PARLIAMENT NEWS
President Droupadi Murmu Gives Assent to Four Bills,August2023
On 12th August 2023, the President of India Droupadi Murmu gave assent to four bills including the Digital
Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Jan
Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2023, and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi
(Amendment) Bill 2023.
• As per the Indian constitution, a bill transforms into an act upon receiving the President’s assent and
is then formally announced in the official gazette. Consequently, the aforementioned bills have now
been enacted as acts.
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023:
i.The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023 amends the Registration of Births and Deaths
1969 Act.
• The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023 falls under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
ii.The bill will contribute to the development of a national and state-level database of registered births and
deaths, which will eventually ensure the efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social
benefits, as well as digital registration.
key Features of the Bill
i.Database of births and deaths: The Bill provides for the appointment of a Registrar-General of India(Central
level), who may issue general directions for registration of births and deaths, and also maintain a national
database of registered births and deaths.
• The Chief Registrars (appointed by states) and Registrars (appointed by states for local area
jurisdiction) , who are appointed by the states for local area jurisdiction, will be liable for providing
data on registered births and deaths to the national database.
• Note – The Registrar General of India(RGI) is a designated office that operates within the framework
of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
ii.Electronic certificates:The Bill facilitates the insertion of provisions for digital registration and electronic
delivery of certificates of births and deaths.
iii.Aadhaar details of parents and informants required: The original act allowed certain persons to report
births and deaths to the Registrar. Ex-the medical officer in charge of a hospital where a baby is born must
report the birth.
• The amendments expand the list of specified persons including the adoptive parents for non-
institutional adoption, biological parents for births through surrogacy, and the parent in case of
birth of a child to a single parent or unwed mother.
• The amendments added that the specified persons shall also provide the Aadhaar number of the
parents and the informant.
iv.Use of birth certificate: It will provide for the use of the birth certificate as a single document to prove the
date and place of birth of a person born on or after the date of commencement of the Registration of Births and
Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023.
• The information will be used for purposes including for admission to an educational institution,
issuance of a driving license, preparation of voter list, marriage registration, appointment to a post
in central or state government or a local body or public sector undertaking or in any statutory or
autonomous body under the central or state government.
v.Appeal process: Everyone who is dissatisfied with the Registrar’s or District Registrar’s decision or order
may file an appeal with the District Registrar or Chief Registrar, as appropriate.
• Such an appeal must be filed within 30 days of receiving the action or order in dispute.
• The decision of the District Registrar or Chief Registrar must be made within 90 days of the date of
the appeal.

vi.Connecting database:The Bill states that the national database may be made available to other authorities
preparing or maintaining other databases and the use of the national database must be approved by the central
government.
• Both the States and Union Territories are responsible for maintaining separate databases within
the Civil Registration System(CRS). This system operates under the operational oversight of the
Registrar General of India (RGI).
• It includes the population register, electoral rolls, ration cards, and any other national databases as
notified by the Government.
• Also, the state database may be made available to authorities dealing with other state databases,
subject to state government approval.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023
The purpose of this Act is to make changes to the “Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act,
1991. This Act was passed on August 11, 2023.The name of this Act is the “Government of National Capital
Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023.”
• Hence, the “Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023” replaces
the “Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023.”
• The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 falls under the
jurisdiction of the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Note – This is a common practice where an ordinance (temporary law issued by the executive branch) is
replaced by a bill passed by the legislative body (in this case, the Parliament), which then becomes a permanent
law.
Highlights of the Bill:
i.Establishment of National Capital Civil Services Authority(NCCSA):
The Bill establishes the National Capital Civil Services Authority(NCCSA) to recommend various service-related
issues to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi (LG).
• It includes transfers and postings, matters
related to vigilance, disciplinary proceedings,
and prosecution sanctions of Group A of All
India Services (except Indian Police Service),
and The Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar,
Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and.
Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services(DANICS).
• The Authority consists of the Chief Minister of
Delhi as Chairperson, the Principal Home
Secretary of the Delhi government as Member
Secretary, and the Chief Secretary of the Delhi
government as member.
• The central government appoints both the
Principal Home Secretary and Chief Secretary.
• All Authority decisions shall be made by a
majority vote of the members present and
voting. A meeting requires a quorum of two
individuals.
ii.Powers of the Lieutenant Governor:Lieutenant Governor of Delhi granted discretionary power over
matters beyond Delhi Assembly’s competence or requiring Judicial/quasi-judicial action.
• It also increases the LG’s discretionary role by granting him the authority to approve or reject the
Authority’s recommendations.
• In the event of a disagreement between the LG and the Authority, the LG’s judgment will be final.

iii.Disposal of matters by Ministers: A Minister of the Delhi government prior to issuing any order regarding
certain topics, the order must be submitted to the LG for his opinion through the Chief Minister and the Chief
Secretary.
• It includes the peace and tranquility of Delhi, relations between the Delhi government and the
central government, Supreme Court, or other state governments, summoning, prorogation, and
dissolution of the Legislative Assembly, and matters on which LG is to give an order in his sole
discretion.
iv.Duties of Secretaries:The Department Secretaries must bring certain matters to the notice of the LG, the
Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary.
• It includes matters which may bring the Delhi Government into controversy with the central or any
state government, the Supreme Court, or the High Court of Delhi.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023
The primary purpose of the Bill is to regulate the processing of digital personal data and respect individuals’
right to protect their data while recognizing the necessity of processing and using such data for lawful
purposes.
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology.
Key Features:
i.Applicability: The Bill applies to the processing of digital personal data within India where such data is
collected online, or collected offline and is digitised.
• It will also apply to the processing of personal data outside India if it is for offering goods or services
in India.
• Personal data is defined as any data about an individual who is identifiable by or in relation to such
data
ii.Consent:Personal data may be processed only for a lawful purpose after obtaining the consent of the
individual.
• Consent will not be required for ‘legitimate uses’ including specified purposes for which data has
been provided by an individual voluntarily, provision of benefit or service by the government,
medical emergency, and employment.
iii.Rights and duties of data principal: An individual whose data is being processed (data principal), will have
the right to obtain information about processing, seek correction and erasure of personal data, nominate
another person to exercise rights in the event of death or incapacity, and grievance redressal.
iv.Obligations of data fiduciaries: The entity determining the purpose and means of processing, (data
fiduciary), must make reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and completeness of data, build reasonable
security safeguards to prevent a data breach, inform the Data Protection Board of India and affected persons in
the event of a breach, and erase personal data as soon as the purpose has been met and retention is not
necessary for legal purposes (storage limitation).
v.Data Protection Board of India: The central government will establish the Data Protection Board of India.
• Key functions of the Board include monitoring compliance and imposing penalties, directing data
fiduciaries to take necessary measures in the event of a data breach, and hearing grievances made
by affected persons.
vi.Penalties: Bill specifies penalties for various offenses such as up to Rs 200 crore for non-fulfillment of
obligations for children, and Rs 250 crore for failure to take security measures to prevent data breaches.
• Penalties will be imposed by the Board after conducting an inquiry.
vii.Transfer of personal data outside India: The Bill allows the transfer of personal data outside India, except
to countries restricted by the central government through notification.
viii.Exemptions: Rights of the data principal and obligations of data fiduciaries (except data security) will not
apply in specified cases including prevention and investigation of offences, and enforcement of legal rights or
claims.

• By notification, the central government exempts certain activities from the application of the Bill
including processing by government entities in the interest of the security of the state and public
order, and research, archiving, or statistical purposes.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry.
• Through The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023, a total of 183 provisions are being
proposed to be decriminalized in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments.
• Acts being amended include the Indian Post Office Act, of 1898, the Environment (Protection) Act, of
1986, the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, and the Information Technology Act, of 2000.
• The Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (Chair: Mr. P.P. Chaudhary), which
submitted its report on March 17, 2023.
Click here to know more about the Jan Vishwas Bill
i.President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Competition(Amendment Bill),2023, which aims to
amend the Competition Act, 2002, that regulates competition in the Indian market and forbids anti-competitive
practices like cartels, mergers, and acquisitions that might have a negative impact on competition.
ii.On April 10, 2023, the Governor of Tamil Nadu (TN) Ravindra Narayana (RN) Ravi approved the ‘Tamil Nadu
Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022’ to ban online gambling, including
online rummy and poker with stakes.
About the National Capital Territory(NCT) of Delhi:
Chief Minister – Arvind Kejriwal
Governor – Vinai Kumar Saxena
Wildlife Sanctuary – Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Festivals – Bhai Dooj Festival, Chhat Festival
President Droupadi Murmu Has Given Approval to Three More Bills in August 2023
The President of India Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the following bills during the Monsoon Session,
2023 of Parliament:
• The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Act, 2023
• National Dental Commission Act, 2023
• Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023
The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Act, 2023
The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Act, 2023 falls under the jurisdiction of Ministry of
Human Resource Development.It was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 28, 2023, it amends the Indian
Institutes of Management (IIM) Act, 2017.
• The Act declares IIMs as institutes of national importance in alignment with the acts governing the
Indian Institute Of Technology (IITs) and other Institutes of National Importance.
• The Bill classifies the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai in Maharashtra as
IIM, Mumbai, means, NITIE is included in The IIM Act, 2017.Hence, NITIE is India’s proposed 21st IIM.
• It also redefines the roles of the Board, Director, and Visitor, and seeks to enhance accountability,
efficiency, and quality in management education.
• The bill empowers the “Visitor” to nominate the chairperson of the board of governors, oversee
appointment as well as removal of directors, and audit the functioning of the 20 IIMs in the country.
• The Bill designates the President of India as Visitor of every Institute covered by the Act.

Highlights of the Bill:
i.IIM Director –
• Under the Act, the Director of an IIM is appointed by the Board of Governors, based on the
recommendations of a Search-cum-Selection Committee. However, the Board needs to obtain the prior
approval of the Visitor before appointing an Institute Director.
• The Board, with prior approval of the Visitor, the authority to remove the Director from office.Under the
Act, the Board may remove the Director from office on grounds such as: (i) insolvency, (ii) mental and
physical incapacity, (iii) conflict of interest with prior approval of the Visitor.
ii.Chairperson of the Board of Governors: Under the Act, the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of each
Institute is appointed by the Board. The Act empowers the Visitor to nominate an eminent person as the
Chairperson of the Board of IIMs.
iii.Inquiries against IIMs:The Act allows the Board to investigate Institutes that aren’t following the Act. A
retired High Court judge leads these investigations.
iv.Dissolution of the Board: The Bill states that the central government can create the conditions and
procedure for dissolving or suspending an Institute’s Board. In case of suspension or dissolution, an interim
board will be formed by the central government for up to six months or until a new Board is established.”
V.Setting Up Institutes: According to the Act, if a current institution becomes an IIM under this Act, all its
employees will maintain their existing tenure, salary, and pensions. However, the Bill doesn’t include the
Director of such institutions in this rule.
National Dental Commission Act, 2023
The National Dental Commission Act, 2023 falls under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare.It was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 24, 2023,it repeals the Dentists Act, 1948.
• Objective – It seeks to regulate the profession of dentistry in India by promoting affordable and high
quality oral healthcare availability and boosting the employability of Indian dental professionals
globally.
Highlights:
i.Formation of National Dental Commission (NDC): Under the Act, the National Dental
Commission consists of 33 members,will be formed to replace the existing Dental Council of India (DCI) and
repeal the Dentists Bill, 1948. The act also mandates the formation of State Dental Councils or Joint Dental
Councils.
• This structure aims to decentralize authority and enhance effective regulation.
• The NDC will be led by a ‘selected’ Regulator. This entails the appointment of the NDC Chairman and
Members through a merit-based selection process conducted by a Search–cum-Committee chaired by
the Cabinet Secretary.
ii.The Act will empower three distinct Autonomous Boards to will carry out specific functions, contributing
to a comprehensive regulatory framework.They are
• Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board,
• Dental Assessment and Rating Board (DARB), and
• Ethics and Dental Registration Board (EDRB).
iii.There will fixed tenure for the Chairperson, Members, and Secretary of the Commission, with no possibility
of reappointment.
iv.There will be creation of an online and live National Register of licensed dentists and dental auxiliaries.
v.There will be establishment of a Dental Advisory Council with representation from all States/Union
Territories for comprehensive insights.
Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023
The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 falls under the jurisdiction
of Ministry of Mines.It was introduced in Lok sabha on July 27, 2023,and it amends Offshore Areas Mineral
(Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 (‘OAMDR Act’), to introduce crucial reforms in India’s offshore mining
sector.

• Objective -The proposed law seeks to create transparent system for managing and overseeing mineral
resources in India’s maritime areas, including territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic
zone, and other relevant zones.
Note -The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) was amended in January
2015 to provide for allocation of mineral concessions in onshore areas through auction.
The Act categorizes offshore mining-related activities into the following:
• Reconnaissance, which involves a preliminary survey to locate mineral resources
• Exploration, which includes exploring, proving, or locating mineral deposits
• Production, the commercial activity of the extraction of minerals
Highlights:
i.The proposed amendment in the Act will bring major reform by introducing auction as the method of
allocation of operating rights in the offshore areas.The Act introduces two types of operating rights,
namely production lease and composite licence through competitive auction for the private sector.
• Composite license mandates exploration completion in 3 years, extendable by 2 years. Successful
exploration leads to production leases. Max exploration area: 30 minutes latitude by 30 minutes
longitude and Max production area: 15 minutes latitude by 15 minutes longitude.
ii.PSU Participation: Public Sector Units (PSUs) are granted operating rights in areas reserved by the Central
Government. For atomic minerals, operating rights are exclusively granted to PSUs.
iii.Renewal and Duration: Renewal of production leases has been eliminated, with a fixed 50-year period in
line with the MMDR Act. This ensures clarity and consistency.
iv.Offshore Area Limits: There is now a cap on the offshore area one entity can acquire. The limit is defined as
45 minutes latitude by 45 minutes longitude for a specific mineral or a group of associated minerals under one
or more operating rights.
v.Offshore Areas Mineral Trust: A non-lapsable trust, called the Offshore Areas Mineral Trust, is established.
It will fund activities like exploration, disaster relief, research, and aiding affected individuals.
• It will maintain a fund under the Public Account of India.
vi.Ease of Transfer: Provisions for simple transfer of composite licences or production leases have been
included, aiming to streamline business operations.
India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), spanning over two million square kilometers, holds valuable
recoverable resources. Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified mineral reserves in offshore areas:
• 1,53,996 million tons of lime mud off Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts.
• 745 million tons of construction-grade sand near Kerala.
• 79 million tons of heavy mineral placers off Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and
Maharashtra.
• Phosphorite in Eastern and Western continental margins.
• Polymetallic Ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) nodules and crusts in Andaman Sea and Lakshadweep Sea.
About Monsoon Session, 2023 of Parliament:
It was commenced on July 20, 2023, and was adjourned sine die on August 11, 2023. Throughout the session,
20 Bills were presented in the Lok Sabha, and 5 Bills were introduced in the Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha passed 22
Bills, while Rajya Sabha passed 25 Bills. One Bill was withdrawn in agreement with both the Lok Sabha and the
Rajya Sabha. The combined tally of Bills passed by both Houses during this session amounts to
23. Click Here for full list
i.On the lines of the Central Government’s plan to expand the foodgrain storage capacities in India, the Union
Cabinet has approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for the
facilitation of the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector.
ii.To further expand the Smart Cities Program, the Union cabinet approved the ‘City Investments to Innovate,
Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0)’ to 18 more cities which will run for a period of four years, from 2023 to
2027.

LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION
Ministry of Finance Launches Vivad Se Vishwas-2 Scheme To Settle Contractual Disputes
On 2nd August 2023, the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance (MOF), launched the scheme, Vivad
se Vishwas II – (Contractual Disputes), to settle the pending contractual disputes of government and
government undertakings.
• The scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 by the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala
Sitharaman.
The scheme aims to promote ease of doing business and will cover disputes up to September 30, 2022, clear the
backlog of litigation, and also resolves the government’s contractual disputes with private parties.
Key points:
i.The deadline for submitting claims under the scheme is 31st October 2023
ii.Application for settlement are to be made by the contractors through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
portal.
iii.The Scheme is valid from 15 July to 31 October 2023.
Eligibility Criteria:
i.The scheme is applicable to domestic contractual disputes involving the Government of India or organizations
under its control.
ii.Disputes with arbitral awards issued up to 31st January 2023 and court awards passed up to 30th April 2023
are eligible for settlement.
iii.Eligible claims shall be processed only through GeM. For non-GeM contracts of Ministry of Railways,
contractors may register their claims on IREPS (www.ireps.gov.in).
Settlement Offers:
i.Contractors will be offered settlement amounts based on the net amount awarded or upheld by the court.
ii.For court awards passed on or before 30th April 2023, the settlement amount can go up to 85% of the net
amount.
iii.For arbitral awards passed on or before 31st January 2023, the settlement amount can go up to 65% of the
net amount awarded
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches DBT in NAPS to strengthen apprenticeship

ecosystem
On 12th August 2023, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Ministry of Education(MoE), and the Ministry
of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), launched Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in National
Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) to encourage the participation of both corporates and young
individuals towards apprenticeship training in India, at an event in New Delhi, Delhi.
• As part of the DBT launch, an amount of approximately Rs. 15 crores was disbursed to 1 lakh
apprentices.
• Under the NAPS, the GoI reimburses 25% of the prescribed stipend, up to a maximum of Rs.1500/-
per month per apprentice, engaged by employers.
• With the implementation of DBT, it is anticipated that the number of apprentices will further
increase, expanding the coverage beyond the initial 30% target set under NAPS 2.0.
Analysis:
i.More than 25 Lakh apprentices have been engaged since the inception of NAPS in 2016 till 31st July 2023,
whereas around 2.6 lakh Apprentices have completed training in the financial year (FY) 2023-2024.
ii.As a result of proactive initiatives by the government, to promote quality training across various sectors, the
number of active establishments offering apprenticeships saw an increase to 40,655 in 2023-24 from 6,755 in
2018-19.
Key Highlights:
i.The Union Minister emphasized this initiative as perfectly aligning with the Government of India’s (GoI) vision

of promoting aspirational skilling and encouraging the concept of “earning while learning,” as outlined in the
National Education Policy (NEP).
ii.The introduction of DBT in NAPS marks a move towards transparency and efficiency.
iii.The robust strategy, involving the evolution of policies, and collaboration with industries, underscores the
importance of a skilled workforce in the growth of India.
iv.Notably, there has been an exceptional 488% increase in the number of establishments offering
apprenticeship training since the inception of NAPS.
• Some of them were the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture (MCCIA) in
Pune, Maharashtra, the Baddi Cluster from Himachal Pradesh, and the North Malabar Consortium
Industry Cluster in Kannur, Kerala.
Chintan Shivir:
i.The MSDE also organized a “Chintan Shivir” on “Enhancing Apprenticeship Engagement” to elevate the uptake
of apprenticeship programs across all stakeholders.
ii.The core objective of Chintan Shivir was to foster collaboration among central and state governments,
industry bodies, and the private sector.
iii.The Chintan Shivir was divided into 3 breakout sessions themed on: Stakeholder Convergences to Make
Apprenticeship Aspirational; Strategies and Practices to Promote Quality Apprenticeship and Create a Diverse and
Inclusive Apprenticeship Ecosystem, respectively.
iv.The deliberations revolved around, fostering dialogue; increasing apprenticeship uptake; enhancing quality;
and ensuring equal opportunities for marginalized and underserved communities.
Few Key achievements of NAPS:
i.In FY 2023-24, approximately 2.6 lakh apprentices successfully completed their training.
ii.Women apprentices have also increased from 22,427 in 2018-19 to 1.48 lakh in FY 2022-23, registering a
nearly 7-fold increase in the last 5 years.
iii.The number of active establishments has subsequently increased from 6,755 in 2018-19 to 40,655 in 2023-
24.
iv.States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana have
emerged as leaders in the apprenticeship engagement chart.
v.This inclusive approach extends to regions like the North Eastern Region, aspirational districts, and tribal
districts.
Postal Life Insurance Launches Direct Incentive Disbursement for Sales Force
On August 7, 2023, Postal Life Insurance (PLI) introduced a pilot program for ‘Direct Incentive Disbursement’
in the Delhi and Uttarakhand Circles to recognize the role of its sales force or PLI’s agents.
• It was unveiled by Alok Sharma, Director General, Postal Services. Chief Postmasters General of all
Postal Circles also participated in this program through video conference.
About Direct Incentive Disbursement Initiative:
i.This initiative is their agent incentive program under which agents’ commissions from the previous month
directly transferred to their Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) Accounts resulting in swift and secure
transactions.
ii.It will also lead to the convenience and motivation of Salesforce.
iii.The automated payouts will reduce administrative costs, enabling a greater focus on delivering client
service.
iv.The introduction of this initiative marks a modernization of the incentives distribution process.
Key Points:
i.The PLI’s agent or sales staff is the driving force behind the department’s accomplishments.
ii.PLI is committed to strengthening its relationship with agents and fostering a culture of excellence as this
initiative will benefit around two lakh sales force members across India, including Gramin Dak Sevaks, Direct
Agents, Field Officers, and Departmental Employees.

About PLI:
PLI was launched in 1884 as a welfare scheme for postal employees and later extended to employees of the
Telegraph Department in 1888. It is the India’s oldest life insurer, with significant growth from a few hundred
policies in 1884 to over 50 Lakhs policies as of 31st March 2021.
Now, its coverage includes employees of Central & State Governments, Defence and Para-Military Services,
Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Banks, Educational Institutions, Local Bodies, professionals, and employees
of National Stock Exchange of India (NSE)/ (BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) listed companies.
Nitin Gadkari Launched World’s 1st BS 6 Stage II ‘Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle”
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH) launched the world’s
first prototype of BS-VI(Bharat Stage Six) Stage II compliant “Electrified Flex Fuel vehicle”, Toyota
Innova Hycross.It is a variant of Toyota’s Innova, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private
Limited(Toyota Kirloskar).
• This is also India’s first flex-fuel electrified vehicle that can run in either electric
mode or 100% ethanol.
• This launch is in line with India’s target to increase ethanol blending in petrol by 20% by 2025-
2026.
About the Electrified Flex Fuel vehicle:
i.The new Electrified Flex Fuel vehicle(FFV) is based on the Innova Hycross and is designed and
developed to comply with the emission standards of India.
• Flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) have an internal combustion engine and are capable of operating
on petrol and any blend of petrol and ethanol.
ii.The upcoming stages of this prototype will include meticulous refinement, homologation and
certification process.
iii.This innovative vehicle has an internal combustion engine and is capable of operating on petrol and any
blend of petrol and ethanol.
• Until now, the maximum limit of mixing is set at around 83%.But but this model says to run on
100 per cent ethanol.
Key People:
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas(MoPNG), Union Minister Dr
Mahendra Nath Pandey, Ministry of Heavy Industries; Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director & Chief
Executive Officer (MD & CEO), Toyota Kirloskar were presented during the launch.
Bharat Stage (BS):
Bharat stage(BS) emission standards are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to
regulate the output of air pollutants from compression ignition engines and Spark-ignition engines
equipment, including motor vehicles.
Bharat Stage Six(BS-VI):
i.Bharat Stage Six (BS-VI) or BS6 is the 6th emission benchmark or criterion in reducing pollution levels
when compared to the BSIV or BS4 emission norms.
• Both are the maximum emission norms which set the maximum pollution from the exhaust of
the motor vehicle.
• India shifted to BS VI vehicular emission norms by 1st April 2020 from BS IV.
ii.As per the previous Auto fuel Policy, BS-II, BS-III and BS-IV quality auto fuels were introduced in India by
1sy April 2017. The Committee proposed the implementation of BS-V emission norms by 1st April 2020
and the BS-VI emission norms from 2024.
iii.Due to the increasing pollution, the Government implemented the BS-IV and BS-VI emissions with effect
from 1st April 2020.

iv.The fuel quality has improved from BS-IV to BS-VI norms by reducing the permissible Sulphur content
from 50 Parts Per Million (ppm) in BS-IV to a maximum of 10 ppm in BS-VI-compliant fuel.
Additional info:
• India has reduced the dependence on oil imports with an aim to become self-reliant. At present,
India imports fossil fuels worth Rs 16 lakh crore every year.
• Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, or alcohol) is a biofuel with the chemical formula C2H5OH. It
is naturally made by the fermentation of sugar.
President of India Released Rs.100 Coin Commemorating Late Shri NT Rama Rao
Government of India(GoI) introduced a commemorative Rs.100 silver coin featuring the image of
the Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (N.T. R),a former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and
a legendary Indian actor.President of India Droupadi Murmu released the coin to mark the 100th birth
anniversary (centenary Year) of N.T.Rama Roa at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre(RBCC) in New
Delhi,Delhi.
Specifications of Rs.100 Silver coin:-
• The coin is 44mm in diameter and it is made from 50 percent Silver, 40 per cent Copper, 5 per
cent Nickel and 5 per cent Zinc.
• The coin features the national emblem, the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, on one side and an
image of NTR along with the inscription ‘Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Satha Jayanthi’ on the
other side.
• NTR’s centenary, the coin also has the inscription 1923-2023.
About N.T.Rama Rao
i.He served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for three terms and was well known as Anna Garu
(Elder Brother) by the fans and supporters.He made his debut in Telugu language movies.
ii.N.T.Rama Rao was honored with three National Film Awards for his involvement in the production of
Telugu movies Thodu Dongalu (1954) and Seetharama Kalyanam (1960) and directing Varakatnam
(1970).He was also honoured with India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri in 1968 in the
field of arts and films.
iii.He became familiar in 1950s for his portrayal of Hindu Gods such as Lord Krishna,Lord Rama and Lord
Shiva in his movies.
iv.He is also recognized for his role for the initiatives such as Telugu Cultural Renaissance and the Telugu
language movement.
The Government Mint
• India Government Mint, Mumbai (‘IGM Mumbai’) is engaged in the manufacture of circulation
coins, commemorative coins, medals and medallions, and weights & measures standards. The
IGM Mumbai, established in 1829, is one of the oldest mints in India.
• It is part of the Union Finance Ministry and is operated by the Security Printing and Minting
Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL).
The first Mumbai Mint rupee was coined in the year 1672.
MoE Announces Launch of Smart India Hackathon 2023

On 23rd August 2023, The Ministry of Education’s(MoE) Innovation Cell in collaboration with the All India
Council of Technical Education (AICTE) announced the launch of the 6th edition Smart India Hackathon (SIH)
2023.
• SIH-2023 is supported by the participation of 26 Central Ministries, 6 State Ministries, and 4
Industry partners.

• The last date for the submission of problem statements for senior SIH is September 30, 2023,
whereas for Junior SIH, it is October 30, 2023.
Note:The first edition of the Smart India Hackathon was held in 2017.For the Junior category, this is the 2nd
edition since it was started in 2022.
Key people:
i.Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of Higher Education, Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, and Dr. Abhay ere, Vice
Chairman of AICTE were present at the announcement event at New Delhi, Delhi.
About Smart India Hackathon 2023:
i.Smart India Hackathon 2023 is a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to address critical
challenges, we encounter in our everyday lives.It aims to foster a culture of product innovation and cultivate
problem-solving skills among participants.
ii.The competition is set to be held in two categories.
• SIH Junior – Class 6th-12th students.
• SIH Senior – Higher Education Institution (HEI) students (Graduate/Post-Graduate/Doctor of
Philosophy)
iii.Themes – Agriculture, FoodTech & Rural Development, Blockchain & Cybersecurity, Clean & Green
Technology, Disaster Management, Fitness & Sports, Heritage & Culture, MedTech / BioTech / HealthTech,
Miscellaneous, Renewable / Sustainable Energy, Robotics and Drones, Smart Automation, Smart Education,
Smart Vehicles, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Tourism and Toy.
iv.Participants can choose their problems from the collection of 239 problem statements, including 182
software challenges and 57 hardware challenges
v.The tentative dates for the grand finale of Senior SIH and Junior SIH are in the first week of November 2023
and January 2023, respectively.
Additional info:
i.UNESCO India Africa Hackathon was inaugurated at Gautam Buddha University in Uttarpradesh on November
2022.
ii.The National Cybersecurity Hackathon ‘KAVACH-2023’ was conducted by AICTE in collaboration with the
Bureau of Police Research and Development (BRPD), and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)
along with Ministry of Home Affairs.
• It was launched in February 2023 and the valedictory was held in AMC Engineering College,
Bengaluru on 10th August 2023.
ii.The four teams won the ‘KAVACH-2023’ including LNCT University of Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), G.H. Raisoni
College of Engineering and Business Management (Jalgaon, Maharashtra), Bhilai Institute of Technology Durg
(Chhattisgarh) and Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Management (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu).
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launches Bharat New Car Assessment Programme
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched the Bharat
New Car Assessment Programme(BNCAP) in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The aim of the launch is intended to improve the road safety for M1 category motor vehicles
weighing less than 3.5T Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).
• The BNCAP car test program begins on 1st October 2023,will be led by the Central Institute of Road
Transport (CIRT).
Key people:
Minister of State(MoS) for Road Transport and Highways Gen Vijay Kumar Singh and Anurag Jain, secretary
of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)also present during the launch.
Note:
The M1 category refers to vehicles used for the carriage of passengers comprising not more than eight seats in
addition to the driver’s seat.

About Bharat NCAP:
i.The purpose of this programme is to provide automobile buyers with a tool for comparing the crash safety of
motor vehicles on the market.
ii.Car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their vehicles to be tested in accordance with Automotive Industry
Standard (AIS) 197 under this scheme.
• The car will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants (AOP) and Child Occupants (COP) based on
its performance in the testing.
iii.This initiative will lead to creating high demand’ for safer cars which compel manufacturers to meet
‘customer safety preferences’.
Key points:
i.BNCAP sets India as the world’s fifth country to have such an indigenous car crash test programme, behind the
United States, China, Japan, and South Korea.
ii.So far, Indian cars have been tested by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), a Zero
Foundation project based in the United Kingdom.
C-DOT’s 40th Foundation day: Communication Minister Launched Security systems –

TRINETRA
On the occasion of the 40th Foundation day of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)(25th August
2023), Devusinh Chauhan, Minister of State(MoS), Ministry of Communication, launched C-DOT’s TRINETRA,
an indigenously developed cyber threat detection and resolution system.
• During the event, MoS Devusinh Chauhan also inaugurated the C-DOT’s Enterprise Security
Operation Centre (ESOC) at C-DOT campus New Delhi, Delhi.
• He also inaugurated the technical conference centered on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine
Learning (ML)” organised by C-DOT.
Note:
C-DOT, was established on 24th August 1984 as an autonomous Telecom Research & Development(R&D)
centre under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications.
About TRINETRA:
i.It is a comprehensive security systems combining Security information and Event Management (SIEM),
Security Orchestration and Automated Response (SOAR), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), User Entity and
Behaviour Analytics (UEBA), Multi-Source Threat Intelligence and others.
• The TRINETRA solution provides 24×7 near real-time actionable cyber-security status and quickly
deals with cyber-threats like viruses, malware, and spyware.
ii.It checks the computers, laptops, servers, and virtual machines in a company to make sure they’re safe from
cyber-attacks.
• If it detects any malwares, Trinetra analyses and mitigates any vulnerabilities and gives Artificial
Intelligence (AI) enabled automated responses.
Conference on “Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)”:
The technical conference was organised as a part of C-DOT’s GB Meemamsi Lecture Series (workshops on
newly emerging dimensions of Telecom & Information and communications technology (ICT)) .
The technical conference featured a diverse range of discussions on the emerging aspects of AI and ML.
What is a Security Operations Center (SOC)?
A Security Operations Center (SOC) comprises a group of cybersecurity experts committed to overseeing and
evaluating an organization’s security status, while also taking action on current and potential security
breaches. The team is responsible for scanning all the security systems in real time.
The Government of India(GoI) has decided to make the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-
DoT),premier R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, as the nodal
facilitation agency to handle telecommunication intellectual property rights (IPRs) and patents.

About Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT):
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rajkumar Upadhyay
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1984
‘UPI Chalega 3.0’: NPCI Launched 3rd edition of UPI Safety Awareness Campaign
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched “UPI Chalega 3.0”, the 3rd edition of its
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Safety Awareness campaign, developed in collaboration with key
stakeholders in the payments ecosystem. The campaign aims to promote the adoption of UPI as a secure, easy,
and instant mode of payment.
The campaign is designed to educate users about UPI’s various features, including UPI LITE for quick low-value
transactions, UPI AUTOPAY for secure recurring payments, and UPI Interoperability for seamless money
transfers across all UPI-enabled applications.
• Aim: To drive UPI adoption and safe usage through engaging initiatives such as enhancing brand
awareness of UPI, improving understanding of its features, and encouraging wider adoption among
new users.
• A dedicated microsite, www.upichalega.com, has been created to provide a comprehensive resource
hub, which offers informative videos, instructional guides, details about participating banks and
third-party apps, and dynamic social media updates.
• Users can access detailed information about UPI services, enabling them to set up and use UPI LITE,
UPI AUTOPAY, and UPI Interoperability.
Note: In 2020, the UPI Chalega campaign was launched under the guidance of the Financial Literacy Advisory
Committee (FLAC). UPI Chalega Campaign 1.0 and 2.0 had a significant impact on the adoption and
understanding of UPI, making it the preferred payment method.
India’s First AI School Launched in Kerala

On 22nd August 2023, Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated India’s first Artificial
Intelligence (AI) school at Santhigiri Vidyabhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• AI School was created by iLearning Engines (ILE) of the United States of America(USA) in
collaboration with Vedhik eSchool which was managed by a committee of veteran professionals
including former Chief Secretaries, DGPs and Vice Chancellors.
i. AI School facility will be initially available to students from classes 8 to 12. The curriculum and methodology
are designed in compliance with the National School Accreditation Standards, which are based on the New
National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
ii.It provides coaching for competitive exams including JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) , NEET(National Eligibility
cum Entrance Test), CUET(Common University Entrance Test), CLAT(Common Law Admission Test),
GMAT(Graduate Management Admission Test), ILETS(International English Language Testing System).
iii. By providing digital content through the school’s website, the financial burdens on parents will be reduced.
DPIIT and MoRD launched ODOP Wall at SARAS Ajeevika Store

To promote the indigenous crafts and artisans of India, One District One Product (ODOP) program, an initiative
under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
collaborated with Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) Aajeevika, an initiative by Deendayal
Antyodaya (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development(MoRD) in New Delhi, Delhi.
• ODOP Wall was inaugurated at SARAS Aajeevika Store in New Delhi as part of the collaboration.
• In addition to directing consumers and enthusiasts to emporiums, the collaborative effort seeks to
incorporate innovative features like product tagging and story cards.

Note: The ‘ODOP Wall’ signifies India’s remarkable heritage of craftsmanship, ready to enchant international
spectators and function as a dynamic platform that exhibits the nation’s unparalleled artistic legacy on a global
scale.
Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society (SARAS) Aajeevika
i.SARAS Aajeevika demonstrates a commitment to women’s empowerment.
ii.The initiative places particular emphasis on elevating women artisans and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), acting as
a dedicated platform for their meticulously crafted goods.
iii.Through this marketplace, SARAS Aajeevika enhances the capabilities and proficiencies of these women,
enabling them to establish themselves as self-reliant entrepreneurs.
One District One Product (ODOP) program
i.ODOP initiative seeks to actualize national self-reliance by nurturing equitable regional progress across every
district in the nation.
ii.This endeavor involves singling out, labeling, and advocating a distinctive product from each district,
spotlighting the extensive array of products spanning diverse sectors such as handlooms and handicrafts.
iii.As a component of its broader expansion strategy, ODOP persists in establishing significant partnerships
with governmental and private organizations, in accordance with its overarching objective of elevating India
into a self-sustaining epicenter of unique artistry and entrepreneurial spirit.
About Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Union Minister – Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha Maharashtra)
Ministers of State – Shri Som Prakash and Anupriya Singh Patel
About Ministry of Rural Development
Union Minister – Giriraj Singh (Begusarai Constituency in Bihar)
Ministers of State – Faggansingh Kulaste
NBRI Namoh 108: MoST Minister Dr Jitendra Singh unveils new variety of Lotus flower
developed by CSIR-NBRI
On August 19, 2023, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science &
Technology (MoST), unveiled “NBRI Namoh 108”, a unique variety of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) with 108 petals,
in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
• NBRI Namoh 108 was developed by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- National Botanical
Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow(UP)-based institute of national importance which engaged
in research in the classical botanical disciplines.
About NBRI Namoh 108:
i.This is the first lotus variety whose genome is completely sequenced for its characteristics.
ii.It will be registered as the official lotus variety out of India.
iii.The name Namoh was inspired from “Om Namaha Vasudeva”. Namoh in Sanskrit translates to ‘salutations‘.
The name of the variety was given by an internal committee of the NBRI.
iv.The number 108 and lotus flower are considered auspicious in Hindu religion. Therefore this combination
gives an important identity to this variety.
Features:
i.The Namoh 108 blooms from March to December making it the longest-lasting among lotus varieties.
ii.Its maximum size can reach upto 10 inches in Diameter.
iii.It is rich in nutrients like amino acids, polyphenois, flavonoids, Catechins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and
minerals.
iv.It can be propagated by rhizomes and through seeds and it can be grown in ponds, tanks, and pots.
Background:
The lotus was initially discovered several years back in Manipur, and kept at the institute as part of its
collection of flowers and plants, on which the institute conducts research.

Release of apparel made from Lotus Fibre and Perfume ‘Frotus’
The MoST Minister also introduced apparel made from lotus fibre and perfume ‘Frotus’. The perfume is
extracted from lotus flowers and was developed by the NBRI under the Lotus Research Programme in
collaboration with Fragrance & Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, UP.
• FFDC is an autonomous Body under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
Launch of Lotus Mission:
Government has also initiated the Lotus Mission after the success of Aroma Mission, which aims to promote the
cultivation of aromatic crops for essential oils, thereby, increase the income of the farmers through cultivation
of high value and high demand aromatic crops.
• Aroma Mission nodal agency is CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) in
Lucknow(UP).
• Lotus Mission will be undertaken in Mission mode like the other priority schemes.
Note: Other priority schemes are National Honey and Bee Mission (NHBM), National Bamboo Mission (NBM),
National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), National Mission for
Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Gokul Mission, Blue Revolution, Mission Shakti, and the National Mission on
Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) etc.
Launch of new variety of Aloe vera ‘NBRI-Nihar’
The Minister also introduced ‘NBRI-Nihar,’ a new Aloe vera variant with about 2.5 times greater gel yield
compared to traditional Aloe vera. It has strong resistance to bacterial and fungal diseases.
• The Minister also unveiled ‘Herbal Cold Drops’ and ‘Herbal Anti Dandruff Hair Oil,’ crafted by
Marc Laboratories, for treating common cough and cold as well as dandruff issues.
Other Launches/MoU:
i.An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between CSIR-NBRI & M/s Nucleome Informatics,
Hyderabad, Telangana for collaborative research on Cotton.
ii.Dr. Jitendra Singh launched herbal colors extracted from temple flower offerings, usable for various purposes
including fabric dyeing.
iii.A Database of 500 Raw Drug Repositories of the CSIR-NBRI meeting Indian Pharmacopoeia Standards was
unveiled.
iv.A book featuring elite rose varieties from CSIR-NBRI Garden was released.
v.CSIR-NBRI’s digital Herbarium, a National Repository of flora specimens of India, was launched to easily
disseminate information among the public.
vi.Books about ‘Plant Resources of Uttar Pradesh and a Check List’ and an ‘e-flora of Uttar Pradesh’ were
presented.
• Both provides a list and information of more than 5,000 plants of UP.
vii.NBRI-Goutout supplement for gout/gouty arthritis and a nutri-bar for high-altitude army personnel were
introduced.
viii.Dr. Jitendra Singh attended a six-day NBRI event from August 14 to 19, 2023 showcasing research,
products, and expertise to stakeholders.
i.The “Cannabis Research Project” of the Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research–Indian Institute
Of Integrative Medicine (CSIR–IIIM) in Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is the first of its kind Cannabis
Medicine Project in India under Public Private Partnership (PPP) with a IndusCann Limited, headquartered in
Toronto, Canada.
ii.On 19th July 2023, the Gujarat government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OneWeb, a
London-based Company, and Gujarat Government’s Department of Science and Technology, for setting up
India’s First Private ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’ in Gujarat.

About CSIR– National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI):
It is an institute of National Importance under CSIR.
Director – Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Science & Technlogy(MoST)
Location– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
NHA launches India’s 1st ABDM Microsite in Aizawl; Mizoram 1st state to Operationalize
Microsite
On 23rd August 2023, National Health Authority (NHA) launched India’s first Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
(ABDM) microsite in Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram. With this, Mizoram became the 1st State in India
to operationalise ABDM microsite project.
• Mizoram has appointed Youth for Action as the Interfacing Agency for implementing the ABDM
Microsite in Aizawl.
Note:
Besides Mizoram, other states including Andhra Pradesh(AP), Madhya Pradesh(MP), Uttar Pradesh(UP),
Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh have also made significant progress in the implementation of ABDM microsites.
More microsites are expected to be operational in the next few weeks.
Background:
i.On July 28, 2023, NHA launched the 100 Microsites project under ABDM to promote digital health adoption
and enhance healthcare accessibility for all.
ii.In April 2023, the Mission Steering Group(MSG) approved 100 Microsites project. These Microsites will be
established across India in various States and Union territories(UTs).
• Click Here to Read
What are Microsites?
Microsites are clusters of ABDM-enabled small and medium-scale healthcare facilities, such as clinics, nursing
homes, hospitals (with less than 10 beds), laboratories, and pharmacies, offering digital health services to
patients like linking the health records generated at these facilities with their Ayushman Bharat Health
Accounts (ABHAs).
• These records can be accessed and shared using ABDM-enabled Personal Health Record (PHR)
applications on patients’ phones.
Key Points:
i.The establishment of microsites is a step towards advancing healthcare digitization efforts throughout India.
ii.State Mission Directors of ABDM will oversee the implementation of this project while NHA will provide
financial resources and overall guidance for the project.
iii.Collaboration with development partners and interfacing agencies allows States and UTs to establish and
manage microsites, with on-ground teams engaging healthcare providers.
About National Health Authority (NHA):
Chief Executive Officer– Ram Sewak Sharma
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi
BRICS Nations Agree to Launch New University Ranking System

BRICS Education Ministers recently assembled in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa and reached an
agreement to establish a new autonomous university rating system. BRICS nations comprises Brazil, Russia,
India, China, and South Africa.
• Objective – It aims to take a significant step toward bringing excellence in higher education,
encouraging cross-border academic collaborations, and advancing the collective educational
objectives of these nations.
i.The primary agenda of the BRICS Education Ministers’ meeting was addressing the need for modern,
accountable education and training. Leaders from various educational departments collaboratively recognized

the limitations of current university ranking methodologies.
ii.This prompted a decision to create a new ranking system, demonstrating commitment to enhanced, accurate
evaluation of higher education institutions globally. Ministries of Education from Brazil, Russia, India, China,
and South Africa wholeheartedly lent their support for this proposal.
iii. Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education in Russia, emphasized the
necessity for a new evaluation framework in the global education community. He stressed the importance of
objectivity and universal acceptance in this framework.
iv.CHEN Jie, Deputy Minister of Education from People’s Republic of Chinahighlighted that the upcoming
rating system’s need to rely on qualitative benchmarks, not just quantitative ones.
PM Launches Bhartiya Vastra evam Shilpa Kosh during 9th National Handloom Day in Delhi
On August 7, 2023, the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi launched the e-portal ‘Bhartiya Vastra
evam Shilpa Kosh (भारतीय वस्त्र एवं शिल्पकोष) – A Repository of Textiles & Crafts’ developed by the National
Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in collaboration with Ministry of Textiles.
• This launch was made during the 9th National Handloom Day celebration held at Bharat Mandapam,
Pragati Maidan, Delhi which was presided over by the PM.
• The event was hosted jointly by the Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium
Enterprises (M/o MSME).
• It was attended by over 3000 weavers and artisans from across India.
Note: The PM declared August 7 as the ‘National Handloom Day’ in 2015 to highlight the contribution of
handloom weavers in the development journey of India. This specific date commemorates the
Swadeshi Andolan launched in 1905.
About Textiles & Crafts Repository e-portal:
The online repository is a one-of-a-kind knowledge platform that connects the history, present status, and
future developments of textile, clothing, and related crafts. It offers access to a vast database of research papers,
case studies, dissertations, and doctoral theses in these areas, serving as a comprehensive resource for
information on new developments and current events in textiles and crafts.
Key Points:
i.PM also inaugurated a special three-day exhibition of handloom, handicraft and khadi products by awardee
weavers, cooperative societies, producer companies and women self-help groups (SHGs) from across India.
ii.Two films were showcased during the event:
• “संगठन से सफलता”- It highlighted the positive impact on weavers’ lives due to an organized
ecosystem of skilling, marketing and distribution by the Ministry of Textiles
• Another movie titled “Khadi for fashion” emphasized Khadi’s relevance for employment and the
economy.
iii.To raise awareness among young audiences about India’s handloom sector, a two-week educational
initiative at the National Crafts Museum was organized, benefiting over 10,000 students from 75 schools.
Other Participants:
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Textiles; Union Minister Narayan Tatu Rane, M/o MSME; Union
Minister of State (MoS) Darshana Jardosh, Ministry of Textiles; MoS Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, M/o MSME;
among others representatives from handloom clusters across India, NIFT campuses, Weaver Service Centres
(WSCs), Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) campuses, National Handloom Development
Corporation (NHDC), Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC) institutions and State Handloom Departments.

MeitY Launched IWBDC to Create Indigenous Web Browser with Advanced Features
On August 9, 2023, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Indian Web
Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC), Open Challenge Competition for Indian technology enthusiasts to
create an indigenous web browser with advanced security features.
• It was jointly launched by Sunita Verma, Scientist G & Group Coordinator (Research &
Development- R&D in Electronics & Information Technology); Arvind Kumar, Controller of
Certifying Authorities (CCA), MeitY; and Dr. S. D. Sudarshan, Executive Director C-DAC (Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing), Bengaluru, Karnataka during a Launch Programme
organized at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.
• The dignitaries also unveiled the Challenge brochure during the event.
• This Challenge is spearheaded by MeitY, CCA and C-DAC Bengaluru.
About IWBDC:
Aim:
To motivate and empower technology enthusiasts, innovators, and developers from India to create web
browser with an inbuilt CCA India root certificate, advanced features and strong security & data privacy
measures.
Rounds:
The competition comprises three rounds: an ideation round selecting 18 entries, a second round narrowing
down to 8 participants, and a final round to determine the winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up.
Throughout the challenge, participants will receive technical mentorship.
Prize money:
• The total prize money of the challenge is Rs. 3.41 crore.
• The winner will receive a prize of Rs. 1 crore and ongoing support to further develop the browser.
Key Points:
The browser’s key focus will be on accessibility and user-friendliness, including support for individuals with
different abilities. It will also offer the capability to digitally sign documents using a crypto token, enhancing
secure transactions and digital interactions.
Participants:
The program was participated by more than 200 participants from government departments, industry, start-up
and academia through on-line and off-line mode.
Union Minister Parshottam Rupala Unveiled ‘A-HELP’ Programme in Gujarat

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala has unveiled the ‘A-
HELP’ (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme under the Azadi
Ka Amrit Mahotsav, along with an Infertility Camp in Gujarat.The Department of Animal Husbandry and
Dairying, Government of India, is spearheading these initiatives as part of the Pashudhan Jagrati Abhiyaan
under Inclusive Development.
• The ‘A-HELP’ program is designed to empower women through their participation as skilled agents,
making substantial contributions to disease control, artificial insemination as part of
the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), animal tagging, and livestock insurance.
• It marks a significant stride towards empowering women, enhancing livestock productivity, and
advancing the socio-economic landscape of the region.
• Prime Minister (PM) Shri Narendra Modi launched nine campaigns under the theme Inclusive
Development as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on the 24th April 2023 during the National
Panchayati Raj Day at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. The PM also launched the Website and Mobile App
“Samaveshi Vikaas” on the same day.The nation will observe Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) till
August, 2023.

MeitY Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma Launches The ‘Graphene–Aurora Program’
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched
the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala.The program aims to bridge the
gap between research & development and its commercialization, using the India Innovation Centre Graphene
(IICG) centers in Kochi.
• The program has been allocated a total budget of Rs 94.85 Crore, with significant participation
from industry partners, including Carborundum Pvt Limited.
• Digital University Kerala will execute the program in collaboration with joint funding from MeitY,
the Government of India, the Government of Kerala, and industry partners.
• MeitY Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma announced the establishment of a section 8 company
named ‘India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC).‘ This not-for-profit entity
will be created, and its initial operations will commence at the newly inaugurated Government of
Kerala facility situated in Digital Science Park, Trivandrum.
MoH&FW launched 2nd Phase of Nationwide MDA Campaign for Lymphatic Filariasis
On 10th August 2023, Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(MoH&FW), inaugurated the 2nd phase of the Annual Nationwide Mass Drug Administration (MDA)
campaign for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The 2nd phase will cover 81 districts in 9 endemic States – Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh(UP).
• During the event, Union Minister Mandaviya also launched the National Guidelines for Clinical
Management of Dengue Fever 2023 and Chikungunya Fever.
Note: Lymphatic Filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD). LF is a
Vector-Borne Disease transmitted by Culex mosquitoes.
Points to note:
i.India’s Accelerated Mission for Lymphatic Filariasis Eradication aims to achieve its goal of eliminating
Lymphatic Filariasis by 2027, three years ahead of the global target.
ii.LF can be successfully eliminated from India, by encouraging public participation (Jan Bhagidaari) and
adopting a ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Society’ strategy.
Key People:
T.S. Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister (CM), Chhattisgarh; Brijesh Pathak, Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh.
5 Pillars for Eliminating LF:
• Multi-drug administration (MDA) Campaign is held twice a year synchronized with National
Deworming Day (10th Feb and 10th August).
• Early diagnosis and treatment; engagement of medical colleges for strengthening Morbidity
management and disability (MMDP) services.
• Integrated Vector Control with multi-sectoral coordinated efforts.
• For inter-sectoral convergence with allied departments and ministries.
• Leveraging existing digital platforms for LF and exploring alternate diagnostics.
MSDE launched Special Skill Development Program for North East Region
On 8th August 2023, The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
launched ‘Transforming lives, building futures: Skill development and entrepreneurship in North-East’,
a special skill development program to create a robust skill-centric and industry-ready ecosystem in North-
Eastern Region (NER).
• The initiative was jointly unveiled by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister, MSDE, Union Minister
G. Kishan Reddy, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region(MoDONER)
and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State(MoS) for MSDE in New Delhi, Delhi.

Key points:
i.The government of India has allocated a substantial fund of Rs 360 crore to promote inclusive development,
foster entrepreneurial talent, and catalyze socio-economic growth in the NER.
• It will benefit more than 2.5 lakh youth in phase one, which will make them job ready for domestic
as well as international markets.
ii.The North East Skills Development and Entrepreneurship initiative emphasizes aligning courses with the
National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), supported by digital infrastructure to develop well-rounded
professionals through an ‘earn and learn’ mode.
iii.The Initiative includes:
• 2 Lakh skill training under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
• 30,000 Apprenticeship Engagement under National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)
• 20,000 to be skilled under Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)
• Quality enhancement of ITIs under skill strengthening for industrial value enhancement (STRIVE)
• Strengthening of Polytechnics
• Special projects will be taken up for the special needs of the North-East region under Skills
Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP)
• Skill India International Centre to be set up to promote overseas job opportunities.
iv.Additionally, efforts are being made to provide vocational education and skill development programs for
skilled professionals in agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, and IT.
MoE Dharmendra Pradhan & MEA S. Jaishankar jointly launch SII; MoE chose OCI to modernize
DIKSHA
On August 3, 2023, the Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE), and Union
Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) jointly launched Study in India
(SII) Portal which is an integrated one-stop solution for international student registration and visa application
process.
• It was launched during an event in New Delhi, Delhi.
• This portal is guided by National Education Policy (NEP).
• This launch is on the lines of the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s vision of re-establishing
India as a global hub of education, and preferred education destination.
How will SII Portal be useful?
For international students who wish to study in India, this portal streamlines their registration, visa
application, approval and course selection process through comprehensive information about the Indian
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Aim:
To simplify international students’ academic journey in India
Key Points:
i.It presents information on academic programs covering undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), Doctoral
level programs, and courses in Indian Knowledge System like Yoga, Ayurveda, classical arts etc. along with
academic facilities, research support, and related information.
ii.It also has the provision for students to apply in more than one institute/course of their choice.
About SII Program:
i.It is a Central Government flagship program launched under the aegis of MoE in 2018. It seeks to attract more
international students to India by promoting it as a preferred and affordable study destination with high-
quality education. It aims to improve the overall standard of higher education in the country and facilitate
access to various courses while showcasing academic excellence.
ii.The SII program involves partnership with educational institutes, fulfilling one of the following criteria, to
enrol international students
• National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking (<=100)

• National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation score (>=3.01)
• Institutes of National Importance (INI)
Other Participants:
Minister of State (MoS) Dr Subhas Sarkar, MoE; MoS Annpurna Devi, MoE; MoS Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, MoE &
MEA; among other senior officials Ambassadors of more than 10 countries.
Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1945442
MoE chose Oracle Cloud Infra to modernize DIKSHA
On August 2, 2023, MoE selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to modernize the national education
technology platform Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA). This means, DIKSHA is
transformed and migrated onto OCI under a multi-year collaboration agreement between both entities. It will
help in making DIKSHA more accessible and lower it’s IT (Information Technology) costs.
• The DIKSHA migration project is being implemented by two Oracle Partner Network members
viz. Bharti Airtel and Trigyn Technologies. DIKSHA will be deployed in the Oracle Cloud Mumbai
region in Maharashtra.
Key Points:
i.This will also enhance Diksha’s security, and the ability to adjust to demand-based capacity, and can serve
more students and teachers.
ii.The platform supports 1.48 million schools across all of India’s 35 states and union territories and is available
in 36 Indian languages.
Need behind this:
MOE required a robust cloud service provider to handle the extensive data processing, storage, and distribution
needs of the DIKSHA platform. It generates a huge number of logs for which they run Elasticsearch, Logstash,
and Kibana (ELK stack) for application diagnosis, performance, analytics and dashboards.
• OCI Compute VMs (Virtual Machines) and OCI Storage efficiently manage DIKSHA’s workload and
store application content and performance logs.
• The application’s microservices are supported by Kubernetes clusters in OCI Container Engine for
Kubernetes (OKE), with container images stored in OCI Container Registry.
About DIKSHA:
DIKSHA was an initiative of NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) under Minister of
Education(MoE) in India.It was launched in 2017 as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative for school
education and foundational learning.
• It uses Sunbird, an open-source platform by EkStep Foundation, to help teachers support inclusive
learning for students in underserved areas and with disabilities all over the country.
• Every day, users watch 1.2 petabytes of text and video content from sources like NCER ,CBSE
(Central Board of Secondary Education), and SCERTs (State Council of Educational Research and
Training).
i.According to the 8th edition of India Rankings (India Ranking 2023), prepared by Ministry of Education
(MoE) based on parameters defined by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT) Madras (IITM), Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN), has topped the list for the 5th consecutive time.
ii.On June 2, 2023, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE) released the UGC
(Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 for the establishment of more quality-focused
deemed universities. These will surpass the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations 2019.
About Ministry of Education(MoE):
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS)– Annpurna Devi; Dr. Subhas Sarkar; Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh
Note – Shri Dharmendra Pradhan serves as both the Union Minister of Education(MoE)and the Union Minister
of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSJE) in the Government of India.

President Droupadi Murmu Inaugurated Unmesha 2023 & Utkarsh Festival in Madhya Pradesh
On 4th August 2023, President of India Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘Unmesha’ – International Literature
Festival and ‘Utkarsh’ – National Festival of Folk and Tribal Performing Arts to promote inclusivity and
cultural diversity at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• The function was also addressed by Madhya Pradesh
Governor Mangubhai Patel and Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Utkarsh:
i. ‘Utkarsh’ celebrates the rich expressions of folk and tribal traditions
in India. The event, which will take place from 3rd–5th August 2023, is
organized by the Madhya Pradesh Department of Culture in
collaboration with the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Union Ministry of
Culture.
ii. Artists from Madhya Pradesh and other states will give colorful
programs every evening during Utkarsh, the festival of expressions and a celebration of the progress of tribal
society.
Unmesha 2023:
i. The ‘Unmesha’ festival is a international literary gathering from August 3 to 6 2023 is organised by the
Madhya Pradesh Department of Culture in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi of the Union Ministry of
Culture.
ii. It is India's most inclusive and Asia's largest literature festival in terms of the number of languages
represented.
• It is also on track to overtake other festivals as the biggest literary event in the world.
iii.More than 575 authors in 102 languages are expected to participate in over 75 events in ‘Unmesha 2023’.
iv.Writers from 13 countries will participate in the festival.
v.The President meant Unmesh as the opening of eyes and the flowering of flowers.
Note: This will be the 2nd edition of ‘Unmesha’. The first event was held in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh in June
2022.
Other programs during the event:
i.A cultural exhibition of more than 1000 artists depicting the spirit of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” is
organized.
ii.Book exhibition by Sahitya Academy, cultural presentations by tribal communities and group discussions on
devotion, cinema and tribal literature will also be showcased during the festival.
India to Get its 1st Integrated Theatre Command by August 2023

India is set to establish its first Integrated Theatre Commands (ITC) in August 2023. The Indian Armed Forces
(Army, Navy and Air force) have overcome the differences and accepted the broad commanding structure for
ITC, developed by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan. 2 ITCs are set to be established in North
India, one in Jaipur (Rajasthan) and the other in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
• The Army’s South Western Command (SWC) in Jaipur will serve as the Headquarters (HQ) of the
ITC, and will primarily focus on countering threats from Pakistan, while the Central Command based
in Lucknow, will serve as the HQ of the ITC, will tackle security challenges coming out from China.
• Theatre commanders hold a four-star rank, making them equivalent in rank to the Chiefs of the
Army, Navy, and Air Force. The CDS will commands all 6 theatre commanders.
• Additionally, there are other joint commands, which handle specific activities such as logistics,
training, cyber and space operations, missile systems, and intelligence, and will be headed by a
three-star officer.
• Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is responsible for managing various theatre commanders and
commanders of new commands. The CDS is the head of the DMA.

Note:
The Maritime ITC is likely to be established in Karnataka under the Naval Command.
The Government’s decision to develop ITC comes 22 years after the establishment of its first tri-service
command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command. ITCs in India are built upon the principle of ‘One Border One
Force’, which ensures focused and efficient management.
PM virtually laid Foundation Stone for Redevelopment of 508 Railway Stations under ABSS
On August 6, 2023, the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of
508 Railway Stations as Amrit Bharat Stations covering 27 states and Union Territories (UTs) via video
conferencing in New Delhi, Delhi . This redevelopment will be done at a cost of more than Rs
24,470 crores under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).
• Click Here for full list of 508 stations
Highlights:
i.The redevelopment will cover 55 each in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Rajasthan, 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 37
in West Bengal (WB), 34 in Madhya Pradesh (MP), 32 in Assam, 25 in Odisha, 22 in Punjab, 21 each in Gujarat
and Telangana, 20 in Jharkhand, 18 each in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Tamil Nadu (TN), 15 in Haryana, 13 in
Karnataka among others.
ii.55 will be developed at the cost of approx Rs 4,000 crores in UP, and Rajasthan, 34 stations in MP at the cost
of approx Rs 1,000 crores, 44 stations in Maharashtra at the cost of 1,500 crores, among others.
What is ABSS?
i.Launched in February 2023, it aims to transform and revitalize 1,309 railway stations across India by
enhancing the overall passenger experience and making them world-class travel hubs. The above 508 stations
are a part of these 1,309 stations.
ii.Under the project, all the stations will be redeveloped as city centers which will led to the overall urban
development of the cities.
• There will be a roof plaza, shopping zone, food court, kids play area, multi-level parking, escalators,
executive lounge, and special facilities for specially abled will also be available in these stations.
iii.To ensure smooth access, there will be widening of roads, removal of unwanted structures, properly
designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, well planned parking areas, improved lighting etc.
iv.A sufficient number of toilets, escalators, more comfortable and durable furniture at waiting halls, and free
Wifi will be created.
v.There will be landscaping/horticulture, integrated passenger information system, signages, improvement of
platforms and platform shelters, benches and washbasins, better illumination and power supply arrangements,
and CCTV (Closed Circuit Television), among other.
vi.The design of the station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.
Note: The Indian Railways runs over 13,000 trains every day covering 7,325 stations across India.
i.Railway Energy Management Company (REMC) Limited, a subsidiary of RITES (Rail India Technical
and Economic Service) Limited, has set up a National Energy Management Centre (NEMC) that has been
established at its office in Delhi.
ii.On 18th May 2023, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation,
several railway projects worth more than Rs 8000 crores in Odisha including Vande Bharat Express between
Puri-Howrah.
About Ministry of Railways:
Union Minister– Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha- Odisha)
Ministers of State– Raosaheb Patil Danve, Darshana Jardosh

PM lays Foundation Stone & dedicates to Nation Development Projects in Sagar, MP
On August 12, 2023, the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to
the nation, the following development projects in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh (MP):
i.Foundation stones laid for Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji Memorial:
Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji Memorial will be constructed at a cost of more than Rs 100 crores in an
area of more than 11.25 acres at Badtuma village of Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh.
• It will be built in Nagar style.
• It will have an art museum and gallery to showcase the life, philosophy and teachings of
Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji. It will also have facilities for devotees like Bhakt Niwas,
Bhojanalay etc.
• The soil of more than 20000 villages and 300 rivers will be used to built this memorial.
ii.Foundation stones laid for two Road Projects
The PM laid the foundation stone of two road projects at a cost of more than Rs 1580 crores. These include a
four-laning road project connecting Morikori – Vidisha – Hinotiya and a road project that will connect Hinotiya
to Mehluwa.
iii. Dedicated to the nation doubling of Kota-Bina rail route
The project, Kota-Bina rail route, has been built at an estimated cost of more than Rs 2475 crores. It passes
through Kota and Baran districts in Rajasthan, and Guna, Ashoknagar and Sagar District in MP. The additional
rail line will increase capacity for better mobility and will help improve train speed along the route.
Other Developments:
i.The construction of the Global Skill Park in Govindpura, Bhopal, named after Saint Ravidas, is underway.
• Notable sites associated with Baba Saheb are being developed as Panch-Teerth.
ii.The birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda is now celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
iii.MP’s Habibganj railway station was named after Queen Kamlapati of the Gond community, and Patalpani
station after Tantya Mama.
Participants:
Governor of MP Mangubhai Patel, chief minister of MP Shivraj Singh Chouhan, among others were also present
during the ocassion
MeitY inaugurates Renewable Energy Microgrid Power Plant for rural communities
Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) launched the
innovative Technology of a Hybrid Green Energy Microgrid, developed by the Centre for Development of
Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, as part of the National Mission on Power
Electronics Technology (NaMPET) Program for rural communities’ electrical energy requirements.
• The ceremony took place at the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre (ERC), Kottoor, Thiruvananthapuram
(Kerala). The reliable green energy-based microgrids have emerged as a dependable power source
for critical systems within Veterinary hospital setups in the ERC.
• A renewable energy microgrid is an autonomous, localised, and self-contained energy system that
incorporates renewable energy sources as its primary generation inputs.
• In the microgrid scheme implemented in ERC, a unique 25 kilo Watt Power Conditioning Unit (PCU)
technology, using Silicon Carbide and a Wide Band Gap (WBG) Semiconductor device operating at
50 kilo Hertz and avoiding bulky 50Hz transformer that makes the system very compact and a
container-based deployment in a remote location is realised.
• The initiative and support are provided by the Forest Department of the Government of Kerala for
Green technology evaluation, which is effectively being used in the rehabilitation of wild animals
too.

India’s First 3D-Printed Post Office Building Inaugurated in Bengaluru
Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information
Technology, inaugurated India’s first three-dimensional (3D) Printed Post Office located in Bengaluru’s
Cambridge Layout, Karnataka.
• The new post office was created using 3D Concrete Printing Technology by Larsen and Toubro (L&T)
Construction.
• The technology had been approved by the Building Materials and Technology Promotion
Council (BMTPC) and the structural design of the post office was validated by Indian Institute of
Technology Madras(IIT-M) .
Note – BMTPC is a not-for-profit autonomous body registered in 1990 under the aegis of the Ministry of
Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India.
What is 3D Concrete Printing?
3D concrete printing, also known as concrete additive manufacturing, is an innovative construction technology
that involves using specialized machines to create three-dimensional objects and structures using concrete as
the primary material. This process allows for the precise layer-by-layer deposition of concrete, enabling the
fabrication of complex and custom shapes.
Other First 3D Printed Houses
• In April 2021, India’s first 3D-printed house was built on IIT-M campus by Tvasta Manufacturing
Solutions.
In December 2022, Indian Army also inaugurated its first two-storey 3D-printed dwelling unit for
soldiers at Ahmedabad Cantonment in Gujarat.
OTHER NEWS
7 products from Rajasthan, Goa & UP get Geographical Indication tag
Geographical Indications Registry headquartered in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) under the Department of Industry
Promotion and Internal Trade (DIPIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has granted Geographical
Indications (GI) tags for 7 new products from 3 states– 4 from Rajasthan, 2 from Goa and 1 from Uttar Pradesh
(UP).
The GI-tagged 7 products are:
State GI Goods
Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft Handi Craft
Bikaner Kashidakari Craft Handi Craft
Bikaner Usta Kala Craft Handi Craft
Rajasthan Jodhpur Bandhej Craft Handi Craft
Goa Mankur Mango (Malcorado or Mankurad) Agriculture
Goa Goan Bebinca Food Stuffs
Uttar Pradesh Jalesar Metal Craft (Jalesar Dhatu Shilp) Handi Craft
Key Points:
Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft:
iAs per the documents submitted to the GI Registry, weapons are exquisitely ornamented by a complicated
process.
ii.The process includes etching designs, heating, and then cooling, intertwined with embedding gold and silver
wire into the metal, pressing and flattening it to a smooth surface with a moonstone, and finally polishing it.
ii.Bikaner Kashidakari Craft:
• The craft is traditionally created on cotton, silk, or velvet with a variety of fine stitches and mirror-
work, and the craft finds special places in marriage, and is commonly used for creating gift items.

• The mirrors are believed to have the power to repel the ‘evil eye’ with their reflective surfaces.
• The weaving of fabrics for Bikaner Kashidakari Craft was
primarily carried out by the Meghwal community.
iii.Jodhpur Bandhej Craft:
• The traditional Rajasthani craft involves the intricate
process of tying and dyeing fabrics and is one of the most
famous textile art forms of Rajasthan.
• The fabrics used for Bandhej are muslin, silk, and voile.
Cotton thread is used for tying the fabric.
iv.Bikaner Usta Kala Craft:
• It is also known as Gold Nakashi or Gold Manauti work and the art form is famous for its long-
lasting Golden Colour.
• Untreated raw camel hide is processed and moulded by the Dapgar community of leather
craftspeople for the requirements of the Usta.
v.Goa Mankurad Mango:
• The application for the ‘Mankurad mango‘ was filed by the All Goa Mango Growers Association,
Panaji (Goa).
• Mankurad Mango has many other names like Kurad, Goa Mankur, Malcorado, Cardozo Mankurad, or
Corado.
• It is the most famous and popular mango variety in Goa and is also known as the table mango and
has a longer shelf life.
• The name ‘Malcardo‘ was named by Portuguese and it means ‘Poor Colored‘, with time, it became
Mankurad Aamo (mango) in Konkani (a language spoken mainly in Goa).
vi.Goan bebinca:
• The application for the Goan bebinca was filed by the All Goa Bakers and Confectioners Association.
• Bebinca or bibik, popularly known as the Queen of Goan Sweets/desserts, is a traditional Indo-
Portuguese pudding.
vii.Jalesar Dhatu Shilp:
• Jalesar Dhatu Shilp in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district holds historical significance as it was once the
capital of Magadha king Jarasandha.
• Currently, over 1,200 small units are dedicated to creating decorative metal crafts and brassware,
such as Ghungrus (anklets) and Ghantis (bells).
• This craft is carefully crafted by the skilled artisans of the Thatheras community, residing in the
mohalla locality named Hathuras.
TN’s Jaderi ‘Namakatti’, Chedibutta Saree & Matti banana gets GI tag; TN tops GI chart with 58 Tags
Three new products of Tamil Nadu (TN), Tiruvannamalai’s Jaderi namakatti, Tirunelveli’s Chedibutta saree, and
Kanniyakumari’s Matti banana, has been recognised with GI tag. With the addition of these 3 new products the
total number of GI tagged products from TN has become 58.
With this, TN has become the state with highest number of GI tagged products.
• Uttar Pradesh holds the second position with 53 GI products followed by Karnataka (48), Kerala
(36) and Maharashtra (34).
• The GI tags given by the GIs Registry located in Chennai, TN, and the above-mentioned figures are as
of April 2023.
Jaderi Namakatti:
i.The GI application for Jaderi Namakatti was filed on behalf of Jaderi Thiruman (Namakatti) Producers Society
in Jaderi in Thiruvannamalai district.
ii.About 120 families in the tiny village of Jaderi in Tiruvannamalai district have been making these Namakatti
for about 3 centuries and supplying them all over India and abroad.

iii.The natural ingredients available in Thenpoondipattu village are collected and made into Namakatti by
artisans after a time-consuming process.
iv.These are finger-length long clay pieces, made up of rich deposits of hydrous silicate minerals.
v.The fine grain particles of clay are cured by natural weathering or alteration of other silicates that smoothen
them with unique white colour and texture.
Matti banana:
i.The application for the Kanniyakumari Matti Banana was filed by the Kanyakumari Banana and Horticulture
Farmers Producer Company Limited.
ii.The scientific name of the Matti banana is ‘Musa Sapidisiaca‘, which is commercially grown in the high rainfall
zone (1469 millimeters) in Kanyakumari.
• Mostly grown in the Agatheeswaram, Thovolai, Thiruvattar taluks of the Kanyakumari district
iii.It has high medicinal value and is known to be highly fragrant, sweet and sub-acid in flavour, firm in texture,
and powdery in nature.
iv.The 15-month-old crop is considered rare and is grown only in the hills of South Travancore (Undivided TN
and Kerala) near Nagarcoil.
v.Each bunch of Matti Banana weighs between 12-19 kilos. Other common variants of Kanniyakumari Matti
Banana include Semmatti (red Matti), Thaen Matti (honey Matti), and Malai Matti (Hill Matti).
vi.Even though banana is not generally recommended to infants for up to 6 months, Matti banana variety can
be safely consumed by infants, and the corm extract from the fruit is also used as a jaundice cure.
Note: 1 medium-sized banana would provide 13% of Manganese for a person’s daily needs and it helps the
body make Collagen and protects the skin and other cells from free radical damage.
Chedibutta Sarees:
i.The application for the Chedibutta Sarees has been filed by the Veeravanallur Sowrashtra Weavers
Cooperative Production and Sales Society Limited in Tirunelveli district.
ii.The name Chedibutta is a combination of two Tamil words: ‘Chedi’ (plant) and ‘Butta’ (motif or design).
iii.It has the iconic “plant and flower” motif woven on the border and Pallu (edge of the saree) and these small
Buttas punctuated beautifully all over the saree.
iv.It is totally a handloom product made in art silk and cotton mix fabric. One Chedibutta saree contains 8
Chedibutta designs in the body and 5 on the Pallu
v.The saree is woven using art silk thread while the Chedibutta designs are made using brightly coloured cotton
threads.
vi.Sowrashtra community members are the primary weavers of these traditional handloom sarees.
Key Points:
i.Currently, the GI recognition has been earned by so many products attorneys, artisans and authorities should
make collective efforts to monetise the achievement.
• The efforts include completing the remaining legal formalities like filing authorised user
applications.
ii.It will allow the authorised producer to market these products under GI tag exclusively.
iii.Separate legal protection is available for these products and they will get global approval to sell these
products in various countries.
About GI Tag:
i.GI is an indication used to identify products having special characteristics originating from a definite
geographical origin.
ii.India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indication of Goods
(Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, to provide for the registration and better protection of GI relating to
goods in India, which came into force with effect from September 2003.
iii.A GI is registered for an initial period of ten years, which may be renewed from time to time.

Recent related news:
The Geographical Indication (GI) Tag has been granted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) to
several products of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which include 5 handcrafts product, 1 Agricultural product, 1 Food
stuff, 1 Textile product.
Highlights of 77th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2023

The Central Government has organized the 77th Independence Day at Red Fort, New Delhi, Delhi which was
addressed by the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi.
2023 Independence Day signified the theme Nation First, Always First under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav’ celebrations, which began in 2021.
• The year 2023 marked the 76th anniversary of Indian Independence, as the first anniversary was
marked a year from the actual year that is 1948. Hence, India celebrated its 77th Independence Day
and 76th Independence Day anniversary in 2023.
Glimpse of the event:-
• In 2023, PM Modi has also introduced the “HAR GHAR TIRANGA” means “Every Home, a Tricolor”
campaign ,encouraging the public to proudly hoist the tricolor flag on Independence Day.
• The prime minister addressed the nation for 90 minutes during his 10th consecutive Independence
Day address on August 15.
• The national flag rose as a 21-gun salute echoed from the elite 8,711 Field Battery (Ceremonial).
• Indigenous 105-mm Light Field Guns were used for the first time for ceremonial gun salute at
Independence Day event.
• The Red Fort’s floral arrangements included the prominent G20 logo.
• 75 couples from different regions adorned their traditional attire for the ceremony.
• Capture a selfie with the flag and post it on the official website https://harghartiranga.com as well
as on social media using the campaign hashtag.
‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ for Craftsmanship
During the event, the PM announced ‘Vishwakarma Yojana‘ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional
craftsmanship/artisan works.These include Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and
such families.
Around Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore will be allocated for the scheme.
Key Points:
i.The scheme will be launched on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti (September 17,
2023).
ii.The scheme seeks to enhance artisans’ products and services, integrating them into local and global value
chains, thus economically empowering marginalized workers from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes
(ST), Other Backward Communities (OBCs), women, transgender, and others.
Scheme for drone training for Women SHGs
The Central Government is set to launch a new scheme to provide agri-drones to thousands of women-led Self-
Help Groups (SHGs) in order to promote the use of technology in the agriculture sector and promote agritech in
the country.
Key Points:
i.Recipients will be trained to operate and repair these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
ii.Initially 15000 SHGs will be covered under this.
New urban housing scheme
The Central Government will launch a new scheme to help those living in rented houses in cities to build their
own homes.
• Under the scheme, government would provide offer interest subsidy on bank loans to such families
(urban poor and middle class) which live in cities but stay in rented homes, slums and unauthorized
colonies and want to build a home of their own.

• A relief worth lakhs of rupees will be provided under the scheme.
President approves 1 President’s Tatrakshak Medal & 5 Tatrakshak Medals to ICG
The President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and five
Tatrakshak Medals (TM) to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry,
exceptional devotion to duty and distinguished/meritorious service on the occasion of Independence Day 2023.
• These awards are given to the personnel of the ICG on the occasion of Republic Day and
Independence Day every year since January 26, 1990.
Award Awardee (Name & Rank)
President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished IG (Inspector General) Manoj Vasant Baadkar, TM

Service) (0173-Q)
Comdt (JG) Anurag Shukla (0853-M)

Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry)
Sultan Singh, P/Nvk(P), 12405-T
DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Manoj Bhatia

(0323-J)
Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service)
DIG KR Deepak Kumar (0434-L)
Deobrat Kumar Mishra, P/Adh(RP), 00486-L
President approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and CAPF personnel
The President approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
personnel. These include the following:
• 4Kirti Chakra (posthumous)
• 11 Shaurya Chakras, including five posthumous
• 2 Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• 52 Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• 3 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry)
• 4 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry)
i.The President also gave her assent to 30 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army, including to Army
dog Madhu (Posthumous), and one to Air Force personnel for their significant contributions in different
military operations.
ii.The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Casualty Evacuation,
Operation Mount Chomo, Operation Pangsau Pass, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Orchid, Operation Kalisham
Valley, Rescue Operation and Operation Evacuation. Click Here for Full List of Awards
President awarded 53 personnel with Fire Service Medals
The President awarded 53 personnel with Fire Service Medals. These include the following
3 President’s Fire Service Medal for Gallantry
1 Fire Service Medal for Gallantry
8 President’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service
41 Fire Service Medal for Meritorious Service
• 48 personnel / volunteers are also awarded Home Guards & Civil Defence Medals.
Click here for – List of Fire Service Medals
Click here for – List of Home Guards & Civil Defence Medals
Other Highlights:
i.The government’s “Vibrant Villages” initiative was highlighted that envisages transforming the perspective on
border villages.
• Government has approved Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on
15th February,2023 for development of the select villages in 46 blocks in 19 districts of abutting

northern border in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and UT
(Union Territory) of Ladakh.
ii.Around 1,800 special guests from diverse sectors of society witnessed the Independence Day ceremony at the
Red Fort.
Historical Background: Independence Day of India
i.On August 15, 1947, India was declared independent of British colonialism, and sovereignty was given over to
the country’s leaders.
ii.The Indian Independence Bill, which created the independent nations of India and Pakistan , came into effect
at midnight on August 15, 1947.
iii.The provinces of Bengal and Punjab were divided between the two new nations.
iv.Lord Mountbatten continued as Governor-General and Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed India’s first Prime
Minister (PM).
• Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, hoisted the national flag above Delhi’s Red Fort at the
Lahori Gate. This tradition has been continued by every subsequent Prime Minister.
About Delhi:
New Delhi is the National Capital of India.
Lieutenant Governor– Vinai Kumar Saxena
Chief Minister– Arvind Kejriwal
Project Tiger and Project Elephant Merged as PT&E

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) announced the merger of the two flagship
conservation programmes namely Project Tiger (PT) Division and Project Elephant (PE) Division into a new
division called Project Tiger and Elephant (PT&E) in April 2023 and the official order came up on June 2023.
• By merging, both projects will be funded through a common allocation starting 2023-24. However,
there remains uncertainty regarding the allocation of finances between these 2 projects.
• The Additional Director-General of Forests (ADGF) – PT (ADG-PT) has been re-designated as ADGF
(PT & E), with the Inspector General Forests and Project Director, PE will be the divisional head of
the PT&E division and will be reporting to the ADGF (PT&E), who is also the member secretary of
the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• The merger will strengthen the conservation of both animals, as they often share the same
landscapes in India, but the decision to cut funding for conservation efforts raises concerns,
particularly regarding the conservation of signature animals like tigers.
• In 2023-24, the combined budget of PT and PE schemes amounts to Rs.331 crore. This represents a
decrease from the 2022 budget, which was Rs.335 crore, comprising Rs 300 crore for PT and Rs.35
crore for Project Elephant.
• However, the combined budgets for PT and Project Elephant released in 2022-23 were Rs. 220
crore, which is only about two-thirds of the allotted amount.
Note:
• The 50th anniversary of PT was observed on April 2023, and Project Elephant completed 30 years in
2022.
• In 2011, the former Planning Commission proposed a significant initiative to merge 3 centrally
sponsored schemes into one, which included PT, Project Elephant, and Integrated Development
under Wildlife Habitat. But was objected by the Standing Committee of the National Board for
Wildlife.
India’s First Biodiversity village ‘Atlas’ of Mayem released in Goa

Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister (CM) of Goa, released the “Mayem Biodiversity Atlas”, India’s 1st Village
Atlas during an event held at Mahamaya Devalaya Mandap Mayem Mayem village (Bicholim Town) in North
Goa district, Goa.

• Along with the Atlas, the CM also released a dedicated website, Poster, and a logo during the event.
• The event was jointly organised by Mayem Vaigunim
Gram Panchayat, Biodiversity Management Committee,
Mayem Vaigunim, and Mayem Panlot Sangh.
About Mayem Biodiversity Atlas:
i.The biodiversity atlas is a document of 250 pages which offers
details of the diverse flora and fauna found in the village of
Mayem.
ii.The atlas was prepared based on the People’s Biodiversity
Register (PBR) prepared by the village Biodiversity Management
Committee.
• Sakharam Pednekar is the Chairman of the Biodiversity Management Committee.
iii.This atlas gives a socio-cultural history of Mayem village that dates back to the 12th century.
Key Highlights:
i.The state government will unveil the biodiversity atlas of all 191 village panchayats in Goa.
ii.This initiative will create awareness about the importance of biodiversity and the balance of ecosystems.
iii.CM assured about providing necessary assistance to preserve and maintain biodiversity and also appealed to
youths to come forward for the protection of biodiversity.
Tamil Nadu to Set Up India’s First UAS Testing Centre in Kanchipuram

Tamil Nadu (TN) is set to establish India’s first Common Testing Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems
(UAS) (drones) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS). The centre will be established at a
cost of Rs 45 crore over an area of 2.3 acres at the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu
Limited (SIPCOT) Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal near Sriperumbudur in Kanchipuram district, TN.
• It would be established by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), which is
the nodal agency for implementing the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC), which aims
to provide an ecosystem for the aerospace and defence industry in the region.
Background:
i.At present, the lack of common test centres that can support the Aerospace and Defence Standards outside
Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU)/Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
represents a barrier to entry for many oganisations.
ii.To address this issue, TIDCO has initiated the process of setting up test centres for multiple sub-domains,
including UAS.
iii.A consortium of companies comprising Keltron, Sense Image Technologies, Standards Testing and
Compliance, and Avishka Retailers was selected to partner with TIDCO in establishing the facility.
Key Points:
i.This testing centre will enable Tamil Nadu to become a preferred destination for aerospace and defence
companies to set up their Indian operations.
ii.As part of the implementation of the TNDIC, the government of Tamil Nadu has adopted a multi-pronged
strategy, and one of them is the creation of an enabling ecosystem including Common Testing Centres for the
Aerospace and Defence Industry.
Note: DRDO’s integrated facility in Chitradurga, Karnataka is exclusively reserved for DRDO’s use.
About Tamil Nadu:
Chief Minister– M. K. Stalin
Governor– R. N. Ravi
Airport– Madurai International Airport, Tuticorin Airport or Thoothukudi Airport

NTCA approved Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve of Rajasthan as 54th Tiger Reserve of India
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change (MoEFCC) of the Government of India, has officially approved The Karauli-Sarmathura-
Dholpur sanctuary in Rajasthan as Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve of India under Project Tiger.
• It becomes 5th Tiger reserve of Rajasthan and 54th Tiger
Reserve of India.
• The forest covers an area of 1,058 square kilometres (368
sq km of core area and 690 sq km of buffer area) and
currently has 9 tigers.
Note: The number of tigers in Rajasthan has increased from 32 in
2006 to 88 in 2022.
Core and Buffer:
Core area: This is the central part of a protected area, where the
main focus is on conservation. Human activities are strictly controlled or prohibited in the core area.
Buffer area: This is the area surrounding the core area, where human activities are allowed, but with
restrictions.
Other Tiger Reserves of Rajasthan:
Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, Mukandra Hills Tiger Reserve, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and Sariska
Tiger Reserve.
Project Tiger:
• The Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger.
• Project Tiger has been converted into a National tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) through an
amendment in Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1972.
Additional Info:
i.Established in 2022, Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh(UP) was the 53rd Tiger reserve in India.
ii.As per “Status of Tigers 2022” report Madhya Pradesh(MP) has the maximum number (785) of tigers in India.
The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6%.
MRPL becomes India’s largest single-location PSU refinery

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), a Mangaluru(Dakshina Kannada), Karnataka based
Miniratna Central public sector enterprise (CPSE) has become the largest PSU-refinery (single location) in
India for 2022-23. MRPL processes 10% of the total crude oil refined by PSU petroleum refineries in India.
• MRPL processed 17.14 million tonnes of crude oil in 2022-23, which was the highest-ever
throughput processed by any single-location PSU refinery in India’s petroleum refining history.
• MRPL, after its establishment in 1988 as a joint venture (JV) refinery (promoted by M/s Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)), expanded its operations in two phases to raise its capacity
to 15 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA).
• The refinery configuration has a Nelson Complexity Index (NCI) of 11.3, one of the highest complex
PSU refineries. Its petrochemical (Petchem) Intensity is 9.5%, and the company aims to reach 15%
in the medium term.
Note:
• NCI refers to types of petroleum products an oil refinery can produce, measured on a scale from 1 to
20.
• Petchem intensity refers to the percentage of crude oil that is converted directly into chemicals that
are used to make plastic and other material.
MRPL, a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) under the Ministry of Petroleum &
Natural Gas (MoPNG).

G20 Pandemic Fund approved USD 25M for Animal Health System in India
Group 20 (G20) Pandemic Fund has approved the USD 25 million proposal by Department of Animal
Husbandry & Dairying(DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAHD) on
“Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response(PPR)”.
• The project will be carried out by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the lead implementing
entity, along with the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO).
Background:
i.In May 2023, the Governing Board of the Pandemic Fund received 350 expressions of interest(EOI) and 180
full proposals, with grant requests totaling more than USD 2.5 billion against the available budget of USD 338
million.
ii.The Board have approved 19 grants under its 1st round of funding allocations aimed to boost the resilience
to future pandemics in 37 countries across 6 regions.
Click here for the list of all selected proposals
Key Points:
i.The fund will also provide dedicated resources for PPR and increase investments, enhance coordination
among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy.
ii.The fund brings additional resources to India to reduce the risk of pathogens emerging from animals
(domesticated and wildlife) to be transmitted into the human population.
About the G20 Pandemic Fund:
i.The Pandemic Fund was established in September 2022, and formally launched under Indonesia’s G20
Presidency(2022) at the G20 meetings in Bali, Indonesia in November 2022.
ii.This is the 1st multilateral financing mechanism dedicated to providing multi year grants to help low- and
middle-income countries become better prepared for future pandemics.
iii.The Fund hosted by the World Bank has already raised USD 2 billion in seed capital from 25 sovereign and
philanthropic contributors.
DPE upgrades the Status of OIL as ‘Maharatna CPSE‘ and OVL as ‘Navratna CPSE‘
On 3rd August 2023, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the Ministry of Finance, upgraded
the status of 2 oil sector Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) namely Oil India Limited (OIL) and ONGC
Videsh Ltd (OVL). The status of OIL and OVL has been upgraded to the status
of Maharatna and Navratna CPSEs respectively. Earlier OIL was a ‘Navratna’ CPSE, while OVL was a Categry-
I ‘Miniratna‘ CPSE.
• OIL, the second-largest National Exploration & Production (E&P) Company in India, now will be
the 13th Maharatna amongst the CPSEs.
• OVL, the wholly owned subsidiary and overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
(ONGC), and the second largest petroleum company of India, now will be 14th Navratna amongst
the CPSEs.
• The new status will help both OIL and OVL, take decisions on large investments on their own, both
within India and abroad.
Note: Both OIL and OVL are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
(MoP&NG), Government of India (GoI).
Maharatna Scheme:
i.The ‘Maharatna’ scheme was introduced for CPSEs, with effect from May 19, 2010.
ii.The objective of the scheme focuses on empowering specific Navratna CPSEs to facilitate the expansion of
their operations and emerge as global giants by increasing their market share both in domestic as well as global
markets.

Criteria for grant of Maharatna status to CPSEs:
For a company to be categorised as a Maharatna,
i.It should be listed on an Indian stock exchange, with a minimum prescribed public shareholding under
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulations.
ii.Holding Navratna status.
iii.The CPSEs should have an average annual net profit of over Rs. 2500 crores.
iv.Those companies with an annual net worth of Rs. 10,000/- Crore for 3 years Or an Average annual Turnover
of Rs. 20,000 crore for 3 years are also eligible to get this status.
v.These companies are free to decide on investments up to 15% of their net worth in a project.
Note: OIL has an annual turnover of Rs 41,039 crores and a net profit of Rs 9,854 crores for the fiscal year
2022-23.
Navaratna Scheme:
i.The ‘Navratna’ scheme was introduced in 1997, to identify CPSEs, that had comparative advantages and to
support them in their drive to become global giants.
ii.The Boards of Navratna CPSEs have been delegated powers in the areas of Capital Expenditure, investment in
Joint Ventures (JV)/Subsidiaries,Human Resources Management, etc.
Criteria for grant of Navratna status to CPSEs:
For a company to be categorised as a Navratna,
i.The CPSEs which are Miniratna I, Schedule ‘A’ and have obtained ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) ratings in 3 of the last 5 years.
ii.Granting the navratna status enhances financial autonomy to invest up to 1000 crores without any approval
from the central government.To establish financial joint ventures and wholly owned subsidiaries in India or
abroad with the stipulation that the equity investment of the CPSE should be limited to the following:-
a. Rs 1000 crore in any one project
b. 15 % of the net worth of the CPSE in one project
c. 30 % of the net worth of the CPSE in all joint ventures/subsidiaries put together
ii.The CPSE should have 4 independent Board Directors.
iii.The CPSEs have composite scores of 60 (out of 100) or above in the following 6 selected performance
indicators and are eligible to be considered for a grant of Navratna status. The 6 parameters are:
• Net profit to Net worth; Manpower cost to total production cost or Service cost; Profit Before
Depreciation, Interest, and Taxes (PBDIT) to capital employed; PBDIT to turnover; Earning per
Share; Inter-Sectoral Performance.
Note: OVL has an annual turnover of Rs.11,676 crore and net profit of Rs.1700 crore for the fiscal year 2022-23.
List of total Maharatna and Navartna Companies 2023:
13 Maharatna CPSEs:
1.Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
2.Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
3.Coal India Limited
4.GAIL India Limited
5.Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
6.Indian Oil Corporation Limited
7.NTPC Limited
8.Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited,
9.Power Finance Corporation
10.Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
11.Rural Electrification Corporation Limited
12.Steel Authority of India Limited
13.Oil India Limited

14 Navratna CPSEs:
1.Bharat Electronics Limited
2.Container Corporation of India Limited
3.Engineers India Limited
4.Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
5.Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited
6.National Aluminium Company Limited
7.National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited
8.Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited
9.NMDC Limited
10.Oil India Limited
11.Rail Vikas Nigam Limited
12.Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited
13.Shipping Corporation of India Limited
14.ONGC Videsh Limited
On 26th April 2023, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF), approved the upgradation
of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) to a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) from a Category-I
MiniRatna CPSE.
About Oil India Private Limited (OIL):
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Dr. Ranjit Rath
Headquarters– Duliajan, Assam
Incorporated on– 18th February 1959
CDAC and Arm Collaborates to Expand Semiconductor Support Under the DLI
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) has collaborated with United Kingdom (UK)
based semiconductor IP (Intellectual property) company Arm through the “Arm Flexible Access for Startups”
(AFAS) program to expand semiconductor support under the Design Linked Incentive Scheme (DLI) and foster
the growth of the sector in India during the 2nd day of the conference ‘SemiconIndia 2023’ at Gandhinagar,
Gujarat.
SemiconIndia 2023:
i.The ‘SemiconIndia 2023’ is being organized by India Semiconductor Mission in partnership with industry
associations.
ii.It aims to make India a global hub for Semiconductor Design, Manufacturing and Technology Development
which will help propel the vision of India Semiconductor Mission.
iii.The Conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister(PM), Narendra Modi on 28th July, 2023.
Key points:
i.AFAS program, gives USD $0 license fee access to a broad portfolio of verified Arm IP, tools and training to
startups.
• This helps in broadening its eligibility criteria to welcome applications from startups that qualify
under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) SemiconIndia
futureDESIGN DLI scheme.
ii.With this partnership, a total of seven startups will work towards producing chip and IP cores for the
automotive, mobility, and computing sectors.
DLI scheme:
The DLI scheme, implemented by CDAC, aims to provide financial incentives and design infrastructure support
for the development and deployment of semiconductor designs for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, System
on Chips (SoCs), Systems & IP Cores and semiconductor linked design over a period of five years.

CDAC and Arm intend to work towards the following objectives:
i.Startups selected under DLI will qualify for the Arm Flexible Access for Startups program.
ii.Arm will provide the startups with access to processor and system IPs, reference designs, Graphics
Processing Unit (GPU), Image Signal Processor (ISP), and artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator IPs, and
software development tools.
iii.Arm will provide access to thousands of Artisan physical IP products supporting multiple foundries and
process nodes for physical design and implementation.
Exchange of MoU Between CeNSE, IISc and LAM Research
Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru,Karnataka
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lam Research India to support the skill development of
engineers at the SemiconIndia 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The MoU aims to develop a customized course offering for Indian universities to teach
semiconductor fabrication technology utilizing Lam Research’s Semiverse Solutions virtual
fabrication software, SEMulator3D.
The first tranche of the programme with 30 engineers will commence in August 2023 at CeNSE which is
expected to be completed by December 2023, and the 2nd tranche by June 2024.
About Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC):
Director General- Magesh Ethirajan
Establishment- 1988
Headquarters- Pune, Maharashtra
National Mission for Clean Ganga Approves 7 Projects Worth Rs 692 Crore
The National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) approved 7 projects worth Rs 692 crore for the construction of
Sewage Treatment Plants(STP)and other works to prevent pollution of the river Ganga and its tributaries.
• The projects were approved at the 50th meeting of the Executive Committee of NMCG held on 1st
August 2023, under chairmanship of G. Asok Kumar, Director General(DG) of NMCG.
Three Projects in Uttar Pradesh:
Three projects worth Rs. 661.74 crore for sewage management in Uttar Pradesh were authorised at the
meeting.
i.The construction of a 100 Million Litres per Day (MLD) STP in Lucknow, together with Interception and
Diversion (I&D) operations, to be carried out under the Hybrid Annuity Mode(HAD).
ii.The development of a 50 MLD STP in Prayagraj, as well as the I&D of the balance discharge from the
Dariyabad Pipalghat and Dariyabad Kakahraghat drains, has been approved.
• The existing treatment capacity of Naini STP in Prayagraj’s sewerage district-A will be increased to
80 MLD by this project, which will cost around Rs. 186.47 crore.
iii. The project of construction of 6 MLD STP, I&D and other works in Hapur was also approved to stop the flow
of Hapur city drain into River Kali, which is a tributary of River Ganga.
Two Projects in Bihar:
i.To set-up Two STPs (5 and 7 MLDs) at an estimated cost of Rs. 74.64 crore for tapping of Pipra ghat drain and
Chhatiya ghat drain respectively along with I&D works for Raxaul town in Bihar was also approved.
• This project will reduce pollution in the Sirsiya River, which originates in Nepal and enters Bihar at
Raxaul in the East Champaran district.
Urban River Management Plans (URMP)
i.A project worth Rs 20 crore has also been sanctioned for the preparation of 60-70 Urban River Management
Plans (URMPs) in two phases for optimal water management in urban areas.
• During the first year, 25 URMPs shall be prepared and 35 URMPs shall be prepared during the
second year.

• This project is part of the River-Cities Alliance (RCA) under Namami Gange, which provides cities
opportunities to cooperate, work together, learn from each other’s best practices, share knowledge,
thus paving the way for Gyan Bhagidari, which will lead to transformational solutions.
• RCA presently has more than 140 members, including foreign cities, an increase from 30 members
in 2021.
M.Sc. in Freshwater Ecology and Conservation
i.A Project to start the M.Sc. Course in Freshwater Ecology and Conservation at the Ganga Aqualife
Conservation Monitoring Centre, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, at a cost of Rs. 6.86 crore for ten
years was approved by NMCG.
• The concept seeks to educate a cadre of ecologists and field biologists with competence in
freshwater ecology in order to successfully manage India’s freshwater resources and biodiversity.
Electric crematorium in West Bengal:
It also approved a project to construct an electric crematorium at Barkola, Kharagpur in West Bengal.
About National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG):
Director General(DG) – G Asok Kumar
Established – 2011
New Guidelines for Designation of Senior Advocates in the SC

The Supreme Court (SC) of India has introduced new guidelines named as Guidelines for Designation of
Senior Advocates by the Supreme Court of India, 2023 for the designation of senior advocates practising in
the Supreme Court of India.It replaced the guidelines issued in 2018.
• The new guidelines prescribe a minimum age of 45 years for applying for the ‘senior advocate’
designation and minimum of 10 years of standing(mainly in Supreme Court).
• This age limit can be relaxed by the Committee, the Chief Justice of India(CJI) or a Supreme Court
judge if they recommend an advocate’s name.
Why new guidelines?
The new guidelines have been introduced following a ruling on May 12, 2023 by a three-judge bench led
by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. The ruling was in response to a case seeking modifications in the ‘senior
advocate’ designation guidelines set by a 2017 Supreme Court ruling in the Indira Jai Singh v. Union of India
case.
• The 2017 guidelines allowed the CJI and “any judge” to recommend an advocate’s name for
designation, the new 2023 guidelines specify that the CJI and “any Judge of the Supreme Court”
may recommend an advocate’s name in writing.
Key Changes in the New Guidelines:
i.The new guidelines mention that “any Judge of the Supreme Court” can recommend an advocate’s name in
addition to the Chief Justice of India.
ii.The weightage for reported and unreported judgments, excluding those that don’t establish legal principles,
has been increased from 40 to 50 points.
iii.Guidelines reduced the marks for “publication of academic articles” from 15 to 5.
• “Experience of teaching assignments in the field of law” and “guest lectures delivered in law schools
and professional institutions connected with law” have been combined and will also account for 5
marks.
Committee for Designation of Senior Advocates:
All matters relating to the designation of Senior Advocates in the Supreme Court of India will be dealt
by “Committee for Designation of Senior Advocates”.
Composition of the Committee:
Chairperson – Chief Justice of India (CJI) (current CJI is Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud)
Members: Two senior-most Judges of the Supreme Court of India; Attorney General for India (AGI) and A
member of the Bar council(nominated by the Chairperson and other Members).

Transparency and Objectivity in Designation
i.The evaluation procedure now encompasses the inclusion of legal article publications, teaching
responsibilities, and guest speaking engagements.
ii.This is intended to offer a more comprehensive representation of the advocate’s capacity to contribute to
legal progress.
iii.The updated criteria are designed to guarantee openness and impartiality in the selection process.
IMD launched Heat Index indicating the Feel like Temperature

In July 2023, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched the Heat Index on an experimental
basis. This information was provided by the Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in a
written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
What is heat index?
The heat index measures how hot it feels by considering both the air temperature and relative humidity. It
offers guidance for regions in India, indicating the apparent temperature/feel like temperature to show the
potential discomfort for people caused by weather conditions, along with the day’s minimum and maximum
temperatures.
Aim:
To provide information on the effect of humidity on high temperatures
Colour codes used for Experimental Heat Index are as follows:
• Green: – Experimental heat Index less than 35 degree C
• Yellow: – Experimental heat Index in the range 36-45 degree C
• Orange: – Experimental heat Index in the range 46-55 degree C
• Red: – Experimental heat Index greater than 55 degree C
Key Points:
i.The heat index in India is calculated similarly to the National Weather Service, and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States (US)
ii.It offers guidance on taking extra precautions to minimize discomfort.
iii.IMD uses temperature and humidity data at 2:30 pm to calculate the heat index and forecasts the maximum
temperature at that time.
iv.A heatwave is declared if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least
40 degree C or more and is 4.5 degrees above normal for the day for Plains and at least 30 degree C or more for
Hilly regions.
• A severe heatwave is declared when the temperature is above 40 degrees Celsius and 6.5 degrees
above normal.
• A heat wave is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to human body when exposed.
About India Meteorological Department (IMD):
Director General– Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra
India Unveils Ayush Visa Category: For Foreign Nationals seeking Traditional Medicine
Treatment
On August 2, 2023, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced a new Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals for
treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine like therapeutic care, wellness and Yoga.
• With this, a new chapter i.e. chapter 11A – Ayush Visa has been incorporated after Chapter 11 –
Medical visa of the Visa Manual, which deals with treatment under the Indian systems of medicine
and accordingly necessary amendments has been made in various chapters of the Visa Manual,
2019.
• AYUSH is an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

Key Points:
i.The Ayush Visa aims to attract foreigners who wish to undergo Ayush therapy, wellness, and Yoga in India.
ii.The introduction of this visa aligns with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s announcement at the at Global
Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in April 2022.
iii.This will boost Medical Value Travel in India, and also stregthen the vision of making Indian traditional
medicine a global phenomenon.
iv.Ministry of AYUSH and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) are collaborating to develop a one
stop Heal in India portal to promote India as a global Medical tourism destination.
• Ministry of AYUSH is promoting Ayush system of treatment national and globally. Recently, it signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC),
Ministry of Tourism, GoI for the promotion of Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other
traditional systems of medicine.
v.As per the report ‘The Global Wellness Economy: Looking beyond COVID’ by the Global Wellness Institute
(GWI), the Global Wellness economy will grow at 9.9% annually.
Ayush based healthcare & Wellness economy is estimated to grow to $70 billion by 2025.
MoHFW sets deadline for Pharma MSMEs to Adopt Good Manufacturing Practices
On August 2, 2023, the Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
has made it mandatory for all Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) drugmakers/pharma
companies with an annual turnover of over Rs 250 crore to adopt Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
within six months starting August 1, 2023.
• Companies with a turnover of less than Rs 250 crore can complete the process in 1 year.
• The adoption will be made by implementing the revised Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940. It should be noted that World Health Organisation (WHO)-GMP standards are now a part of
the revised Schedule M.
• Drugmakers, who fails to follow the timeline, will be penalized.
Reason behind this implementation:
This decision has been taken for the proper implementation of the Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940 which has not been implemented accurately by the majority of the drugmakers.
Background:
Officials inspecting 162 units and 14 public testing labs discovered significant issues like poor documentation,
lack of validation, infrastructural deficiencies, unqualified employees, and faulty design. This resulted in a
review of the current Schedule M’s principles and GMP concepts to align with global standards. The Drug
Technical Advisory Committee also recommended this to improve documentation, failure investigation, and
technical expertise for better compliance.
Key Changes:
The major changes that will happen with the introduction of a revised Schedule M to support upgradation of
the units are:
• Introduction of Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS)
• Quality Risk Management (QRM)
• Product Quality Review (PQR)
• Qualification and validation of equipment, change control management, self-inspection and quality
audit team, suppliers audit and approval, stability studies as per recommended climate condition,
validation of GMP related computerised system, specific requirements for manufacturing of
hazardous products, biological products, radiopharmaceutical and phytopharmaceuticals.
What is Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940?
It regulates GMP and quality management systems followed by pharmaceutical manufacturing units, including
specific requirements pertaining to premises, plant and equipment.

About GMP:
GMP are mandatory standards which build and bring quality into product by way of control on materials,
methods, machines, processes, personnel and facility or environment etc. These were first incorporated in
Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 in 1988, and were last amended in 2018.
Key Points:
i.There are around 10,500 manufacturing units in the country, of which around 8,500 fall under micro, small
and medium level enterprises, or MSMEs.
ii.India is a major exporter of medicines to Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) which require GMP
certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO)
What is WHO GMP certification?
WHO GMP certfications is for the quality of pharmaceutical products moving in international commerce. The
guidelines for the same were endorsed by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1997.
• It ensures that medicinal products are consistently produced and controlled to the quality
standards.
• WHO-GMP certification is valid for three years.
• It violation will result in cancellation of licence and monetary penalty.
i.On 8th June 2023, The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Global Fund to Fight Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (the Global Fund) signed a new and
revised Strategic Framework for Collaboration.
ii.On 27th June 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Council for Harmonisation of
Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) announced a collaboration to increase
the registry and sharing of regulatory information on medical products across the world.
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director-General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
NHA extends DHIS for hospitals under Ayushman Bharat Till Dec 31, 2023
On August 4, 2023, the National Health Authority (NHA) extended its Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS)
under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) till the 31st of December, 2023.
About DHIS:
Launched w.e.f. January 1, 2023, DHIS offers incentives of upto Rs 4 crores to hospitals and diagnostic labs and
Digital Solution Companies (DSCs) such as Hospital/ Health Management Information System (HMIS) and
Laboratory Management Information System (LMIS) for adopting and enabling transformative digitization
under ABDM.
Key Points:
i.For availing incentives the health facilities and DSCs should be registered with the ABDM’s Health Facility
Registry (HFR) and should fulfil the eligibility criterion specified under the scheme.
ii.The incentives are based on the number of digital health records created and linked to Ayushman Bharat
Health Account (ABHA) numbers of the patients.
iii.As of date, 1 205 health facilities have registered under this scheme with 567 public and 638 private
hospitals. out of the 25 digital solution companies registered, 22 are from the private sector.
iv.Till June 2023, close to 120 health facilities and 7 health tech companies have received incentives totalling to
Rs. 4.84 Cr.
v.The scheme is continuously monitored by NHS for its effectiveness.

MNRE Extends Deadline For Self-Certification of SPV Inverters
On 27th July 2023, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has
issued a notification extending the deadline for self-certification of Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) inverters (items 4-
5) under the SPV, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order,
2017.The extension is from 30th June 2023 to 31st December 2023 or till further orders.
i.This extension is subject to the condition that manufacturers comply with self-certification based on
valid International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certificates corresponding to Indian Standards
(IS) specified in the order and provide test reports from accredited test labs. The extension aims to ensure a
smooth implementation of the order for SPV inverters.
ii.The ministry has provided this extension on account of the limited availability of test facilities and in order to
provide additional time for compliance with the QCO.
iii.The government had previously extended the implementation of the QCO from 30th June 2022 to 31st
December 2022 and further extended it from 31st December 2022 to 30th June 2023.
Background:
i.On 5th September 2017, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), under the Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) Act, issued the Solar Photovoltaics Systems, Devices, and Components Goods (Requirements
for Compulsory Registration) Order 2017. This order includes six products in the schedule.It aims to enforce
quality control in Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) Technology Power Projects including SPV modules, inverters, and
battery storage.
ii.As per the order, no person shall manufacture or store for sale, import, sell or distribute goods, which do not
conform to Indian Standards (IS) specified in the Order.
Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Unveiled The New Logo Of The NMDC

On 5th August 2023, Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia unveiled the new logo of
the Navratna Public Sector Enterprise, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), India’s largest iron
ore producer, in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The new logo signifies NMDC’s commitment towards sustainable & responsible mining and also its
global aspirations.
Features of the new logo:
i.The logo is a manifestation of NMDC’s vision of NMDC 2.0.
ii.The blue cog has been retained to pay homage to our heritage by representing the mineral mining cycle
which symbolizes the steadfastness and trust that NMDC has earned over the decades.
iii.At the center of the logo, a hand cradling the earth signifies NMDC’s commitment towards sustainable &
responsible mining and also its global aspirations.
iv.The vibrant green color symbolizes growth, renewal, and harmony with nature.
Note – Its earlier logo symbolized the journey of India in the last 75 years, where India was growing with a
focus on reducing its dependence and becoming self-reliant.
India hands over Rs.450 million to Sri Lanka to fund its SL-UDI Project
On 4th August 2023, India handed over a cheque of Rs.450 million in advance to Sri Lanka, for supporting the
Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) project, which is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s digital
infrastructure and promote growth across various sectors.
• The project supported by the Indian government is seen as a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s
path to economic recovery.
• With this move, Sri Lanka is paving the way for a more technologically advanced future, anticipating
substantial economic development and prosperity.
• The initiative comes under the objective of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which demonstrates
its commitment of India to assist its neighbouring countries in the South Asian region for mutual
cooperation and support.

Key People:
i.Gopal Bagley, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka handed over the cheque of Rs.450 million to Kanaka
Herath, Minister of State, Ministry of Technology, in the presence of Sagala Ratnayake, the Chief of Presidential
Staff and Senior Adviser on National Security to the President, Sri Lanka; Eldos Mathew, First Secretary of the
Indian High Commission.
ii.The cheque constitutes 15% of the total funds required for the successful implementation of SL-UDI as an
advance payment.
Background:
i.The project commenced in March 2022, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
Sri Lanka and India.
ii.An Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Project Monitoring Committee (JPMC) for the (SL-UDI) project was also introduced.
About SL-UDI Project:
i.The project focuses on collecting biographic and biometric data, encompassing facial, iris, and fingerprint
information.
ii.All the collected data is securely stored in a centralized system to issue identification cards based on the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
iii.These identification cards will serve as reliable and standardized means of verifying individual identities.
iv.The project promises a more efficient and effective delivery of services while targeting poverty reduction
and welfare programs, by streamlining government services and promoting financial inclusion.
About Sri Lanka:
Prime Minister– Dinesh Gunawardena
President– Ranil Wickremesinghe
Currency– Sri Lankan Rupee
Kerala and UN Women organise ‘Trainers of Trainer’ as part of Women-Friendly Tourism

Kerala’s state Responsible Tourism Mission (RT Mission) in collaboration with United Nations
(UN) Women India organised the ‘Trainers of Trainer’ programme under the ‘Women-Friendly Tourism’
project.
• The two-day orientation programme for women was held in Kumarakom, Kottayam, Kerala on 31st
July and 1st August 2023, to focus the wide range of tourism activities in which women can play a
central role.
About Trainers of Trainer programme:
i.The programme engaged a total of 85 women trainers, who will then train women involved in tourist
initiatives and other services around the state.
• This was the second in a series of training workshops planned by RT Mission that would cover the
entire state.
• So far, 1850 women have participated in training sessions held as part of the project.
ii.The programme turned out to be a forum for experience-sharing sessions, where entrepreneurs and
professionals addressed how to successfully carry out every aspect of tourist activities, making visitors’ stay in
the state a one-of-a-kind experience.
About Women-Friendly Tourism project:
i.When launched:In November 2022, Kerala launched state level ‘Women-Friendly Tourism’ project with RT
Mission as the nodal agency.
• The project was initiated to instill a sense of security among women travellers, thereby promoting
tourism with a focus on women empowerment.
ii.MoU signed:To boost women-friendly activities in the tourism sector, Kerala signed an Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the UN Women India in February 2023.
• Under the MoU, UN Women will support Kerala tourism in developing reports and material related
to women-friendly tourism and their publication.

iii.The project involves the participation of women in a whole lot of activities, including catering and
accommodation, transportation and serving as community guides.
• It is estimated to generate at least 10,000 startups, over 30,000 new job opportunities, and a
network of 1.5 lakh women working in tourism and related industries.
About Kerala:
Chief Minister – Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor – Arif Mohammed Khan
Classical Dance – Kathakali, Mohiniyattam
Festivals – Onam, Vishu
India’s Unemployment Rate Declines to 7.95% in July 2023 due to Rise in Agricultural Labour
Demand
According to the recent data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt.Ltd. (CMIE), the
unemployment rate of India in July 2023 fell to 7.95% from 8.45% in June 2023. This decline is due to the
increased demand for agricultural labour in rural areas, as the monsoon season has begun.
• However, in July 2023, the demand for labour in the rural non-agriculture sector declined, leading to
a decrease in the number of rural workers seeking employment, consequently affecting the rural
employment rate.
• The rural unemployment rate also declined to 7.89% in July 2023, from 8.73% in June 2023, while
the urban unemployment rate slightly increased to 8.06% from 7.87% in the same period.
• Data indicates that the labour force in rural India has decreased by 5 million. The labour force
participation rate in urban areas has also seen a decline. This indicates that the issue extends
beyond rural regions and reflects a broader weakness in the Indian economy.
Note: In an effort to address rising unemployment dissatisfaction, the government is distributing appointment
letters as part of a promise to provide 1 million government jobs by the end of 2023.
Drone Manufacturer Dhaksha Wins Contract from Indian Army for supply of 200 Drones,
Accessories
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) based Drone Manufacturer, Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Pvt. Ltd(DUMS), a subsidiary of
Coromandel International Limited, an Agri-solutions provider, has bagged an order worth Rs 165 crore to
supply 200 medium-altitude logistics drones, and accessories to the Indian Army.
• Recently, DUMS has also won a contract from the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO),
agri inputs cooperative, to supply 400 agri-spraying drones.
• These two orders are set to be delivered within the next 12 months.
Note: Additionally, the DUMS‘ strong order pipeline further increases the potential for increased revenues for
the ongoing year.
Key Points:
i.DUMS has been selected by the Indian Army to supply its logistics drones. The company is committed to
building the latest technologies for drone manufacturing and serving to requirements of the defense sector as
well as the farming community of India.
ii.The defense contract serves as a huge validation of Dhaksha’s technology capability and it recognises the
company’s ability to capture opportunities in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) space.
iii.The agri-spraying drones are designed to assist farmers in optimising crop management practices by
providing precise and targeted spraying of fertilisers and pesticides.
iv.DUMS has a technology collaboration with Anna University, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and is the 1st company in
India to obtain the Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA Type Certification for the commercial sale of
drone for 3 different drone models (Agri – Hybrid, Agri – Electric, and Surveillance drones).

About Dhaksha Unmanned Systems Pvt. Ltd:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Director– Ramanathan Narayanan
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Incorporated in– 2019
CBI Academy Joins Interpol Global Academy Network as its 10th Member
On 8th August 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Academy, based in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
joined the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Global Academy Network as its 10th
member through a virtual signing ceremony organized between CBI and Interpol at Global Complex for
Innovation, Singapore for development and delivery of joint training program and research projects.
• A letter of acceptance was signed by Deputy Inspector General(DIG) (Training) Mohit Gupta of the
CBI Academy with Glenn Martindale, Director, Capacity Building and Training Directorate, Interpol
in consultation with India’s Union Home Ministry, External Affairs Ministry and the Department of
Personnel and Training.
INTERPOL Global Academy Network:
i.Established in 2019, the INTERPOL Global Academy Network is under the leadership of INTERPOL’s
Capacity Building and Training Directorate. Its primary goal is to spearhead a worldwide strategy for law
enforcement training.
ii.The Network has members in all regions and supports academic collaboration amongst Law Enforcement
Training Institutions across the globe.
iii.The INTERPOL Global Academy currently has 10 members: Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Austria, Botswana,
Colombia, India, Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and Spain.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI):
i.The CBI is a premier training institution in the fields of crime investigation, prosecution and vigilance
functioning.
ii.It is the National Central Bureau of Interpol for India as well as a Nodal Agency for Transnational Organised
Crimes, Anti-Corruption Crimes, Bank Fraud Cases and Cyber Crimes.
Director – Praveen Sood
Headquarters – New Delhi,Delhi
NABARD supports Rajasthan to Get 5 GI Tag certification for Traditional Products

The National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development(NABARD) supported Rajasthan to get a
Geographical Indications (GI) tag for five traditional products including Nathdwara Pichhwai Craft of
Rajsamand, Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft, Bikaner Kashidakari Craft, Jodhpur Bandhej Craft and Bikaner Usta
Kala Craft.
Advantages of getting GI Tags:
i.GI tags are crucial in rural off-farm development because they act as product differentiators, boost brand
building, provide local employment, create a regional brand, generate spin-off benefits in tourism and cuisine,
and help to conserve biodiversity.
ii.It also improves market access, raises knowledge, and strengthens producers’ ability to assert their rights.
iii.It is supported to empower local communities by enhancing their income levels and preserving the
intactness of disappearing artworks.
Nathdwara Pichhwai Craft:
i.The Nathdwara Pichhwai Craft has a 400-year history and depicts the glorious life of Lord Shrinathji(Lord
Krishna).
• These paintings were used to decorate the walls of temples in Nathdwara, Rajasmand district,
Rajasthan.

ii.The word Pichhwai comes from the Sanskrit words, ‘pich’ meaning back and ‘wais’ meaning hanging.
iii.The colours used in Pichhwai painting are natural colours including vibrant blue, green, brilliant red, and
Oranges.
• The most beautiful ones are mainly filled with pure gold.
iv.Themes commonly used in Nathdwara Pichhwai Crafts are based on Ramayana, Krishna Lila,
Choura Panchasika, Ragamala series and Gita Govinda.
• Nathdwara Pichhwai Craft is a Handi Crafts goods.
Note:
The other four GI products Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft, Bikaner Kashidakari Craft, Jodhpur Bandhej Craft, and
Bikaner Usta Kala Craft explained in Rajasthan GI Tags
Renewal:
A registered GI shall be valid for 10 years and can be renewed on payment of renewal fee.
Additional info:
i.In Rajasthan, NABARD also promotes the farm and off-farm sectors through skill development programmes,
GI, promotion of farm and off-farm producer organisations, farmer exposure tours, and improvement of
watersheds and wadis for tribal people.
ii.NABARD spent Rs.31.04 crore on different developmental activities in Rajasthan during the financial year
2022-23.
Maharashtra’s New Amravati station Becomes Central Railway’s 3rd Pink Station
New Amravati Railway Station (Amaravti, Maharashtra) became the 3rd station within Central Railway(CR)
and the 1st station in Bhusaval Division of CR to be designated as a Pink Station, fully managed by women staff.
• Central Railway became the first zone of the Indian Railways to set up all women managed station.
• Matunga suburban station in Mumbai division became the 1st railway station in India to be operated
by an all-woman staff in July 2017, followed by Ajni station in the Nagpur division in 2018.
About New Amravati station:
i.The New Amravati station has a staff strength of 12 women employees – 4 Deputy Station Superintendents, 4
Pointswomen, 3 Railway Protection Personnel and 1 Station Ticket Booking Agent.
ii.The station has a daily footfall of approximately 380 passengers and operates 10 trains.
Ministry of Railways approves closure of BRPL
The Ministry of Railways has granted in-principle approval for the closure of ‘Bastar Railway Private
Limited (BRPL), a joint venture(JV) of NMDC Limited , IRCON International Ltd., Steel Authority of India
Ltd.(SAIL) and Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (CMDC).
• The closure involved the transfer of assets and liabilities of BRPL to the Ministry of Railways.
About Bastar Railway Private Limited (BRPL):
BRPL was established as a project-specific JV company in 2016 for developing the 140-kilometer rail line
project from Rowghat to Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.
• BRPL is still in the construction phase and has yet to generate revenue.
Shareholdings:
• 26% – IRCON International Limited is a Government of India Undertaking company under the
Ministry of Railways.
• 12% – SAIL is a Maharatna Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) under the Ministry of Steel.
• 10% – CMDC is a Government of Chhattisgarh undertaking company.
52% – NMDC Limited, formerly National Mineral Development Corporation, is a Navratna PSE under the
Ministry of Steel.
IIM Bangalore’s Report on ‘Assessment of Employment Potential of JJM

On 10th August 2023, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, released
the report of the Study on Assessment of Employment Potential of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), in New Delhi, Delhi.

The assessment was conducted by Centre for Public Policy under Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
(IIMB), Benglauru(Karnataka).
• The report of the study has estimated an employment generation potential of JJM to the tune of 2.82
crore person per year employment.
• The report was prepared with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Findings of the Report:
This report is the third in a series of findings released recently, on the impact of JJM on the lives of citizens in
rural India.
i.Direct Employment:The report estimated that around 59.93 lakh persons get direct employment during the
construction phase of JJM per year from the total employment generation of 2.82 crore person per year.
• Around 40% of the direct employment (23.8 lakh person per year) is estimated to be contributed by
the engagement of engineers, managers, plumbers, electricians, motor mechanics and chemists.
• Additional employment:It also provides additional direct employment of 11.84 lakh person per
year during the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) phase every year.
• It also provides Additional 13.3 lakh person per year employment during JJM operations phase.
ii.Indirect Employment:It Provides additional indirect employment to 2.22 crore persons per year in India
through manpower engaged in production of the materials including pipes, valves, pumps.
Methods used for this Estimation:
The input-output model was used in the macro approach to estimate the impact of investment on employment
across industries, whereas in the micro approach, sample data collected from completed JJM schemes from
different states was used to estimate direct employment during the construction and O&M phases of the
projects.
About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):
i.JJM was introduced by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in August 2019 to provide tap water connection
to all rural households.
The coverage of tap water connections increased from 3.23 crore (17%) households in 2019 to 12.79
crore (65.81%) households in August 2023.
ii.Due to this mission,the issues of access to clean drinking water in Arsenic and Fluoride affected areas have
also been fully addressed.
About Ministry of Jal Shakti:
Union Minister – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Constituency- Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS) – Prahlad Singh Patel (Constituency- Damoh, Madhya Pradesh) ; Bishweswar Tudu
(Constituency- Mayurbhanj, Odisha)
DAC Approves Proposals worth Rs 7,800 cr to Enhance Operational Capabilities of Indian

Armed Forces
On 24th August 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting chaired by the Union Defence Minister,
Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth
around Rs 7,800 crore, to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.
Details of DAC’s Approvals:
i.To enhance the efficiency of the Indian Air Force, DAC granted AoN for the procurement and installation of
an Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite on Mi-17 V5 Military/Transport Helicopters, which will enhance better
survivability of Helicopters.
• The procurements will be made under the Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed, and
Manufactured) category.
• The EW Suite will be procured from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), under the Ministry of
Defence(MoD).
ii.The DAC has also granted AoN for procurement of a Ground-Based Autonomous System for mechanised
infantry and armoured regiments.

• This will enable operations like unmanned surveillance, logistic delivery of ammunition, fuel & spares,
and casualty evacuation on the battle field.
iii.DAC has also granted AoN for the procurement of weapons to enhance the operational capabilities of the
MH-60R multi-mission helicopters in service with the Indian Navy.
iv.The DAC approved the procurement of a 7.62×51 millimeters (mm) Light Machine Gun (LMG) and Bridge
Laying Tank (BLT).
• The induction of LMG will enhance the fighting capabilities of infantry forces, and the induction of BLT
will result in faster movement of Mechanised Forces.
v.DAC has also approved the AoN for procurement of Ruggedised Laptops and Tablets for the Indian Army
under Project Shakti.
Note: All these procurements will be sourced from Indigenous vendors only.
President of India Releases Postage Stamp in Memory of Dadi Prakashmani

Droupadi Murmu, The President of India, released a postage stamp in memory of Dadi Prakashmani, former
chief of Brahma Kumaris, at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The stamp was released under the ‘My Stamp’ initiative of the Department of Posts, Ministry of
Communications, to commemorate Dadi Prakashmani’s 16th death anniversary. Dadi passed away
on 25th August 2007.
i.Dadi Prakashmani, known as Dadi Kumarka, was born in 1922 in the north Indian province of Hyderabad,
Sindh (now in Pakistan). She served as the Administrative Head of Brahma Kumaris from 1969 until 2007.
ii.During her lifetime, the organization expanded from 1 country to 120 countries with over 5,000 centres and
sub-centres around the world.
• The Brahma Kumaris, officially known as the ‘Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa
Vidyalaya,’ is a global spiritual movement dedicated to personal change and world rejuvenation.
The organisation was founded by Prajapita Brahma in 1936 in Hyderabad, Sindh. It is now headquartered
in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.
MoD Signs to Acquire Five Indigenously Built FSS from HSL Worthing 19,000 Crore
Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan
Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) for the acquisition of five indigenously built Fleet
Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy worth 19,000 crore (approximately).
About The Fleet Support Ships (FSS):
• The FSS will be built with a length of 225 metres and a width of 32 metres and will have a
displacement of 44,000 tonnes.
• It will be deployed for restocking ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores
• These ships can also be deployed for evacuation of people and human assistance and disaster
relief (HADR) operations.
• The Fleet Support Ships (FSS) that are signed will carry a cargo of almost 25,000 tonnes
• These vessels is a flag bearer of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in harmoniousness with the ‘Make in India’
initiatives.
• Construction of these ships encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in
production process.
• The 44,000-tonnes FSS will be the first of its kind to be constructed in India by an Indian
Shipyard and will be successfully delivered in eight years.
About Ministry of Defence:
Union Minister – Raj Nath Singh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of States(MoS) – Ajay Bhatt (Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand)

About Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL):
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) – Hemant Khatri
Headquarters – Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Nehru Memorial Museum Has Been Renamed as The Prime Ministers’ Museum
The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has officially been renamed as the Prime Ministers’
Museum and Library (PMML) Society with effective from August 14, 2023.It is located within the Teen Murti
House complex at New Delhi, Delhi.This institution operates independently under the India Ministry of Culture.
• It was established in 1964 after the death of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who had
spent his lifetime in his official residence for 16 years until his demise on May 27,1964.
• This renaming reflects motive of expanding the society’s focus beyond its previous associations
to Jawaharlal Nehru and aims to foster a more comprehensive understanding of all the prime
ministers of India and their invaluable contributions to the nation.
• The decision to change the name was taken in June 2023 in a meeting of the NMML Society. It was
chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is the vice president of the society. This project
was approved by Executive Council, NMML in its 162nd meeting held in November 2016.
• Shri Nripendra Misra is the chairman of the Executive council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library (NMML)
Note – Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in April 2022, stands as
a homage to every prime minister of the Republic of India post-Independence, encapsulating their individual
contributions to our nation’s progress during the past 75 years.
Ministry of Home Affairs Renews FCRA Licence of ORF for 5 Years

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a Delhi-based foreign policy think tank, has received a five-year
renewal of its Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The renewed license is valid from October 1, 2023, to September 20, 2028. ORF sought this renewal to continue
receiving foreign grants from voluntary sources and foreign entities.
• The renewal of the organization’s FCRA was pending with the government since March 2023. During
this time, extensions were provided to various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including
ORF till September 30th 2023. .
• The ORF, in adherence to the amendment made to section 17 of The Foreign Contribution
(Regulation) Act, 2010, in the year 2020, took the necessary steps to meet the new legal
requirements.
• As part of the compliance process, ORF ensured that it met the regulatory requirements by opening
bank accounts with the State Bank of India(SBI). These bank accounts were established at the
Parliament Street New Delhi branch of the SBI. This step aligns with the regulations and helps
facilitate transparent and accountable financial transactions related to foreign contributions.
As of August 15, 2023 a total of 206 voluntary organizations have been issued FCRA (Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act) licenses. This list includes several notable organizations like the International
Forum for Environment, Sustainability, and Technology (iFOREST) and Sikkim Manipal University. The
licenses allow these organizations to receive foreign contributions legally and transparently.
Automotive PLI Scheme Extended By Another Year Till FY28

Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey,Ministry of Heavy Industries(MHI) in ‘Review of Production Linked
Incentive-Auto Scheme’ announced the extension of the deadline of Production Linked Incentive(PLI)
Scheme for Automobile and Auto Component Industry by another year.
• The program that was supposed to last for five years, from 2022-23 to 2026-27, will be active till
2027-28.

• The distribution of the incentives will be on a quarterly basis, instead of an annual plan.
PLI Scheme for Automotive Sector
i.Under the Automotive PLI scheme, incentives are applicable for specified sales of Advanced Automotive
Technology (AAT) products (vehicles and components) manufactured in India starting from April 1,
2022.These incentives will remain in effect for a continuous period of five years.
ii.Eligibility to Incentive: AAT products for which a minimum of 50 per cent Domestic Value Addition (DVA)
is achieved and has been certified by Testing Agencies (TAs) of MHI.
• This requirement will help to reduce imports, making it easier to manufacture AAT products locally,
and creating both domestic and global supply chains.
iii.In April 2023, MHI published Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for DVA certification to facilitate ease
of doing business (EODB).
iv.95 companies are covered under the scheme that looks to promote local manufacturing of new technology
products.
Two More Testing Agencies:
The ministry also approved a request to add two more TAs to test the vehicles and components.
i.Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) in Chennai, Tamilnadu
ii.National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) in Madhya Pradesh
Current testing centres: Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in Pune, Maharashtra and the
International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT) in Manesar, Haryana.
Additional Information:
The scheme has two components viz. Champion OEM incentive scheme and Component Champion incentive
scheme.
• Champion OEMs, specializing in electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles.
• Component Champions, focused on manufacturing high-value and advanced components.
STATE NEWS
UNFPA & MP govt Launch ‘Just Ask!’ Chatbot for Adolescents & Young Adults on SRHR
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly known as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities
in collaboration with the National Health Mission (NHM) and the Department of Public Health and Family
Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbot
called ‘Just Ask!’ (Khulke Poochho in Hindi), for adolescents and young adults (15-29 years) in India to explore
information and become aware on the issues related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
• The chatbot will equip, empower, and educate them about the need for accurate and accessible
information on social issues.
• The chatbot has been developed by the UNFPA sexual and reproductive health experts.
Funding:
The project will be partly funded by Bayer, an international pharmaceutical company.
Bayer signed an agreement with UNFPA in India to contribute USD 720,000 to improve awareness on SRHR
among adolescents and young people.
Key People:
Prabhuram Choudhary, Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare of MP, and Andrea M Wojnar, India
Representative of UNFPA.
Features and Benefits of the Chatbot:
i.The chatbot provides a secure, personalized, and non-judgemental space for adolescents and young adults in
India (15-29 years).
ii.It assists them to be aware of the questions related to growing up, bodily changes, menstruation,
reproductive health, pregnancy and family planning, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other SRHR topics.

iii.The chatbot engages users in interactive conversations and provides them with accurate and reliable
information within minutes and free of cost.
• The content is supported by engaging infographics that increase comprehension and enable users to
follow instructions easily.
iv.The user experience is designed to be safe, personalized, multi-lingual, and compassionate.
• The platform has been developed in line with UNFPA’s Guide on the Safe and Ethical use of
Technology, the structural design will keep user data private.
v.It features two aspiring role models, Dhruv and Drishti, who communicate information in a simple and
relatable manner.
vi.The chatbot links adolescents and young people to Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs), government
health facilities, and helplines.
About United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
It is the United Nations (UN)’s sexual and reproductive health agency.
Executive Director– Dr. Natalia Kanem
Headquarters– New York, United States of America (USA)
Motto– “Ensuring rights and choices for all”
Established in– 1969
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Launches LEAP Coworks for KSUM Beneficiaries

On 1st August 2023, Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Statewide membership card of
Kerala Startup Mission’s (KSUM) ‘LEAP (Launch, Empower, Accelerate, Prosper) Coworks’ and also
inaugurated the refurbished headquarters of the KSUM at the Thejaswini Building in Technopark Phase 1 in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan also inaugurated the operations of first phase of the new India’s
first Digital Science Park.
Note – Kerala has achieved significant milestones with the establishment of India’s first Digital
University named Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology ,as well as India’s first
technology park.
LEAP Coworks:
i.It is an initiative of Kerala government’s mission to transform industry incubators into co-working spaces to
provide innovation and collaboration for a startup ecosystem by offering infrastructure, workspaces, meeting
rooms, internet connectivity for a productive work environment.
ii.Under this initiative, the new KSUM headquarters in Technopark will be rebranded as LEAP Coworks space.
iii.KSUM will continue to provide mentorship programs, business development assistance, access to funding
opportunities, and expert guidance.
iv.Through LEAP, KSUM will introduce flexible membership plans to accommodate the various needs of the
startups, including hot desks, dedicated desks and private office spaces.
LEAP Coworks membership card:
i.The launch of the LEAP Coworks membership will provide startups, professionals, angel investors, and
venture capitalists with unparalleled access to KSUM’s premium facilities.
ii.The membership card offers subsidised access to all LEAP center facilities and allow access to book Flexi
Workstations and KSUM’s partner incubation centers across Kerala.
About Kerala:
Chief Minister- Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor- Arif Mohammed Khan
Festival- Thiruvathira, Pooram
Stadium- EMS Stadium, Jimmy George Indoor Stadium

Kerala Govt is Set To Launch ‘Shubhayatra’ for Financial Support to 1st time Overseas
Emigrants
The Kerala government is about to launch a new project titled ‘Shubhayatra’, to provide financial support to
first-time overseas emigrants from Kerala.
• The project aims to create a positive and productive migration ecosystem by providing financial
assistance of up to Rs. 2 lakhs with a tax holiday for 6 months and attractive interest subvention to
meet the incidental expense of eligible candidates.
Soft Loan:
i.To meet the expense of first-time emigrants such as regulatory examinations or licensing examinations of
various countries, service charges of recruiting agencies, visa stamping and attestation expenses, high airfares,
and other incidental expenses the Kerala government will provide a soft loan for foreign employability skilling
assistant and the preparatory expense for the migration.
ii.The candidate will get time up to three years for repaying the soft loan
Telangana Assembly Passes TSRTC Merger Bill After Governor’s Approval

On 06th August 2023, Telangana State Legislative Assembly passed the Telangana State Road Transport
Corporation(TSRTC) (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) Bill 2023, after receiving
approval from Tamilisai Soundarajan, Governor of Telangana.
• The bill(with effect from 31st July 2023) aims to merge loss-making TSRTC with Telangana
government and to absorb the employees into the government service.
• The administrative control of TSRTC will remain under the Transport, Roads and Buildings
Department, with the head being the vice-chairman and managing director.
• The bill was introduced by Telangana Transport Minister, P Ajay Kumar.
Note: Annually, the Telangana Government will inject Rs 3,000 crore to cover the salaries and allowances of
more than 43,000 employees.
Key Recommendation by the Governor:
Telangana Governor, Tamilisai Soundarajan recommended few changes in the bill such as,
i.Emoluments of absorbed RTC employees to match state government scales for pay, transfers, promotions,
pensions, and provident funds.
ii.Similar benefits and salaries for contract/outsourced employees as per state service rules, with recognition
and protection for future service in different capacities.
iii.Maintenance of buses to be taken over by the government through outsourcing or other means, ensuring
financial responsibility for safety.
Other Recommendation:
i.Assets division and completion process between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh recommended under Andhra
Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014.
ii.To clarify and assume liability for clearing arrears from former Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport
Corporation(APSRTC).
iii.Provision for already-absorbed TSRTC employees to seek ‘compassionate appointment’ for family members
due to work-related health issues.
iv.Suggestion to make disciplinary proceedings within RTC more humane and in line with service rules for
other government employees.
vii.If RTC employees are deputed to other departments, provision to protect their grade, pay, salary, and
promotions for continuity and stability.
About Telangana:
Chief Minister – K. Chandrashekar Rao
Governor- Tamilisai Soundarajan
UNESCO Heritage- Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa)
Airport- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad), Ramagundam Airport (Ramagundam)

Justice Subhasis Talapatra Sworn in as 33rd Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
On 8th August 2023, Justice Subhasis Talapatra, Judge of the Orissa High Court, took oath as the 33rd Chief
Justice (CJ) of the Orissa High Court. The oath ceremony was administered by Prof. Ganeshi Lal, the Governor
of Odisha.
• Justice Subhasis Talapatra succeeded Justice Dr. S
Muralidhar following his superannuation on 7th August
2023.
• Justice Subhasis Talapatra is set to retire on October 3,
2023.
Note: In July 2023, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the
name of Justice Talapatra, as the CJ.
About Justice Subhasis Talapatra:
i.Justice Subhasis Talapatra hails from Udaipur, Tripura.
ii.He was designated as Senior Advocate on December 21, 2004. On November 15, 2011, he was sworn in as an
Additional Judge of Gauhati High Court in Guwahati, Assam.
iii.On September 13, 2013, was appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Tripura High Court.
iv.He served as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura twice from November 2-13, 2018, and
November 11-15, 2019.
v.He was transferred as Judge, High Court of Orissa on June 1, 2022, and he took the oath of office on June 10,
2022.
vi.Since 2017, he held the position of Executive Chairman of Tripura State Legal Services Authority and
Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee; Computer Committee, and eCourts Project; Committee for
Establishment of National Law University.
Orissa High Court launches Warrant Management System and PIL portal
On 7th August 2023, S Muralidhar, Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, on the day of his superannuation,
dedicated 2 e- initiatives : Warrant Management System and Public Interest Litigation (PIL) portal, for the
benefit of all stakeholders, including the police.
Warrant Management System:
i.It is a portal of the high court collaboratively developed with the State Crime Records Bureau to ensure
expeditious transmission and monitoring of warrants.
ii.The portal has the facility of issuing warrants to the police, tracking the status of execution, and
acknowledgment of execution. This facility was initially launched in the Cuttack district of Odisha and has been
now extended to 7 other districts.
PIL Portal:
i.It serves as a tool for the public to access important PILs, its relevant orders, and reports from the High Court
which will benefit both researchers and students.
ii.This platform will also ensure transparency and accessibility in the legal system.
RGICL has been Awarded the Contract for Implementing MHIS & PMJAY in Meghalaya
On 8th August 2023, Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd (RGICL) signed a contract with the Department
of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya for the implementation of the Megha Health
Insurance Scheme (MHIS) and the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)-Phase
6 in Meghalaya.
• RGICL emerged as the successful bidder to implement a revised MHIS 6 scheme in convergence with
PMJAY, providing an insurance cover of Rs 5.3 lakhs for all eligible beneficiaries on a family floater
basis.
• Meghalaya has decided to review the health benefit packages and other terms in insurance contract
of MHIS 6. This will cover more than 7 lakh families in Meghalaya and provide them health

insurance coverage that will meet secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, outpatient care,
diagnostic tests, and follow-up care.
• RGICL will also leverage its digital capabilities for smooth and hassle-free enrolment, claim
settlement, and grievance redressal for the beneficiaries.
• The scheme provides coverage to all residents of Meghalaya apart from those who are employed by
the GoM and central governments.
Rajasthan CM Launched Indira Gandhi Smart Phone Scheme in Jaipur

On 10th August 2023, Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister (CM) of Rajasthan, launched the Indira Gandhi Smart Phone
Scheme during an event organised at the B.M. Birla Auditorium in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• During the event, CM also launched the ‘Digital Sakhi Book’.
About Indira Gandhi Smart Phone Scheme:
i.Under this scheme, free smartphones with 3 years of data facility will be distributed to 1.3 crore women in
Rajasthan. The beneficiaries will include girl students (class 9 to class 12) of government schools, college
students, single women, and widows.
ii.Rs 6800 will be deposited in an e-wallet through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) for the purchase of these
smartphones and SIM.
1st Phase:
i.In the first phase of the scheme, it aims to provide smartphones to approximately 40 lakh women. Those
eligible for the first phase include women who served 100 days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and 50 days under the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee
Scheme.
CM announced Fuel Surcharge Waiver for Electricity Consumers in Rajasthan
CM Ashok Gehlot announced a complete waiver of the fuel surcharge for all domestic and agricultural power
consumers in Rajasthan.
It is noted that hereafter, no consumer will be required to pay the surcharge after using more than 200 units of
electricity.
• Previously, the waiver was applicable only to those who used up to 200 units of electricity per
month.
What is Fuel SurCharge?
A fuel surcharge for power consumers is an additional fee on electricity bills, covering the cost of fuel used to
generate power. This charge can vary based on factors such as the price of fuel and the efficiency of power
generation methods.
• It is often used to cover the expenses incurred in producing electricity using fossil fuels like coal, oil,
or natural gas.
Key Points:
i.This would impose an additional cost of Rs 2500 crore. This will be borne by the government of Rajasthan.
The public-sector power distribution company will get the amount from the State government.
ii.To provide relief from the high input costs of agriculture, the government of Rajasthan provides 2000 units of
electricity per month at no cost to farmers.
Telangana launched India’s 1st Agricultural Data Exchange platform and ADMF
K Taraka Rama Rao, Cabinet Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (IT, E&C),
Telangana, launched India’s first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) and Agriculture Data Management
Framework (ADMF) in Hyderabad, Telangana. The ADeX has been developed as a Digital Public Infrastructure
(DPI) for the agriculture sector.
• ADeX is a collaboration between the Telangana Government, the World Economic Forum (WEF), and
the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Banglore(Bengaluru, Karnataka).

• Both ADeX and ADMF provide the right platform to ensure fair and efficient usage of agricultural
data by the industry and start-ups and provide a big growth to the data economy specifically in the
agriculture sector.
• These initiatives will create a comprehensive data economy for the future of agriculture and will
enable large-scale innovation that will drive impact to the farmer community.
ADeX Platform:
i.It is an open-source, open-standard, and interoperable public good platform.
ii.Its primary goal is to democratise data access and equip both public and private sectors to develop
applications and deliver services to benefit society.
iii.ADeX software platform facilitates the secure, standards-based exchange of data between agricultural data
users like agri application developers and agricultural data providers like government agencies, private
companies, etc.
iv.In Phase-I of the project, the ADeX Platform is currently deployed in Khammam city of Telangana and will be
expanded to the entire Telangana state subsequently.
Agriculture Data Management Framework (ADMF):
i.ADF has been developed after extensive public and industry consultations on data protection, management,
and innovation.
ii.Informed by domestic laws and regulations and converging global best practices, it is a forward-looking
framework, with the objective of facilitating consent-based responsible data sharing.
iii.ADMF is applicable to all government departments dealing with agricultural activities as well as all
agriculture information users and providers. The framework provides for a robust grievance redressal
mechanism.
iv.The framework envisages an Inter-Departmental Committee, which will issue standard operating
procedures and guidance on key aspects such as access controls, data quality, data service providers, etc.
About Telangana:
Chief Minister– K. Chandrashekar Rao
Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan
Zoological Park– Nehru Zoological Park, Vana Vigyan Kendra Mini Zoo (Kakatiya Zoological Park)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Multi-Level Flyover in Pune & launches One Pune
Card
The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) inaugurated Rs 865
crore multi-level flyover built at Chandni Chowk in Pune, Maharashtra.
• This bridge with a total length of 16.98 km will address traffic congestion in the city.
• The internal and external service roads have been aligned with Mumbai-Bengaluru National
Highway
One Pune Card launched for Pune Metro users
On August 12, 2023, the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) unveiled a multi-purpose
“One Pune Card” for metro travel. The card can also be used for retail payments across India. It was
inaugurated by the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Key Points:
i.The first 5,000 passengers will get the card free of cost and others will have to pay Rs 150 + 18% tax.
ii.One Pune Card follows the norms of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and can be used in any
other metro and bus services in India.
iii.The card is on the Indian Payments (RuPay) framework and adheres to the guidelines set by the Government
of India for NCMC.
• For transactions up to Rs 5,000, no PIN is required.
iv.The event attended by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers (CMs) Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, Maha-
Metro managing director Shravan Hardikar and others.

Goa Becomes First State to Provide IVF Free at Govt Hospital
Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa inaugurated free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) therapy at the Goa
Medical College (GMC) in Bambolim,Goa along with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and Intrauterine
Insemination (IUI).With this, Goa has become the first state in the country to offer free artificial insemination
treatment.
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment is the most common method of artificial insemination for
parents who are unable to conceive naturally.
• GMC is the first hospital in the country to offer free IVF treatment. Patients will not be charged. The
entire funding will come from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
The government will pay on an average Rs.5 Lakhs to Rs.7 lakhs for the IVF treatment.
Assam Cabinet Launches MODI Scheme to Reward the Cleanest District of Assam
On 25th August 2023, the Assam cabinet in its 100th meeting chaired by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief
Minister(CM) of Assam, launched called MODI (Most Outstanding District Initiative), to reward the cleanest
district.
• This Clean district drive will boost solid waste management and sanitation.
• The detailed guidelines of the initiative will be issued during the Conference of District
commissioners which will be held on 27th August 2023.
Key Points:
i.The most outstanding district will be awarded Rs 100 crore towards infrastructure development and the
results will be declared by the first week of April 2024.
ii.The districts will be assessed on 108 parameters including cleanliness, legacy waste disposal, and maximum
coverage of clean drinking water before being given the cleanest tag.
iii.MODI is a new effort to motivate comprehensive cleanliness at the district level and the detailed guidelines
were issued at the conference of district commissioners.
New Districts:
i.Additionally, the cabinet has decided to create 4 new districts . These districts were abolished on December
31 2022. The new districts include Hojai, Biswanath, Tamulpur and Bajali.
ii.Assam CM also stated that 24 sub divisions will be abolished and 81 sub districts will be created.
Installation of CCTVs:
i.The cabinet also approved the installation of 2,000 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across Guwahati
to implement a citizen-friendly, holistic, integrated, and responsive Intelligent City Surveillance System.
ii.This initiative aims to improve safety, increase productivity, ensure enforcement, and effective and
preventive policing through integration with existing Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), etc.
Semiconductor Hub:
i.The cabinet approved the Assam Electronics (Semiconductor, etc.) Policy, 2023 with the aim to establish
Assam as a hub of semiconductor manufacturing and electronics production.
ii.The key benefits of the policy include attracting semiconductor fabrication and design investment, job
creation, ecosystem development, market resilience, export growth, and revenue generation for Assam.
iii.Policy benefits extend to all new units within the ‘Semiconductor Manufacturing’ sector, and eligible
industrial units are also covered.
iv.The policy allows for phase-wise commissioning of the total approved plant capacity. Micro-small-medium-
enterprises (MSMEs) have a three-year limit for this, while large industries get 5 years from the date of the first
fixed capital investment.
About Assam:
Chief Minister– Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor– Gulab Chand Kataria
Stadium– Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium (Outdoor) and Nehru Stadium (Outdoor)

TN CM Stalin Launches Expansion of Breakfast Scheme for all TN govt School Students
On 25th August 2023, Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister (CM), MK Stalin inaugurated the expansion of the state
governments’ free breakfast scheme to all state-run primary schools from classes 1 to 5. With this scheme,
TN has now become the first state in India to provide free breakfast to students in all government schools.
The scheme was inaugurated at a government school at Tirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district, the birthplace of
M Karunanidhi, former CM of TN and DMK patriarch.
• Nearly 17 lakh students across approximately 31,000 government schools in the state will benefit
from the extension of the scheme. For this initiative, a sum of Rs 404 crore has been allocated.
• This scheme is viewed as an extension of the mid-day meals, the CM’s Free Breakfast Scheme is
aimed at reducing malnutrition and increasing attendance by providing nutritious breakfast.
• The CM’s breakfast scheme was first inaugurated on September 15, 2022, on the occasion of the
birth anniversary of C N Annadurai, former CM of TN, in Madurai, TN.
Note: TN was the first to introduce the mid-day meal scheme in India in 1922 in the then-Madras
Presidency(Now Tamil Nadu). Former CM Kamarajar launched the full-fledged mid-day meal programme for all
panchayat and government-run primary schools in Tamil Nadu in 1956-57.
Gujarat CM Launches Online Platform for Panchayati Raj Institutions

Chief Minister(CM) of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel launched a software called the Panchayati Raj Accounting
Information System Automation (PRAISA), to make online payment compulsory for Panchayati Raj
institutions at a state-level ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh‘campaign in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Panchayati Raj institutions & local self-governed bodies will be handling their financial
transactions worth Rs 34,000 crore in PRAISA to increase transparency.
Key Points:
i.Instead of cheques, PRAISA is used by Panchayati Raj institutions to make payments to contractors or
vendors.
ii.This software can also issue work orders, make payment to and maintain the accounts.
iii.This portal facilitate all financial and accounting transactions for 33 districts and 248 taluka panchayats
through this online platform, making the administration paperless and more effective.
iv.Dashboards such as Gujarat CM Dashboard, Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) and Public
Financial Management System (PFMS) will be connected with PRAISA.
V.Quick Response (QR) codes and schedules are mandatory for making payments through PRAISA.PRAISA
allows real-time monitoring of any panchayat’s transactions at taluka, district and state level
About Meri Mati Mera Desh Campaign:
• “Meri Maati Mera Desh“, is a nationwide and people led “Jan bhagidari” initiative to
commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.
• It is the final event of Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav program.
• Tagline: `Mitti ko naman, veeron ka vandan`.
About Gujarat:
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
WildLife Sanctuary – Balaram Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary
Airport – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Dholera International Airport

GOVT SCHEMES
CENTRAL GOVT SCHEMES
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana Completes 9 Years of Successful Implementation
On 28th August 2023, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a National Mission for Financial
Inclusion (FI) completed 9 years of successful implementation.
• PMJDY, the biggest financial inclusion initiative in the world, was introduced by Prime Minister
(PM) Narendra Modi on 15th August 2014 (Independence Day) and was launched on 28th
August 2014.
Financial Inclusion:
i.FI is a comprehensive approach aimed at fostering economic development and ensuring that financial
services are accessible to all segments of society.
ii.FI promotes equitable and inclusive growth by extending financial services at an affordable cost to
vulnerable groups such as low-income groups and weaker sections that lack access to basic banking
services.
About Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY):
i.PMJDY aims to ensure access to financial services, namely, basic savings & deposit accounts, remittance,
credit, insurance, and pension in an affordable manner to all households in India.
ii.Under the scheme, a basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account can be opened in any bank branch or
Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet, by persons not having any other account.
Features:
i.One basic savings bank account is opened for unbanked people.
ii.There is no requirement to maintain any minimum balance (zero balance/zero charges) in PMJDY
accounts.
iii.Interest is earned on the deposit in PMJDY accounts.
iv.Rupay Debit card is provided to PMJDY account holders.
Benefits:
i.Accident Insurance Cover of Rs.1 lakh (enhanced to Rs. 2 lakh for new PMJDY accounts opened after 28th
August 2018) is available with a RuPay card issued to the PMJDY account holders.
ii.An overdraft (OD) facility up to Rs. 10,000 to eligible account holders is available.
iii.PMJDY accounts are eligible for all Government benefits (from Centre / State / Local Body) to the
beneficiaries accounts such as:
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan
Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Micro Units Development &
Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA) scheme.
Achievements:
i.As of mid-August 2023, the number of total PMJDY Accounts is 50.09 crore; 55.6% (27.82 crore) Jan-
Dhan account holders are women and 66.7% (33.45 crore) Jan Dhan accounts are in rural and semi-urban
areas.
ii.Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) architecture has enabled the successful transfer of Government
benefits in the accounts of the common man consistently.
iii.Jan Dhan Darshak App (JDD App), is a mobile application that provides a citizen-centric platform for
locating banking touch points such as bank branches, ATMs, Banking Correspondents (BCs), Indian Post
Payment Banks, etc. in India.
Over 13 lakh banking touchpoints have been mapped on the JDD App.

STATE GOVT SCHEMES
Gramin Mitra: Goa CM launches Door-Step Delivery of Govt Scheme for Rural Area
Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister(CM) of Goa, launched Gramin Mitra, the flagship scheme of the Government of
Goa to provide doorstep delivery of government services across the state and promote digital empowerment in
rural areas at an event held at the Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan in Goa.
• The scheme will play an important role to bridge the digital gap between Rural and Urban Areas.
The initiative is piloted by the Department of Information Technology (IT), Electronics, and
Communication (E&C) (DITE&C).
• Goa is the first state to offer doorstep delivery of government services through the Gramin Mitra
Scheme or village-level entrepreneurs.
Objective:
i.To promote digital empowerment by strengthening the digital foundation in rural Goa and with access to
information and opportunities that can transform the lives of rural communities and drive socio-economic
growth.
ii.Through strategic partnerships and initiatives, the scheme aims to provide access to technology, digital
literacy, and e-governance services to rural communities across Goa.
Note: The scheme will be able to deliver 179 state government services.
Key People:
Rohan Khaunte, Minister of IT, E&C, Government of Goa; Shripad Naik, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Member of Parliament (MP) – Rajya Sabha (Goa)
were also present in the event.
Key Highlights:
i.Bringing government services to people’s doorsteps will save their time and resources and the program
ensures that every individual can access essential services without leaving anyone behind.
ii.Rs 5,000 honorarium will be paid to the Gramin Mitras and Citizen Service Centres which deliver 200 and
more public services per month.
iii.The government also launched a citizen service helpline – 14471, enabling people to call and request
services.
iv.It allows individuals to request public services by simply calling the dedicated Call Centre Number, which
operates from 8 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week.
v.The Government of Goa, in coordination with the DITE&C, will provide the necessary training and capacity
building for the Gramin Mitra (Digital Cadets), who will be deployed through the Common Services Centres
(CSCs).
• These diligent cadets will be equipped with the required IT gadgets to efficiently deliver services to
applicants.
About Goa:
Chief Minister– Pramod Sawant
Governor– P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
Stadium– Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Fatorda Stadium (Outdoor)) and Tilak Maidan Stadium (Outdoor)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
World Rice Price Index jumps to near 12-year high in July 2023: FAO
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) All Rice Price Index increased by 2.8% in July
2023 to 129.7 points as compared to 126.2 point in June 2023.
• This is highest level in nearly 12 years as prices in key exporting countries rised on increased
demand and India’s move to curb the rice exports.
• The FAO’s July 2023 rice index is almost 19.7% higher than 108.4 points in July 2022, and the
highest nominal value since September 2011.
Note: The FAO Food Price Index tracks monthly changes in the international prices of globally-traded food
commodities. For rice tracking, the FAO monthly Rice Price Update provides monthly rice export prices from
major origins.
Key Points:
i.FAO’s overall world food price index also rose in July 2023 to 123.9 points, up 1.3% from June 2023 while
11.8% below its July 2022 level.
• It is driven by higher costs for rice and vegetable oil.
ii.The India Rice Ban: India is a big exporter of rice, sending 40% of the world’s rice exports, followed by
Thailand (13% share) and Vietnam (9% share), among others. But in July 2023, the Indian government decided
to stop exporting non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply and to keep prices stable during the
upcoming festive season.
• Additionally, they also put a ban on exporting de-oiled rice bran (DORB) until November 30, 2023
which was previously allowed for export.
iii.India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Pakistan are among leading exporters of rice. China, Philippines,
Benin, Senegal, Nigeria and Malaysia are key importers of the staple.
About United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO):
Director-General– QU Dongyu
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
Iraq becomes 18th country recognised by WHO for eliminating Trachoma as a Public Health
Problem
On July 31, 2023, Iraq becomes the 18th country recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for
eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. It is also the 5th country in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean
Region to achieve this feat. It is also acknowledged by the WHO as the 50th country for eliminating at least
one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), globally.
• This represents reaching the halfway mark to the 100-country target set for 2030 in the 2021–2030
NTD road map that targets the prevention, control elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and
disease groups.
Efforts by Iraq in eliminating trachoma:
i.In 2012, Iraq launched its national trachoma program to eradicate the disease. They developed a surveillance
system to detect and manage cases in eye care facilities, schools, and collaboration with the Ministry of
Education. Thousands of healthcare staff, including refractionists, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and eye
surgeons, contributed to these efforts.
ii.Post-elimination, Iraq and WHO will continue to closely monitor previously endemic areas to detect and if
necessary, combat any resurgence of disease.
About Trachoma:
i.It is a contagious bacterial eye infection caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It primarily affects the
surface of the eye and the inside of the eyelid.

ii.It is transmitted through direct contact with the eye or nose secretions of infected individuals or from fomites
and flies or indirectly through contaminated objects like towels or clothes.
iii.With time, it causes the eyelashes to be pushed inward into the eye. So with every blink, they brush against
the eyeball. This form of trachoma is called trichiasis. If it’s not treated, trichiasis can lead to blindness.
iv.The SAFE strategy: It includes Surgery to treat the blinding stage (trachomatous trichiasis); Antibiotics to
clear the infection, particularly the antibiotic azithromycin; Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement,
particularly improving access to water and sanitation.
Key Points:
i.Trachoma remains endemic in six countries in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region. However, significant
progress has been made in reducing the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma
elimination purposes, decreasing from 39 million in 2013 to 6.9 million as of April 2023.
ii.17 other countries that have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem are Benin, Cambodia, China,
Gambia, Ghana, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco,
Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Togo and Vanuatu.
About Iraq:
Capital– Baghdad
Currency– Iraqi Dinar
Prime Minister– Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani
India Commits USD 700,000 to Tuvalu’s Clean Water Initiative

India has pledged to support worth USD 700,000 from the India-United Nations Development
Partnership(UNDP) Fund to the project in Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation for clean water initiatives and
community development in schools.
• India will provide funding support for the “Motufoua Concrete Water Cistern” project, initiated by
the Tuvalu Government.
• The project aims to construct a concrete water cistern, at Tuvalu’s only public school called
‘Motufoua Secondary School’,a capacity of 760 metric cubes which will store and provide clean
water to students, teachers and school staff promoting hygiene and reducing water-borne diseases.
• The announcement was made by Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
Key points:
i.This financial commitment aligns with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s “Sagar Amrut Scholarship”
scheme for the Pacific Island countries.
• Modi announced the “Sagar Amrut Scholarship” scheme for the Pacific Island countries during the
Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation Summit, held in May 2023 in Papua New Guinea.
ii.Furthermore, the 12-point action plan introduced at the summit focuses on addressing health, wellness and
community development sectors as per priorities of the Pacific island countries.
iii.This project represents India’s efforts to work collaboratively with fellow developing countries to achieve
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About India-UN Development Partnership Fund:
i.The Fund is established by the Government of India in June 2017, to support projects in developing countries
that aim to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
ii.The Fund adheres to the principles of South-South cooperation and prioritizes national ownership and
leadership, equality, sustainability, development of local capacity and mutual benefit.
iii.The Government of India has committed USD 150 million over the next decade for the fund and it has
supported 75 development projects across 56 countries.
About Tuvalu:
Prime Minister- Kausea Natano
Capital- Funafuti
Currency – Tuvaluan dollar (TVD) and Australian Dollar

Highlights of 2nd Namaste Vietnam Festival held in 3 cities of Vietnam
The 2nd edition of Namaste Vietnam Festival (Hello Việt Nam Festival) was held in the 3 southern cities of
Vietnam viz. Ho Chi Minh(HCM) City, Da Lat city(Central Highlands province) and Tuy Hoa city (south-central
coastal province) from 12th to 20th August 2023.
• The theme of the 2nd Namaste Vietnam Festival was “People unite, warm friendship”
• The festival is an intersection of culture and commerce, creating the basis for promoting bilateral
relations to promote tourism, trade, art, culture, music and film.
Objective:
To enhance cultural understanding and people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening the bond between both
countries.
Organizers:
It was jointly organised by the Indian Embassy, Consulate General of India in Vietnam under the aegis of
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India, IFFW (Indian Film Festival Worldwide) and Innovations India.
Note: The first ever Namaste Vietnam Festival was held in HCM City and Nha Trang in Vietnam from 12th
August – 12th September 2022. It was a major programme to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s
Independence Day and the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic ties.
Highlights:
i.The festival was Curated by Internationally Acclaimed Festival Curator Captain Rahul Bali.
ii.It was opened by the well-known Bollywood actor Anupam Kher & filmmaker-actor Rahul Mittra in the
Hoa Binh Theatre, Ho Chi Minh City’s biggest performing arts venue.
iii.The significant component of the festival includes an Indian Film Festival featuring the World Premiere of 2
Indian Films – Anupam Kher’s ‘The Signature’ & Rahat Kazmi’s ‘Kaya Palat’ which also were the opening and
closing films at the festival.
• Anupam Kher’s The signature was the first ever world premier of a Hindi film in Vietnam.
Key Points:
The festival showcased a diverse array of activities, including
i.India – Vietnam Railway Cooperation Seminar: Indian delegation, led by Anshul Gupta, including
representatives from major railway enterprises like Railtel, JMV, GG Tronics, and others, engaged with Vietnam
Railway Authority and Vietnam Railways to enhance Vietnam’s railway network.
ii.India – Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Seminar: Over 30 Indian tour operators connected with 50+
Vietnamese counterparts in multiple cities to discuss mutual tourism promotion in both countries.
MOU’s Worth USD 1 Billion Inked
As part of the 2nd Namaste Vietnam Festival, various seminars and meetings led to the signing of
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth over USD 1 billion between Indian and Vietnam businesses.
• The MoUs were signed across 3 major sectors: Railways, Tourism, and Cinema
• Consul General of India Dr. Madan Mohan Sethi and provincial leaders witnessed the MOU signings.
Railways:
Indian enterprises like RailTel Corporation of India Limited (RailTel), Ashoka Buildcon Limited, Efftronics
Systems Pvt. Ltd, and JMV LPS Limited signed MOUs with Vietnam’s Hoa Binh Group and Vietnam –
International Entrepreneurs Networking Club (VIENC) during India Vietnam Railway Cooperation Seminar.
• Vietnam plans to build 2000 km of new track for Trans Vietnam High-Speed Rail by 2030, investing
over USD 58 billion.
• Vietnam Railways is looking for transfer of expertise and technology in various fields like
modernization, signalling and safety systems and plans to partner with the Indian Companies in
railway projects of Vietnam.
• The MoUs between the above entities focused on technology transfer and expertise for Vietnam
Railways’ upgrade.

Tourism:
Over 10 MOUs signed between Indian tour operators and leading hotels/tour companies in Ho Chi Minh City,
Dalat, Phu Yen, Ha Nam, and Hanoi during India – Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Seminars.
Cinema:
To boost the cultural relations between India & Vietnam, a MoU was signed between the Government
of Phu Yen province of Vietnam and the Curator of Namaste Vietnam Festival, Captain Rahul Bali towards film
cooperation and collaboration in Film Making.
i.Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, General Phan Van Giang was on a 2 day visit to India from 18th to
19th June 2023. During his visit, he held bilateral talks with Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh in New
Delhi, Delhi.
ii.On 4th June 2023, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of state (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology
inaugurated the two-day “Lavender Festival” in Bhaderwah Valley of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). While
inaugurating the festival, Jitendra Singh stated that Bhaderwah has emerged as the Lavender capital of India
and a prominent Agri-Start-up destination.
About Vietnam:
Capital– Hanoi
Currency– Vietnamese dong
Prime Minister– Pham Minh Chinh
48 African Countries Adopted Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment &

Climate Change
48 African countries have agreed to adopt the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment
and Climate Change (KDMECC) to address climate change and human mobility challenges in Africa and
leverage the opportunities for sustainable development.
• This was announced during the Technical Conference of States on the continental expansion of the
KDMECC held from 23rd to 25th August 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya.
• The KDMECC-AFRICA is expected to be signed by Member States during the Africa Climate Summit
in Nairobi, Kenya on 4th September 2023.
About the conference:
i.The conference was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Uganda with support from the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).
ii.The conference also enabled the African States to develop a common position ahead of the Africa Climate
Summit and the Conference of Parties (COP 28).
About KDMECC:
During the Inter-Ministerial Conference on Migration, Environment and Climate Change held from 27 to 29 July
2022 in Kampala, Uganda, 15 African states signed and agreed upon the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on
Migration, Environment and Climate Change (KDMECC).
• KDMECC was the first member state-led comprehensive and action-oriented framework to address
climate-induced mobility in practical and effective ways.
Key Points:
i.KDMECC addresses the nexus of human mobility and climate change in the whole of Africa.
ii.KDMECC-AFRICA will ensure that everyone’s voices, including the voices of youth, women and persons in
vulnerable situations, are the priority of the expanded declaration.
iii.This offers a platform to support the priorities of the member states in addressing the challenges and also
enables them to leverage migration for sustainable development.
About the International Organization for Migration (IOM):
IOM is a United Nations (UN) agency that provides services and advice concerning migration.

Director General– António Vitorino
Membership– 175 member states and 8 observer states
Established in 1951
India Hands Over maritime surveillance Dornier aircraft to Sri Lanka

On August 16, 2023, India presented the Indian Navy’s Dornier 228 maritime surveillance aircraft to the Sri
Lanka Air Force(SALF) at the event in Katunayake SLAF Base, Colombo, SriLanka.
• On the occasion of India’s 77th Independence day celebration,the high commissioner of India, Gopal
Baglay ceremonially handed over the aircraft to Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka, the Chief of Staff and Senior
Adviser to the President on National Security.
• This marks the second Dornier aircraft.This signifies the replacement of the first Dornier aircraft,
which was deployed in 2022.First one was served for a year and returned to India for maintenance.
i.In 2018, Sri Lanka Requested for India for 2 Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft to enhance the maritime
surveillance capabilities of Sri Lanka.
ii.Following the request, India decided to provide a Donier-228, which was a part of the Indian Navy’s fleet, to
Sri Lanka free of cost for a span of 2 years.
• In August 2022, India handed over the first Dornier 228 maritime surveillance aircraft of the SALF.
About Dornier 228:
i.The 19-seater Dornier 228 aircraft is a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft.
ii.Dornier 228 was designed and manufactured for the first time by Dornier GmbH (a German aircraft
manufacturer).
• Following the transfer of technology from the German corporation, HAL began manufacturing at its
transport aircraft division in Kanpur after obtaining a product licence.
iii.Features:The Dornier aircraft equipped with advanced sensor to tackle common security challenges in the
region such as Drug & Human Trafficking, Smuggling and Search & Rescue.
• It also empowers Sri Lanka to safeguard its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from maritime threats.
About Sri Lanka:
President – Ranil Wickremesinghe
Capital – Colombo (executive and judicial capital); Sri Jayawardenepura kotte (legislative capital)
Currency – Sri Lankan Rupee
UNDP Creates National Carbon Registry to Assist Nations in Achieving Climate Targets
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) developed an open-source software called ‘National
Carbon Registry’.This software enables countries to effectively manage national data and processes for trading
carbon credits.
• The software has recently been accredited as a digital public good (DPG).As a DPG,the registry utilizes
open-source programming, allowing countries to reproduce and change the information to their own
requirements and contexts.
About National Carbon Registry:
i.The registry follows national and international best practices based on inputs from countries and is a result of
ongoing work by the Digital4Climate (D4C) Working Group.
• D4C includes UNDP, the World Bank, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) among others.
ii.It is designed to be an interoperable digital system that can be combined with national measurement,
reporting, and verification (MRV) systems as well as international digital systems such as UNDP’s voluntary
cooperation platform and the World Bank’s global platform Climate Action Data Trust (CAD Trust).
• As a result of this programme, there will be a greater collection of digital public infrastructure to address
climate challenges.

iii.The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Government of Japan contributed to
the development of the National Carbon Registry.
Carbon Credit:
i.A carbon credit is the amount of money linked to the reduction, elimination, or avoidance of greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, equivalent to one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases.
ii.Carbon finance will be key for the implementation of the NDCs, and the Paris Agreement enables the use of
such market mechanisms through Article 6.
Carbon Markets:
Carbon markets are trading platforms where carbon credits are bought and sold. Carbon markets allow
companies and individuals to compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions by buying carbon credits from
entities that remove or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):

Administrator – Achim Steiner
Head Quarters – New York, United States of America (USA)
Established – 1965, began its operations on 1966
VISITS
INDIAN VISITS
Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Pune, Maharashtra
Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi visited Pune, Maharashtra on 1st August 2023. He flagged off the Pune
metro trains and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects.
• He was also conferred with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023.
PM Modi conferred with Lokmanya Tilak National Award
i.PM Narendra Modi was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 by the Tilak Smarak Mandir
Trust, which comes with a memento and citation, in appreciation for his exceptional leadership and his work
promoting patriotism among citizens.
• It comes up with a memento, citation and cash reward of Rs 1 lakh.
• He decided to donate the award money of Rs 1 lakh to the National Mission for Clean Ganga.
ii.The award was constituted by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983 to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak
on August 1 every year, to mark the death anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
iii.The award is conferred upon those who have worked towards the development and upliftment of the nation
and who have left a significant impact on the progress of the country.
iv.He was the 41st recipient of this award. The former recipients of the award include eminent personalities
like Pranab Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, NR Narayana Murthy, and E
Sreedharan, among others.
Note:
In 2022, Tessy Thomas, popularly known as India’s missile woman was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National
Award.
About Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
i.Bal Gangadhar Tilak born on 23th July 1856 in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra and died on 1st August 1920.
ii.He has earned titles include ‘Lokmanya Tilak’(Beloved Leader of the People), ‘The father of Indian unrest’,
‘The Maker of Modern India’.
iii.Tilak’s famous slogan was ‘Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it’.
iv.He founded the Indian Home Rule League in 1914 and participated in various indian freedom movements.
v.His notable books include ‘Gita Rahasya’ and the ‘Arctic home of the Vedas’.

Inauguration of metro lines:
i.PM Modi flagged off metro trains which marks the inauguration of services on completed sections of the two
corridors of Pune Metro Phase I.
• These sections running from Phugewadi station to Civil Court station, and from Garware College
station to Ruby Hall Clinic station.
ii.The Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan and Deccan Gymkhana metro stations have a distinct design that resembles
the headgear worn by warriors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, commonly known as “Mavala Pagadi.”
• The Shivaji Nagar underground Metro station has an unique design that looks inspired of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s forts.
• The Civil Court metro station on route is one of the deepest metro stations in India. The deepest
point is at 33.1 meter(m).
Note: Since April 2023, Kolkata Metro network’s Howrah station, 33 meters below the surface, held the record
as “the deepest station was in India”.
Waste to Energy Plant:
He dedicated the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) Waste to Energy Plant. It was developed
at a cost of approximately Rs 300 crores and will consume approximately 2.5 lakh Metric Tonnes(MT) of trash
yearly to generate power.
Houses under PMAY:
i.He handed over more than 1,280 houses constructed by PCMC under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY).
ii.He also handed over more than 2,650 PMAY houses constructed by Pune Municipal Corporation.
iii.He laid the foundation stone of around 1,190 PMAY houses to be constructed by PCMC and over 6,400
houses constructed by Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
Recent relates news:
On February 12, 2023, PM Narendra Modi visited Rajasthan and inaugurated the 246-kilometer (km) Delhi-
Dausa-Lalsot stretch of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.This Delhi-Mumbai Expressway would be India’s longest
Expressway spanning 1,386 km.
About Maharashtra:
Chief Minister – Eknath Sambhaji Shinde
Governor – Ramesh Bais
Dances – Dangari Gaja, Povadas Dance,Lavani Dance
Home Minister Amit Shah’s 2 day visit to Gujarat; Inaugurates projects worth Rs 1052 cr
Amit Shah, Union Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Cooperation (MHA), during his 2 days visit
to Gujarat on 12th and 13th of August 2023, inaugurated various development works worth Rs.1052 crore in
the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Gujarat.
• The development works were jointly done by the
Government of India (GoI) and the Government of Gujarat.
Development works:
• Began the renovation work of Revabai General Hospital.
• Laid the foundation stone for the new six-floor building of
Seth N.N. Patel Public College of Gujarat and began the
works for rebuilding of the entire hospital.
• Laid the foundation stone for the widening of 4 lane road
from Randheja to Balwa in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Key People:
Many dignitaries including Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat also participated in the event.

Highlights:
i.The Union Minister Amit Shah urged the hospitals to upgrade and register under the Ayushman Bharat –
Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY), to benefit the poor by giving them treatment without any
expenses.
ii.He distributed toys to the kids, under the Gujarat Institute of Housing and Estate Developers –
CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India) (GIHED CREDAI), the real estate and
infrastructure sector of Gujarat, in 150 Anganwadis of Gandhinagar.
• He also took part in the tree plantation drive organized by GIHED-CREDAI in 450 societies.
iii.He inaugurated and dedicated the newly constructed garden by Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority
(GUDA) to the public, which provides all facilities for children as well as elderly people.
iv.He also inaugurated the Sub Registrar office in Mansa, built at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
Amit Shah laid Foundation Stone of IFFCO Nano DAP (Liquid) Plant at Gandhidham, Gujarat
On 12th August 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah, laid the foundation stone of Indian Farmers Fertilizer
Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)’s Nano DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate) (Liquid), Plant in Gandhidham, Gujarat.
• The new plant has the potential to produce more than the existing IFFCO plants’, which produce 3
million tonnes of DAP, and the liquid fertilizer is going to give multi-dimensional benefits to India’s
economy and agriculture sector.
Key People:
Several dignitaries including Dileep Sanghani, Chairman, IFFCO, were also present.
Nano DAP (Liquid):
i.Nano DAP (Liquid), developed by IFFCO, is a nanotechnology-based agri-input, which provides nitrogen and
phosphorous to plants.
ii.IFFCO Nano DAP(liquid), launched in April 2023, is the world’s 1st liquid Nano DAP.
iii.It has the unique characteristic of remaining on the crop surface, thereby preserving the land, which not only
ensures the crop’s access to DAP’s advantages but also safeguards the environment.
About the upcoming Plant in Gandhidham:
i.The forthcoming plant in Gandhidham is entirely funded by IFFCO’s equity, representing the equity of 4 crore
farmers.
• IFFCO’s money goes back to the farmer through the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) and
the rest through cooperative societies.
ii.From this plant 2 lakh nano urea bottles of 500 ml each would be sent across the country and the world,
which would reduce the import of 60 million bags of urea.
iii.It would also save fertilizer subsidy of about Rs.10,000 crore, which would come back to the farmers, it will
also save foreign exchange of about Rs. 3,500 crore.
iv.This plant has a significant environmental benefit due to the zero liquid discharge, which will protect the
environment and reduce the cost of fertilizers.
3 Multi-state Cooperative Societies:
The Union Minister elaborated on the Ministry of Cooperation’s formation of three multi-state cooperative
societies to realize GoI’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samridhi”(Prosperity through Cooperation):
• The first society will enhance seed quality, yield, and preservation;
• The second society will aid in purchasing and exporting agricultural products;
• The third Multi-State Cooperative Society has been formed for exports.
Note: This multi-state cooperative society will become an export platform to take the products of even the
smallest farmer to the world market and the profit from this will not remain with the society but will go
directly to the bank account of the farmers.
Key Highlights:
i.He also introduced a storage scheme for food grains under PACS, which promises cost-saving benefits in the
transportation and storage of food grains.

ii.This initiative aligns with the GoI’s mission to establish 3 lakhs new PACS over the next 5 years,
strengthening agricultural finance and produce distribution.
Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of Regional Hub of NSG
On 13th August 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah on his 2-day visit to Gujarat, laid the foundation stone of
the Regional Hub of National Security Guard (NSG) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• He also unveiled a memorial plaque under the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi’s
“MeriMatiMeraDesh” campaign, to pay respect to the persons who laid down their lives for the
motherland.
Key People:
Several dignitaries including MA Ganapathy, Director General, NSG were also present.
Points to note:
i.NSG has 4 regional centers in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Hyderabad (Telangana), and
Kolkata (West Bengal) and with this foundation in Gujarat, it will become 5.
ii.NSG is a Federal Contingency World Class Zero Error Force to deal with terrorism effectively. It is a force
specially equipped and trained to deal with the specific situation and is therefore, to be used only in exceptional
circumstances to thwart serious acts of terrorism.
iii.Since its inception on 22nd September 1986, the NSG has carried out more than 100 special operations by
eliminating hundreds of terrorists and saving the public.
• GoI has sanctioned Rs.400 crore for the regional center which will be built on 60 acres of land in
Lekawada (Gujarat) and this center will be completed in 30 months.
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav:
i.It is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the
glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements, which is concluded on 15th August 2023 and the
Amrit Kaal of Independence is beginning from 15 August 2023 to 15 August 2047.
ii.In 2023 Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the PM instilled a sense of respect and tribute towards the freedom
fighters who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives in the country’s freedom struggle from 1857 to 1947.
• The current government has made India the fifth-largest economy in the world and aims to make it
the third-largest before 2027.
Key Highlights:
i.3 ponds namely, Malav, Malan, and Chandranu will be developed and arrangements have also been made to
fill all the 9 ponds around Mansa with rainwater.
ii.A four-lane road from Mansa to Gandhinagar will also be built and after the completion of this road, people
would be able to reach Gandhinagar in 15 minutes and Ahmedabad in 30 minutes.
On July 17-18, 2023, the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) 2023 meeting under
the Indian Presidency was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It was jointly chaired by Union Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance, and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das.
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister– Bhupendrabhai Patel
Governor– Acharya Devvrat
Airport– Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and Dholera International Airport
President Droupadi Murmu visit WB; Inaugurated INS Vindhyagiri & ‘My Bengal, Addiction-
Free Bengal’ campaign
On 17th August 2023, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, visited West Bengal(WB). This mark’s her 2nd
visit to West Bengal as President of India.
• During her 1-day visit to Kolkata, WB, she launched the ‘My Bengal, Addiction Free Bengal’
Campaign and INS (Indian Naval Ship) ‘Vindhyagiri‘(Y – 3024), a Project 17A Frigate (Shivalik
Class).

Note: Previously, she visited the state in March 2023, her maiden visit to WB as President.
Launch of Advanced Naval stealth frigate ‘Vindhyagiri‘ in Kolkata
President Droupadi Murmu launched the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vindhyagiri, the sixth ship of project 17A of
Indian Navy (IN) at Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineers (GRSE) Limited facility on the banks of Hooghly river
in Kolkata, WB.
• This marks a step forward in enhancing India’s maritime capabilities.
About INS Vindhyagiri:
Named after the mountain range in Karnataka, it is the sixth of seven ships being built under Project 17A
(Alpha) Frigates. These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved
stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
Therefore, INS Vindhyagiri is a technologically advanced version of its predecessor, the erstwhile INS
Vindhyagiri, the Leander Class ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) Frigate. The old Vindhyagiri served nearly 31
years of service from July 8, 1981 to June 11, 2012.
What is Project 17A program?
Under the Project 17A program, four ships by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three ships
by GRSE are under construction for IN. The first five ships of the project were launched by MDL & GRSE
between 2019 and 2022.
• The P17A ships, classified as guided missile frigates, have been designed in-house by IN’s Warship
Design Bureau, an organisation for all warship design activities.
• INS Vindhyagiri is also the third and last stealth frigate that GRSE was contracted to build for the
Navy under the project.
Key Points:
i.Indigenous firms, including Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), account for 75% of the orders
placed for equipment and systems of P17A ships.
ii.P17A ships have a length of 149 meters, a displacement around 6,670 tonnes, and a speed of 28 knots. These
vessels have the capability to counter threats across all three dimensions of air, surface and sub-surface.
Launch of ‘My Bengal, Addiction-Free Bengal’ campaign in Kolkata
The President launched ‘My Bengal, Addiction Free Bengal’ Campaign under the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan‘,
organized by Brahma Kumaris at Raj Bhavan, Kolkata.
• It aims to address the drug abuse issue in society and India.
• It will raise awareness and promote efforts to combat addiction, especially among the youth.
i.On 8th June 2023, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation(WBIDC), Amazon Global Selling and
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry(FICCI) have jointly organised an e-Export Haat at Silpa
Sadan, Kolkata, WB to help small businesses and entrepreneurs from WB expand their businesses globally
through e-commerce exports.
ii.On June 9th, 2023, The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 148 million loan to
support WB, India, in improving irrigation practices in rural areas. The loan will help the region
harness (utilize) the surface and groundwater resources more effectively for agricultural purposes.
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineers (GRSE) Limited:
Chairman & Managing Director– Cmde PR Hari
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Defence
Philippine Coast Guard’s official visit to India: 20-24 August 2023

A 5 member delegation of the Philippine Coast Guard(PCG) led by Admiral Artemio Manalo
Abu, Commandant of PCG was on an official tour to India from 20th to 24th August 2023.

PCG delegation visits Goa:
On 21st August 2023, the delegates visited Goa and witnessed the operation capabilities of the Indian Coastal
Guard (ICG) Ships and aircraft under “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
• They toured several ICG facilities including the frontline offshore patrol vessel- Indian Coast Guard
Ship(ICGS) Sujeet.
• The aerospace industry capabilities were also showcased along with a customer demonstration flight
(CDF) on the Indian Coast Guard Advance Light Helicopter MK-III (ALH MK 3 helicopter) by Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• They also visited the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), one of the leading shipbuilding companies in India.
ICG & PCG held 1st bilateral meet & signed MoU on enhanced maritime cooperation
ICG and PCG held their first-ever bilateral meeting on a range of maritime issues in Goa. This meeting
signifies the dedication to strengthening professional bonds by sharing best practices, conducting joint
exercises and enhancing training collaborations.
MoU on maritime cooperation:
On 22nd August 2023, The Indian Coastal Guard (ICG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the
PCG on enhanced maritime cooperation.
• The MoU was signed by Rakesh Pal, Director General (DG) of the ICG and Admiral Artemio Manalo Abu,
Commandant of PCG at the Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi, Delhi.
Features of the MoU:
• The MoU aims to enhance the professional linkage between ICG and PCG in the domain of Maritime Law
Enforcement (MLE), Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) and Marine Pollution Response (MPR).
• This MoU will enhance the bilateral maritime cooperation between India and the Philippines to ensure
safe, secure and clean seas in the region.
CNS India & Commandant of PCG signed an SOP for White Shipping Information Exchange
On 23rd August 2023, Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff(CNS), Indian Navy, and
Admiral Artemio Manalo Abu, Commandant of PCG signed the Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) for the
exchange of White Shipping Information between the Indian Navy and PCG, in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The MoU was signed as a part of the visit of the PCG Commandant to India.
Key Points:
The MoU would enable the operationalisation of information exchange on merchant shipping traffic and will
also contribute to enhanced maritime safety and security in the region.
On June 19, 2023, the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of India and the
Department of Finance (DOF), Government of Philippines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on
Financial Technology (fintech) cooperation.
About the Philippines:
The Philippines is officially known as the Republic of the Philippines.
President– Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Capital– Manila
Currency– Philippine peso
FOREIGN VISITS
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi visit to SA for 15th BRICS Summit; BRICS officially expands
from 5 to 11 members
The Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi visited Johannesburg, South Africa (SA) from August 22-24,
2023 to attend the 3 day annual 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit 2023 at the
invitation of Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of SA.
• It should be noted that, the SA President Cyril Ramaphosa is the Chair of 15th BRICS Summit.

The BRICS Story:
i.On August 22, 2023, the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’
Dialogue was held in Johannesburg, SA where leaders were
briefed on the deliberations of the BRICS Business Forum.
• Here Indian side highlighted the it’s various reforms to
improve the ease of doing business, including
technology-based solutions to address the social and
economic challenges.
ii.The Indian PM also participated in the BRICS Leaders Retreat at
the Summer Place in Johannesburg on August 22, 2023 which was
held in a closed format.
• Here leaders discussed global developments and ways to utilize BRICS platform to find solutions to
global challenges.
iii.15th BRICS Summit 2023:
On August 23, 2023, PM Narendra Modi attended the 15th BRICS Summit held under SA’s chairship, in Sandton
in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
The theme of 15th BRICS summit was ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth,
Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism’.
• This was the first in-person BRICS Summit since 2019.
• The event reviewed the ongoing initiatives and the identification of future prospects.
• The leaders engaged in fruitful discussions covering global economic recovery, collaborations with
Africa and the Global South, and an assessment of BRICS agenda progress to date.
About Theme:
This theme highlights SA’s five priorities for 2023:
i.Partnering for a fair climate transition and risk management.
ii.Innovating education for future skills.
iii.Utilizing the African Continental Free Trade Area.
iv.Enhancing post-pandemic recovery and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
v.Empowering women in peace processes and global governance reform.
Participants:
India– PM Narendra Modi
Brazil- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Russia– Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; President Vladimir Putin participated virtually
China– President Xi Jinping
SA– President- Cyril Ramaphosa (Host)
Invitations were also extended to 67 leaders across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean
Note:
By mutual agreement, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, did not attended the Summit.
• In March 2023, The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for
alleged war crimes. South Africa, would be required to arrest Putin if he attended the summit.
Highlights by Indian Side:
i.The Indian side called for a strengthened BRICS that will be:
• B – Breaking barriers
• R – Revitalising economies
• I – Inspiring Innovation
• C – Creating opportunities
• S – Shaping the future
ii.The Indian PM emphasized the following points:
• Emphasized the need for clear timelines for UNSC (United Nations Security Council) reforms.

• Advocated the reform of Multilateral Financial Institutions.
• Urged for the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Encouraged BRICS to find consensus on its expansion.
• Stressed the importance of conveying global unity rather than polarization.
• Suggested the formation of a BRICS Space Exploration Consortium.
• Extended the offer of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (Indian stack) to BRICS nations.
• Put forward the idea of collaborative skill mapping, skilling, and mobility promotion within BRICS
countries.
• Proposed collective efforts by BRICS countries to protect Big Cats through the International Big Cat
Alliance.
• Recommended the establishment of a repository for traditional medicine within BRICS nations.
• Called on BRICS partners to back the African Union(AU)’s permanent membership in the G20 (Group
of Twenty).
NDB & TCTA signed Loan Agreement for Lesotho Highlands Water Project
During the summit, a loan agreement was inked between the New Development Bank(NDB), formerly the
BRICS Development Bank, and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for the implementation of phase
II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), the largest bi-national infrastructure project
between Lesotho and South Africa
• As per it, NDB will provide a project loan of 3.2 billion South African Rand (USD 173 million) to
TCTA under the sovereign guarantee of SA.
About Project:
The LHWP is a multi-phased project to provide water to the Gauteng region of SA from Lesotho’s Orange River,
facilitating electricity generation through dam construction; and to generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho. The
Project will be co-financed by NDB, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other financiers. This is the first
project financed by NDB outside of BRICS countries.
• The project will also benefit North-West, Mpumalanga, and Free State provinces, by enhancing
water supply.
Signatories:
It was signed by Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NDB and Percy Sechemane,
Chief Executive Officer of TCTA.
About Agreement:
TCTA will use the funds to construct the Polihali Dam and reservoir, a 38-kilometre-long water transfer tunnel,
roads and bridges, telecommunications infrastructure, and will extend electricity and other development
infrastructure to Lesotho.
Key Points:
i.Lesotho, is a small landlocked country bordered on all sides by SA, aims to foster sustainable livelihoods and
economic growth for Gauteng province, a major urban center and contributor to South Africa’s GDP.
ii.TCTA, a South African state-owned entity, manages bulk water infrastructure projects.
iii.NDB, formed by BRICS nations and South Africa, mobilizes resources for sustainable development.
• NDB expanded in 2021, welcoming Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and
Uruguay.
BRICS officially expands from 5 to 11 members
SA President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the expansion of BRICS with the inclusion of 6 new members’
viz. Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) as its full time
members.
• The membership will come into force from January 1, 2024.
About BRICS:
The grouping was formed in September 2006 and it originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC).
It was renamed as BRICS after South Africa was accepted as a full member in September 2010.

• At present, the BRICS represents 41% of the global population, 24% of the global GDP and 16% of
the global trade.
• Now, the 11 countries have a combined population of 3.7 billion.
BRICS supports use of national currencies in international, bilateral trade
BRICS members agreed to stand for the use of national currencies in international trade, as well as financial
settlements within the association. This decision will strengthen supply chains and payment systems between
its members.
BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue
The Indian PM participate in a special event ‘BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue’ which was
organized after the BRICS Summit. Te meeting saw participation from the guest countries of Africa, Asia and
Latin America, along with the leaders of the BRICS countries.
Highlights from Indian Side:
i.Stressed reform of global institutions for representation and relevance.
ii.Urged cooperation in counter-terrorism, climate action, cybersecurity, food & health security and resilient
supply chains.
iii.Invited participation in international initiatives like International Solar Alliance One Sun One World One
Grid, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, One Earth One Health, Big Cat Alliance and Global Centre
for Traditional Medicine.
iv.Offered sharing of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure Stack.
Other meetings of PM Narendra in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit:
i.On August 23, 2023, the Indian PM had a meeting with the President of SA. The leaders discussed
advancements in bilateral relations, particularly in defense, agriculture, trade, investment, health, conservation,
and people-to-people connections.
• They also addressed ongoing collaboration in international organizations and mutual concerns.
ii.On August 24, 2023, the Indian PM also had a meeting with Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, PM of the Republic
of Ethiopia.
• Productive discussions were held covering development partnership, trade, defense, ICT
(Information and Communication Technology), agriculture, youth skilling, and people-to-people
connections. They also discussed significant regional and global matters.
iii.The PM also met Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, on 24 August 2023 in Johannesburg
where they held discussions on ways to deepen their bilateral partnership across various sectors.
iv.The PM met Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran to discuss ways to
strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields including trade and investment, connectivity, energy and
counter-terrorism. Both sides agreed to fast track infrastructure cooperation, including the Chabahar project.
v.He met Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique where they held productive
discussions to further the bilateral ties, including in the areas of parliamentary contacts, defence, counter
terrorism, energy, mining, health, trade & investment, capacity building, maritime cooperation and people to
people relations.
vi.He met Dr. Himla Soodyall, noted geneticist & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Academy of Science of
SA in Johannesburg.
• They discussed human genetic lines and disease screening, and the PM invited Dr. Soodyall to
partner with Indian institutes in genetics.
vii.The PM met Siyabulela Xuza, noted rocket scientist and Founder and Managing Director (MD) of Galactic
Energy Ventures.
• The discussions covered matters related to the future of energy and finding sustainable solutions.
viii.PM Narendra Modi has a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping where both sides agreed to expedite the
border troops disengagement and de-escalation in western sector of Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control
(LAC).

• Indian side highlighted concerns at the unresolved issues along the LAC in western sector of the
India -China border.
PM gifted pair of ‘surahi‘ to President Cyril Ramaphosa
The Indian PM gifted a pair of ‘surahi‘ from Telangana to SA President Cyril Ramaphosa, and a Nagaland
shawl to his wife and first lady of SA. The ‘bidri vase’ is a purely Indian innovation exclusive to Bidar, a
Karnataka city. It is cast with an alloy of zinc, copper and other non-ferrous metals.
• On the other hand, Naga shawls are an exquisite form of textile art that has been woven for centuries
by the tribes in Nagaland in the northeastern part of India.
• These shawls are known for their vibrant colours, intricate designs, and the use of traditional
weaving techniques. Each Naga shawl tells a unique story, reflecting the tribe’s history, beliefs and
way of life.
• He also gifted also carried silver ‘nakkashi‘, whose patterns are first drawn on paper and then
transferred on silver sheets.
The PM gifted a Gond painting from Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
i.President of India, Droupadi Murmu, paid a visit to Suriname and Serbia from 4th to 9th June 2023. She visited
Paramaribo, Suriname at the invitation of Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname and
Serbia at the invitation of Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia.
ii.PM Narendra Modi made a 5-day visit to the United States of America from 20th to 24th June 2023, at the
invitation of President of USA Joseph Robinette Biden Jr (Joe Biden) and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. So far, PM
Modi has visited the USA 6 times(2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2021) in his capacity as the PM of India.
However, the June 2023 visit marks his first ever ‘state visit’ to the USA, which, as per diplomatic protocol, is
the highest-ranked visit.
About South Africa:
President– Cyril Ramaphosa
Currency– South African Rand
Capital– Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial)
Overview of PM Modi Visit to Greece: Modi Honoured with Grecee’s Grand Cross of the Order of
Honour
Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi embarked on a one-day visit to Greece on 25th August 2023 at the
invitation of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister (PM) of Greece.PM
Modi’s visit to Greece marks the first visit of an Indian Prime
Minister to Greece in 40 years.
Note: Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit
Greece. She travelled to Greece in September 1983.
Overview:
i.Modi arrived at Athens, the Capital of Greece, on 25th August 2023
and he was received by Greek foreign minister George Gerapetritis.
ii.He paid tributes at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier’, a war
memorial dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during various wars, in Athens, Greece.
iii.PM Modi and Katerina Sakellaroupoulou, President of Greece discussed various issues including ways to
strengthen the India-Greece friendship and to increase sustainable development.
The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour:
Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece honoured PM Narendra Modi with The Grand Cross of the
Order of Honour. He became the first Indian PM to receive the honours.
• He is also the 1st foreign head of government to be awarded the honour since 2017.
• The Order of Honour, established in 1975, is the second-highest civilian honour in Greece.

• The citation of the honour says “In the person of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an honour is
bestowed upon the friendly people of India.”
About the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour:
i.The front side of the Star features the head of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft,
with the inscription “ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS SHOULD BE HONOURED”.
ii.The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour is conferred by the President of Greece to PMs and eminent
personalities who by reason of their distinguished position, have contributed to enhancing the stature of
Greece.
Target to Double Bilateral Trade between India and Greece by 2030:
During his visit to Greece, PM Modi highlighted India and Greece’s plan to double the bilateral trade between
India and Greece by 2030 and announced an agreement in the field of agricultural production.
• The bilateral trade stood at nearly USD 2 billion in 2022-23.
Points to be noted:
i.India’s top exports to Greece include aluminium, organic chemicals, fish and crustaceans and iron and steel
while major exports of Greece to India include minerals fuels, mineral oils and products, sulphur and
aluminium foil.
ii.Both India and Greece have also signed a migration and mobility agreement to improve the flow of people
and talent between the two countries.
India & Greece Bilateral ties to “Strategic Partnership:
India and Greece have decided to strengthen their bilateral relations into a strategic partnership for the benefit
of the people of India and Greece.
• PM Modi met with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, PM of Greece and discussed various dimensions of the
bilateral partnership, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology,
infrastructure, digital payments, shipping, pharma, agriculture, migration and mobility, tourism, skill
development, culture, education and people to people ties.
• Both Prime Ministers highlighted the significance of broadening and strengthening bilateral
relations in key sectors like cyberspace and agriculture.
• They acknowledged the signing of an MOU on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture, which involves
the creation of a Hellenic-Indian Joint Sub-committee on Agriculture. This sub-committee aims
to facilitate sectoral collaboration for the mutual benefit of both parties.
PM Modi’s special gifts for Greek leaders:
i.PM Modi presented the offered Meghalaya shawls and Dokra art, crafted by artisans from Chattisgarh, to
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
• Meghalaya shawls were initially woven for the Khasi and Jaintia royalty, who considered them a
symbol of their power and status.
• Dhokra is one of India’s prehistoric art forms. The dancing girl found in Mohenjo-Daro and
Harappan excavations was one of the earliest expressions of the artefact.
ii.PM Modi presented the Bidri surahi (Bidri work Vase) Pair to the President of Greece, Katerina N
Sakellaropoulou.
• Bidri vase is an Indian innovation of a 500-year-old Persian exclusive to Karnataka’s Bidar.
• It is cast with an alloy of Zink, Copper and other non-ferrous metals.
About Greece:
Prime Minister– Kyriakos Mitsotakis
President– Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou.
Capital– Athens
Currency– Euro

BANKING & FINANCE NEWS
BANKING NEWS
RBI IN NEWS
Highlights of RBI’s 3rd Bi-monthly Monetary Policy of FY24; India’s real GDP to grow at 6.5% in
FY24
The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on August 8-10, 2023, and released
the ‘Monetary Policy Statement, 2023-24 Resolution of the MPC‘ which kept India’s real Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth retained at 6.5% in FY24 (2023-24) with FY24’s Q1 at 8%, Q2 at 6.5%, Q3 at 6%, and
Q4 at 5.7%. This is attributed to the growth in rural and urban areas, a rise in investment activity, and the
government’s intention to increase capital expenditure.
• This marks the 3rd MPC meeting in FY24, following the bi-
monthly policy reviews held in April 2023 and June 2023.
• Real GDP growth for Q1FY25 (April-June, 2024-25) is
projected at 6.6%.
• The focus of the MPC’s 3rd FY24 meeting is to prioritize
withdrawal of accommodation to guide inflation towards
the target gradually, while simultaneously supporting
growth.
RBI’s Policy Rates:
The MPC kept the policy rates unchanged in August 2023.
Category Rate
Policy Repo Rate 6.50%
Fixed Reverse Repo

3.35%
Rate
Standing Deposit
6.25%
Facility (SDF) Rate
Marginal Standing
6.75%
Facility (MSF) Rate
Bank Rate 6.75%
Cash Reserve
4.50%
Ratio (CRR)
Statutory Liquidity
18%
Ratio (SLR)
Inflation:
i.Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation or retail inflation is projected at 5.4% for FY24 from the 5.1% forecast
in June 2023.The projections for specific quarters of FY24 are Q2 at 6.2%, Q3 at 5.7%, and Q4 at 5.2%.
• This forecast is on the assumption of normal monsoon.
ii.CPI inflation for Q1FY25 is projected at 5.2%.

iii.RBI set an objective of achieving the medium-term target for CPI inflation of 4% within a band of +/-
2%, while supporting growth.
iv.CPI headline inflation increased to 4.8% in June 2023 from 4.3% in May 2023 amid higher prices of
vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, cereals, pulses and spices.
v.Core CPI (i.e., CPI excluding food and fuel) was steady in June 2023.
vi.Fuel inflation softened during May-June 2023, primarily reflecting the fall in kerosene prices.
Domestic Economy:
i.As on August 4, 2023, the total area sown under kharif crops was 0.4% higher than in August 2022.
ii.The index of industrial production (IIP) expanded by 5.2% in May 2023 while core industries output rose by
8.2% in June 2023.
iii.The composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to a 13-year high in July 2023.
iv.The daily absorption of liquidity under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) averaged Rs 1.8 lakh crore
during June-July 2023 as compared with Rs 1.7 lakh crore in April-May 2023.
v.Money supply (M3) expanded by 10.6% y-o-y as on July 28, 2023 as against 10.1% on May 19, 2023.
vi.Bank credit grew by 14.7% y-o-y as on July 28, 2023 as compared with 15.4% on May 19, 2023.
vii.India’s foreign exchange reserves stood at US$ 601.5 billion as on August 4, 2023.
Cement production and steel consumption recorded robust growth.
Global Economy:
In mid-July 2023, the US dollar dropped to a 15-month low due to predictions of an early end to the monetary
tightening cycle. While it partially recovered afterwards, certain emerging market economies face growth risks
due to factors like low external demand, high debt, and limited external funding. The worldwide economy is
slowing down, with growth differing across regions.
• India is contributing approx 15% to global growth.
Banks to maintain 10% incremental CRR from August 12, 2023
RBI mandates banks to hold an Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (ICRR) of 10% on increase in deposits
between May 19 and July 28, 2023 with effect from the fortnight starting Aug. 12, 2023.
• This measure intends to absorb liquidity added to the banking system due to a return of 2000-rupee
denomination notes. Rs 3.14 lakh crore worth of Rs 2,000 banknotes, or 88% in circulation, had
returned to the banking system by July 31, 2023.
• ICRR is a temporary measure to overcome a sudden increase in deposits by draining off the liquidity.
RBI; raises payment limit via UPI lite to Rs 500 from Rs 200
In order to encourage wider adoption of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) Lite, RBI has increased the
transaction limit to Rs 500 from Rs 200. This will eliminate the need for multiple transactions for users.
• However, overall limit is retained at Rs 2000 to contain the risks associated with relaxation of two-
factor authentication.
• UPI Lite is an ‘on-device wallet’ feature that will allow users to make real-time small-value payments
without using a UPI PIN. It was launched in September 2022.
Objective:
To harnesse the new technologies for enhancing digital payments experience for users
Background:
The RBI has set a cap of Rs 200 per transaction and a total limit of Rs 2000 for each payment method for small-
value offline digital payments, such as National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and UPI Lite. This eliminates
the requirement for two-factor authentication in these cases, making them faster, reliable, and contactless
options for routine small payments and transit fares. However, there have been requests for these limits to be
increased. Therefore, the above change has been made.
RBI allows offline payment of UPI by using Near-Field Communication
RBI proposed to introduce Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to facilitate offline payments. This
move aims to support digital payments when internet connectivity is weak or not available, ensuring swift
transactions with fewer declines.

Conversational payments in UPI
RBI plans to introduce ‘conversational payments’ on UPI, allowing users to securely initiate and finalize
transactions through AI-powered conversations. This feature will be accessible on both smartphone and
feature phone UPI platforms, aiding the expansion of digital adoption across India. Initially in Hindi and English,
it will later be available in additional Indian languages.
Development of Digital Public Tech Platform
Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) is developing a digital Public Tech Platform to facilitate easy lending by
providing necessary digital data to lenders. It will have an open architecture, allowing financial players to
connect seamlessly using open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in a ‘plug and play’ model.
• This initiative will be introduced gradually as a pilot project, focusing on information access and use
cases. Its aim is to enhance lending efficiency by cutting costs, expediting disbursements, and
enabling scalability.
RBI proposes framework for allowing borrowers to switch to fixed interest rate regime
RBI unveils framework allowing borrowers to switch to fixed interest rate from floating interest rate, providing
relief to home, auto loan borrowers.
• The framework envisages that lenders should clearly communicate with the borrowers for
resetting the tenor and/or Equated Monthly Instalments (EMI) , provide options of switching to
fixed rate loans or foreclosure of loans, transparent disclosure of various charges incidental to the
exercise of these options, and proper communication of key information to the borrowers.
Review of NBFC Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF-NBFC)
In pursuit of bolstering Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) for a larger role in infrastructure financing and
aligning regulations for different types of NBFCs, a review for IDFs has been conducted in collaboration with
the government by RBI.
• The updated framework eliminates the need for a sponsor for IDFs, allows them to directly
finance Toll Operate Transfer projects (ToT), grants access to External Commercial
Borrowings (ECBs), and makes tripartite agreements optional for Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
projects.
• The IDF was created as a separate category of NBFCs in 2011.
Members of MPC:
Dr. Shashanka Bhide; Dr. Ashima Goyal; Prof. Jayanth R. Varma; Dr. Rajiv Ranjan; Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra;
and headed by Shaktikanta Das (RBI Governor).
• The minutes of the MPC’s meeting will be published on August 24, 2023.
• The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled during October 4-6, 2023.
i.As per the article State of the Economy authored by RBI Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra and other
RBI officials, inflation is slowing down personal consumption expenditure. On the other hand, it is moderating
corporate sales and holding back private investment in capacity creation.
ii.On 20th June 2023, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of
Swaminathan Janakiraman, Managing Director (MD) (Corporate Banking and Subsidiaries) of the State Bank of
India (SBI) to the post of Deputy Governor (DG) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He succeeded Mahesh
Kumar Jain.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Governor – Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors –Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar, and
Swaminathan Janakiraman
Establishment – 1st April 1935
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Non-Food Bank Credit grew to 16.3% in June 2023, for Aviation its 93.4% Hike: RBI Data
On July 31, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a report ‘Sectoral Deployment of Bank Credit – June
2023‘ showcasing a Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth of non-food bank credit to 16.3% in June 2023 as compared
with 15% in June 2022.
• This rise is due to the strong demand for credit from sectors such as services, retail and agriculture,
and allied activities.
• On the other hand, the food bank credit shows a decline of -25.4% in June 2023 as compared to a
decline of -55% in June 2022.
• The Total Bank Credit (Food Credit + Non-food Credit) grew at 16.2% in June 2023 from 14.5% in
June 2022.
Basis of Assessment:
Data on sectoral deployment of bank credit for the month of June 2023 collected from 40 select Scheduled
Commercial Banks (SCBs), accounting for about 93% of the total non-food credit deployed by all SCBs
Highlights:
The following highlight shows the non-food bank credit in different sectors in June 2023 as compared to June
2022:
i.The credit growth in the agriculture and allied activities sector showed significant improvement, increasing to
19.7% (y-o-y) in June 2023 from 12.9% in June 2022.
ii.In June 2023, the credit growth to the industry sector registered a positive trend, growing by 8.1% (y-o-y)),
although slightly lower than the 9.5% recorded in June 2022.
• Size-wise, credit to large industry rose by 6.4% from 3.2%.
• Credit to medium industries grew by 13.2% from 47.8%
• Credit to and micro and small industries by 13% from 29.2%.
iii.The credit growth to the services sector accelerated to 26.7% y-o-y in June 2023 from 12.8% in 2022 amid
improved credit offtake to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and trade.
iv.Personal loans registered a growth of 20.9% (y-o-y) in June 2023 as compared to 18.1% in June 2022
supported by the increasing demand for housing and vehicle loans.
v.Among major industries, credit growth (y-o-y) to the ‘basic metal & metal products’ and ‘textiles’ sectors
showed acceleration in June 2023.
vi.On the other hand, credit growth to the ‘chemicals & chemical products’, ‘food processing’, and
‘infrastructure’ sectors decelerated in June 2023.
The Story of Bank Credit to Aviation:
According to the report, the gross credit deployment in the aviation sector by 40 Indian SCBs witnessed a
remarkable 93.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) surge in June 2023, reaching Rs 42,033 crore from Rs 21,733 crore in
June 2022.
• This surge represents the highest monthly credit outstanding in the aviation sector since FY22.
• This also marks a month-on-month (May versus June) increase of 32%.
Key Points:
i.Investments within the aviation sector have experienced a healthy rebound in response to increased air
traffic.
However, the rise in investments also reflects the necessity for additional funds due to the growth and
inflationary pressures in the sector.
ii.Another reason for the increase in to overcome ATF (aviation turbine fuel) prices which surged by over
100% per barrel after the Russia-Ukraine war and remain elevated, along with COVID-19 pandemic hit.
iii.The financing support through the Finance Ministry-backed ECGLS (Emergency Credit Line Guarantee
Scheme) has also contributed to the increased credit deployment in the aviation sector.
iv.The RBI considers credit deployment within the aviation sector as part of the services sector.
v.ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) has maintained
a ‘stable’ outlook for the Indian aviation industry for 2023 and expects it to remain stable in 2023-24.

vi.Domestic air traffic in June 2023 has risen 4% from pre-Covid levels, to approximately 1.25 crore
passengers,.
• Crisil also reaffirmed Air India’s rating at ‘Crisil AAA / Stable / Crisil A1+’, whereas ICRA upgraded
IndiGo’s rating to [ICRA]A+(Stable)/[ICRA]A1+.
About Bank Credit in India:
Bank credit is categorized into two main segments: food credit and non-food credit.
i.Food credit: This represents the lending provided by banks to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), primarily
to support the procurement of foodgrains. Food credit constitutes a relatively small proportion of the overall
bank credit.
ii.Non-food credit: The significant portion of bank credit falls under non-food credit, which encompasses loans
extended to various sectors of the economy, including Agriculture, Industry, and Services. It also includes
personal loans provided by banks.
i.According to the second advance estimates (SAE) of national income released by the National Statistical Office
(NSO) the Indian economy is expected to have recorded a 7.0% growth in real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in
FY23 from 9.1% in FY22.
ii.During the June 2023 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the six-member MPC left the repo rate
unchanged at 6.5% for the second time.
Deputy Governors –Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar, and
Swaminathan Janakiraman
RBI approves Amalgamation of Navanirman Co-op Urban Bank with Rajadhani Co-op Urban
Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sanctioned the Scheme of Amalgamation of The Navanirman Co-operative
Urban Bank Ltd., Hyderabad, Telangana with Rajadhani Co-op. Urban Bank Ltd., Hyderabad, Telangana. The
Scheme of Amalgamation is with effect from August 3rd, 2023.
• The Navanirman Co-operative Urban Bank Ltd branch (Hyderabad, Telangana) will function as a
branch of the Rajadhani Co-op. Urban Bank Ltd (Hyderabad, Telangana) with effect from August 03,
2023.
• The Scheme has been sanctioned in the exercise of the powers conferred under Sub-Section (4) of
Section 44A read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Key Points:
i.Banking Regulation Act, 1949 an Act that provides a framework for regulating the banks of India.
ii.The Act was originally passed as the Banking Companies Act 1949 and came into force on 16th March 1949.
iii.This Act gives RBI the power to control the banks in India. It did not apply to Jammu and Kashmir until
1956.
iv.The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on June 26, 2020. The Ordinance
seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors – J. Swaminathan, T. Rabi Sankar, M. Rajeshwar Rao, Dr. M.D. Patra
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in– 1st April 1935

Retail Inflation Hiked to 7.44% Crossing RBI’s Inflation Target
As per the All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by National Statistical Office (NSO) under the
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India’s retail inflation rate hiked to 7.44% in
July, 2023 surpassing the upper limit of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 2-6% tolerance range.The inflation
rate recorded 4.87 % in June 2023.
• This is due to a surge in prices of vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices and milk.
• This is the third instance of retail inflation crossing the threshold(after 15 months),with the
previous instances being 7% in September 2022 and 7.79% in April 2022.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased its inflation forecast for the current FY2024 to 5.4%
from the earlier estimate of 5.1%.
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI):
The Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) experienced an inflation rate of 11.51% in July 2023 against 4.55% in
June 2023 and 6.69% in July 2022.
Core inflation:
Core inflation, which pertains to the non-food and non-fuel components, decreased to a 21-month low of 5.1%
in July 2023, as estimated by ICRA Limited, formerly known as the “Investment Information and Credit Rating
Agency of India Limited.
With Respect to States:
Rajasthan registered the highest inflation rate at 9.66%, followed by Jharkhand at 9.16%, Tamil Nadu at 8.95%,
Odisha at 8.67%, and Uttarakhand at 8.58%.
Wholesale Inflation Stays In Negative for Fourth Month
In July 2023, wholesale prices continued to display deflationary trends for the fourth consecutive month. This
notable increase in food and primary article prices led to a substantial reduction in the overall price decline,
narrowing it to (-)1.36%.
The inflation rate based on the wholesale price index (WPI) has remained negative since April 2023 and was
recorded at (-)4.12% in June 2023. In comparison, the same period in 2022 saw a considerably higher rate of
14.07% in July.
RBI selects McKinsey and Accenture to use AI & ML To Improve Regulatory Supervision
Reserve Bank of India(RBI) awarded the contract worth Rs. 91 Crores to McKinsey and Company India LLP
(Limited Liable Partnership) and Accenture Solutions Private Limited India for the use of advanced
analytics, artificial intelligence(AI) and machine learning(ML) to analyse its huge database and improve
regulatory supervision over banks and Non Banking Financial Services(NBFCs).
• AI and ML technologies are used for real-time data reporting, effective data management and
dissemination.
Background:
In September 2022, Expressions of Interest (EoI) were sought by the RBI with regards to the engagement of
consultants specialising in advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
• RBI has shortlisted seven applicants for participation in the Request For Proposal (RFP). Out of
which only two firms were selected.
Department of Supervision:
• The Department of Supervision in RBI is developing and using linear and a few machine-learnt
models for supervisory examinations.
• It carries out the responsibility of overseeing all scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional
Rural Banks), Local Area Banks, Payments Banks, Small Finance Banks, Credit Information
Companies, Primary Urban Cooperative Banks, NBFCs, Asset Reconstruction Companies, Factoring
companies, and All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs).

Additional Info:
Globally, regulatory and supervisory bodies are employing machine learning methods (often
termed ‘suptech‘ and ‘regtech‘) to aid in their supervisory and regulatory tasks.
RBI Launches Pilot ‘Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit; Unveils 'UDGAM' Portal for
Unclaimed Deposits
On August 17, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) commenced its digital lending pilot project for Public
Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit which is developed by Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly
owned subsidiary of RBI.
Note: RBI announced the development of the public tech platform as a part of the Statement on Developmental
and Regulatory Policies released on August 10, 2023.
Purpose of the Public Tech Platform for frictionless credit:
The Public Tech Platform aims to streamline the credit provision process by effortlessly transmitting crucial
digital data to lenders. It features an open architecture with open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
and standards, enabling seamless connectivity for all financial sector participants in a ‘plug and play’ model.
• It enhances lending efficiency through cost reduction, quicker disbursement, and scalability.
How does the Public Tech Platform facilitate loan processing and disbursement?
Lenders usually require diverse data sets for credit approval, sourced from entities like governments, banks,
and credit bureaus. This process causes delays in rule-based lending. To address this, RBI has introduced this
public tech platform enabling lenders to easily access digital data, ensuring smoother credit facilitation and
reducing the time it takes to process loans.
The Pilot Phase:
i.During the pilot phase, the platform concentrates on products including Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans up
to Rs 1.6 lakh per borrower, Dairy Loans, unsecured MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) loans,
Personal loans, and Home loans.
ii.It integrates services like Aadhaar e-KYC (Know Your Customer), land records from onboarded State
Governments (Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra), satellite data, PAN
validation, etc.
iii.Axis Bank announced its participation, offering KCC and unsecured MSME loans through this platform, with
plans to expand based on lessons learned from the pilot.
• As a pilot, bank will offer KCC in MP and will be available to customers for upto Rs. 1.6 lakh to start
with. MSME loans will be available India and will offer loans upto Rs. 10 lakh to customers.
RBI launches centralised web portal ‘UDGAM’ for Unclaimed Deposits
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das introduced a centralized web portal
called “उद्गम UDGAM” (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to Access inforMation) to simplify the process for the
public to locate their unclaimed deposits in various banks through a single platform.
• Through this portal, users can retrieve unclaimed deposit amounts or make their deposit accounts
operative with their respective banks.
Note: This centralised web portal was announced as a part of the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory
Policies dated April 06, 2023.
Developers:
Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt Ltd (ReBIT), Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS)
and participating banks have collaborated to develop this portal.
Key Points:
i.Currently, users will access the details of their unclaimed deposits in respect of seven banks presently
available on the portal viz. State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Central Bank of India (CBI),
Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd., South Indian Bank Ltd., DBS Bank India Ltd., Citibank N.A.
ii.The search facility for remaining banks on the portal will be made available in a phased manner by October
15, 2023.

i.As per the article State of the Economy authored by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Michael
Debabrata Patra and other RBI officials, inflation is slowing down personal consumption expenditure. On the
other hand, it is moderating corporate sales and holding back private investment in capacity creation.
ii.In June 2023, RBI Governor launched a financial inclusion dashboard named ‘Antardrishti (Insight)’ whic will
provide the necessary insight to assess and track the development of financial inclusion by recording relevant
data.
The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve
Bank of India Act, 1934.
Deputy Governors– Swaminathan Janakiraman, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
Bank credit growth to MSMEs decelerates in Q1FY24: RBI issues new Guidelines for Fair
Lending Practices
According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, Bank credit growth to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) has decelerated on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis in the first three months (April-June) of the FY24 i.e.
Q1FY24.
• Banks’ cautious attitude towards risk makes them hesitant to provide loans to small units, leading to
a deceleration in bank credit growth.
Key Points:
i.Credit to medium industries grew by 13.2% in June (compared to 47.8% in June 2022).
ii.Micro and small industries experienced a 13% credit growth in June (compared to 29.2% in June 2022).
iii.Gross bank credit outstanding to medium industries at Q1FY24 end was Rs 2,63,440 crore (up from Rs
2,32,776 crore in June 2022).
iv.Credit outstanding for micro and small industries in June was Rs 6,25,625 crore (compared to Rs 5,53,675
crore in June 2022).
v.May 2023 saw credit growth of 18.9% for medium industries (compared to 42.9% in May 2022 ) and 9.5% for
micro and small industries (versus 32.7% in May 2022).
April’s loan growth for medium industries was 19.1% (compared to 53.7% last year).
vi.Growth for micro and small industries was 9.7% in April 2023 (down from 29.8% in April 2022).
The Expert Committee on MSME, constituted by RBI in December 2018, has estimated the overall credit gap in
the MSME sector to be in the range of Rs 20 to Rs 25 lakh crore.
RBI issues new guidelines for Fair Lending Practices
RBI has issued comprehensive guidelines to the Regulated Entities (REs) regarding penal charges in loan
accounts to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in the lending practices of financial institutions.
These will come into effect from January 1, 2024.
• RBI issued these instructions under sections 21, 35A and 56 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act,
1949, sections 45JA, 45L and 45M of the RBI Act, 1934, and section 30A of the National Housing
Bank (NHB) Act, 1987
Applicability of Guidelines:
These guidelines are applicable across various financial entities, including commercial banks (including Small
Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, and Regional Rural Banks), Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Non-
Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and All India Financial Institutions.
• These will not apply to Credit Cards, External Commercial Borrowings, Trade Credits and Structured
Obligations which are covered under product specific directions.
Motivation behind the Initiative:
This action is part of RBI’s ongoing commitment to ensuring fair treatment of borrowers and addressing
customer complaints regarding the imposition of penal charges.

Key Guidelines:
i.Penalties for loan contract non-compliance termed ‘penal charges‘ not ‘penal interest.’
This means that such charges should not be incorporated into the interest rate, and no additional interest
should accrue on these charges.
ii.Penalties linked to non-compliance should be fair and proportional. The charges should be clearly disclosed
in loan terms and Key Fact Statement (KFS).
iii.Financial institutions need a board-approved policy for loan penalties outlining charges rationale, criteria,
and their application across various loans.
iv.Individual borrower penalties (excluding business loans) must not exceed penalties for non-individuals in
similar non-compliance cases.
i.The RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das launched the Reserve Bank’s next generation data warehouse, viz., the
Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) during the 17th Annual Statistics Day Conference on June
30, 2023.
ii.In June 2023, RBI conducted the Rs 75,000 crore 4-day Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction to address the
expected stress on liquidity ahead of goods and service tax outflows. The RBI received bids worth Rs 75,695
crore but accepted only Rs 75,004 crore at a 6.51 percent cut-off rate.
Deputy Governors – Swaminathan Janakiraman, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
RBI releases guidelines for IDF-NBFC; ResetsFloating Interest Rate on EMI based Personal
Loans
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in consultation with the Government of India (GoI), has reviewed guidelines
for Infrastructure Debt Fund-Non-Banking Financial Companies (IDF-NBFCs) to enhance their role in
infrastructure financing and align regulations across NBFCs in this sector.
• The updated regulations for IDF-NBFCs will be effective from August 18, 2023.
What is IDF?
An IDF can be established either as a trust or a company. If structured as a trust, it is designated as an IDF-
Mutual Fund (IDF-MF) and is regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). If established as a
company, it’s labeled as an IDF-NBFC and is subject to regulation by RBI.
An IDF-NBFC means a non-deposit taking NBFC which is authorized to the following:
i.Refinance post Commencement Operations Date (COD) infrastructure projects that have completed at least
one year of satisfactory commercial operations
ii.Finance toll operate transfer (TOT) projects as the direct lender.
Revised IDF-NBFC Regulations: Key Points
i.Capital Requirements:
IDF-NBFCs must maintain a Net Owned Fund (NOF) of at least Rs 300 crore.
• Minimum Capital-to-Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 15%, with Tier 1 capital of at least 10%.
ii.Fundraising:
IDF-NBFCs can issue rupee or dollar-denominated bonds with a minimum maturity of five years.
• They can also raise funds through shorter tenor bonds and commercial papers (CPs) up to 10% of
total borrowings for better asset-liability management.
• Fundraising allowed through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) with a minimum tenor of five
years, avoiding sourcing from foreign branches of Indian banks. For ECBs, adherence needed to
RBI’s Foreign Exchange Department guidelines.

iii.Exposure Limits:
• Single borrower/party exposure limited to 30% of Tier 1 capital.
• Single group of borrowers/parties exposure limited to 50% of Tier 1 capital.
iv.Risk Weighting:
For calculating CRAR, IDF-NBFCs assets shall be risk-weighted as per risk-weights applicable to NBFC-
Investment and Credit Companies (NBFC-ICCs).
v.Sponsorship and Tripartite Agreements:
• Sponsor requirement removed; IDF-NBFC shareholders face scrutiny like other NBFCs, including
NBFC-IFCs. Under the earlier guidelines, an IDF-NBFC was required to be sponsored by a bank or an
NBFC-IFC.
• A tripartite agreement for PPP (Public Private Partnership) infrastructure investments made
optional. Under the earlier arrangement, IDF-NBFCs were required to enter into a tripartite
agreement with the concessionaire and the project authority for investments in the PPP
infrastructure projects having a project authority.
vi.Regulatory Alignment:
Income recognition, asset classification, and provisioning norms align with those applicable to NBFC-ICCs.
vii.Sponsorship of IDF-MFs by NBFCs:
All NBFCs can sponsor IDF-MFs with RBI approval. Besides SEBI’s conditions, the following apply based on
audited financials:
• Minimum NOF of Rs 300 crore and CRAR of 15%.
• Net NPAs (Non-Performing Assests) below 3% of net advances.
• Operational for at least 5 years.
Click Here for Official Guidelines
RBI Reset Floating Interest Rate on EMI based Personal Loans
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) asked all regulated entities (REs), including banks and NBFCs, to give personal
loan borrowers an option to switch over from a floating rate to a fixed rate at the time of resetting interest
rates. The RE must ensure that the new norms were extended to the existing as well as new loans by December
31, 2023.
• These rules will enhance transparency by necessitating the disclosure of principal and interest
recovered to date, remaining EMIs, EMI amounts, and the annualized rate of interest/Annual
Percentage Rate (APR) for the entire loan duration to the borrowers at the end of each quarter.
• RBI issued these instructions under sections 21, 35A and 56 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act,
1949, sections 45JA, 45L and 45M of the RBI Act, 1934, and sections 30A and 32 of the National
Housing Bank (NHB) Act, 1987.
Note: Personal loan interest rates are offered on both fixed and floating rate basis. The interest rate will remain
the same throughout the tenure on a fixed rate loan. Whereas, the interest rates will vary as per the market
movement in a floating rate loan.
Reason behind Reset of Floating Interest Rate on EMI based Personal Loans:
During the approval of EMI-based floating rate personal loans, lenders must consider borrowers’ repayment
capabilities to maintain room for potential tenor extension or EMI increase if external benchmark rates rise.
However, concerns have arisen due to rising interest rates, as some borrowers experience elongation of loan
tenor or higher EMIs without proper communication or consent, leading to consumer grievances. To overcome
this, the regulated entities (REs) advised to put in place an appropriate policy framework.
Key Norms:
i.At the time of loan sanction, REs shall clearly communicate to the borrowers about the possible impact of
change in benchmark interest rate on the loan leading to changes in EMI and/or tenor or both. Loan sanction
letters should mention the costs associated with transitioning from a floating to a fixed interest rate in the
future.

ii.At the time of reset of interest rates, REs shall provide the option to the borrowers to switch over to a fixed
rate as per their Board approved policy. The policy may also specify the number of times a borrower will be
allowed to switch during the tenor of the loan.
Click Here for Official Notification
i.According to the RBI provisional data on July 4, 2023, India’s services exports in May
2023 increased by 7.7% compared to May 2022, reaching USD ($)27.06 billion while imports rose 2% to USD
15.5 billion.
ii.Education financing startup, Propelld has procured a NBFC license from RBI to disburse loans worth Rs 2000
Cr by Financial Year(FY)24 and to bolster its direct lending proposition.
i.It was established on April 1, 1935, in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
ii.The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in Calcutta(now Kolkata, West Bengal) but
was permanently moved to Mumbai, Maharashtra in 1937.
iii.Though originally privately owned, since nationalization in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully owned by the
Government of India.
iv.Thus, 2023 marks the 75th year of public ownership of the Reserve Bank and its emergence as a national
institution.
RBI approves the Voluntary amalgamation of Twin Cities Co-operative Urban Bank with Kranti Co-
operative Urban Bank
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) sanctioned the Scheme of Voluntary Amalgamation of Hyderabad (Telangana)
based Twin Cities Co-operative Urban Bank Limited with Hyderabad (Telangana) based Kranti Co-
operative Urban Bank Limited.
• RBI has the authority to approve the voluntary amalgamation of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) based
on its discretion.
• This authority is granted under Sub-Section (4) of Section 44A read with Section 56 of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949.
• These sections were modified through an amendment introduced by the Banking Regulation
(Amendment) Act 2020 (Act No. 39 of 2020).
After Amalgamation:
i.The Scheme of Amalgamation came into force from 23rd August, 2023.
ii.The branch of Twin Cities Co-operative Urban Bank will function as a branch of Kranti Co-operative Urban
Bank.
About Amalgamation guidelines:
i.The Amalgamation was based on comprehensive framework notification of RBI released in 2021,
named Master Direction – Amalgamation of Urban Cooperative Banks, Directions, 2020.
ii.As per the framework in 2021, RBI may consider proposals for merger or amalgamation of urban cooperative
banks (UCBs) under three circumstances.
Three Circumstances for amalgamation:
i.Positive net worth of amalgamated bank; amalgamating bank assures to protect entire deposits of the
amalgamated bank.
ii.Negative net worth of amalgamated bank; the amalgamating bank on its own assures to protect deposits of all
the depositors of the amalgamated bank.
iii.Negative net worth of amalgamated bank; amalgamating bank ensures deposit protection with state
government’s upfront financial support in merger process.
Points to be noted:-
The Banking Regulation Amendment Bill, 2020 will not apply to:
a) Primary agricultural credit societies.

b) Cooperative societies whose primary focus is long-term financing for agricultural development.
Furthermore, these two types of societies must not:
a) Use the terms ‘bank,’ ‘banker,’ or ‘banking’ in their name or business.
b) Function as entities that clear cheques.
RBI raises Small Value Payment Transaction Limit in Offline Mode to Rs 500
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the upper limit for offline transactions to Rs 500 from Rs 200 w.e.f.
August 24, 2023, following its announcement during the bi-monthly policy review on August 10, 2023.
• However, overall limit is retained at Rs 2000 to contain the risks associated with relaxation of two-
factor authentication.
• The information for the same was provided by RBI under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of the
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007)/PSS Act.
About Offline digital payments:
Offline digital payments are Internet-free transactions, often for small amounts, by using means like National
Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and UPI (Unified Payments Interface) Lite. The offline mode transactions can
be facilitated through cards, wallets, and mobile devices, applicable to Authorized Payment System Operators
(PSOs)/Payment System Participants (PSPs), including acquirers and issuers like banks and non-banks.
Reason behind this increase:
This decision to increase the transaction limit to Rs 500 from Rs 200 has been taken to encourage wider
adoption of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) Lite. This will eliminate the need for multiple transactions for
users. It also harnesses the new technologies for enhancing digital payments experience for users.
• UPI Lite is an ‘on-device wallet’ feature that will allow users to make real-time small-value payments
without using a UPI PIN. It was launched in September 2022.
Background:
The RBI has set a cap of Rs 200 per transaction and a total limit of Rs 2000 for each payment method for small-
value offline digital payments. This eliminates the requirement for two-factor authentication in these cases,
making them faster, reliable, and contactless options for routine small payments and transit fares. However,
there have been requests for these limits to be increased. Therefore, the above change has been made.
Who are PSOs/PSPs?
PSOs/PSPs are entities authorized by the RBI to operate payment systems enabling transactions between
payers and beneficiaries.
• As per the PSS Act, a payment system is a mechanism facilitating transactions between payers and
beneficiaries, encompassing clearing, payment, and settlement services, excluding stock
exchanges. It covers various operations like credit/debit card, smart card, and money transfers.
i.It has issued a ‘Draft Circular – Arrangements with Card Networks for issue of
Debit, Credit and Prepaid Cards’ empowering the debit, credit, and prepaid card users in India with Card
network portability w.e.f. October 1st, 2023.
ii.RBI cancelled the banking licence of two cooperative banks, Sri Sharada Mahila Co-operative Bank, Tumkur,
Karnataka and Harihareshwar Sahakari Bank, Satara in Maharashtra.
Deputy Governors – Swaminathan Janakiraman, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar

RBI approves the amalgamation of Akola Merchant Co-operative Bank Limited with
Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative Bank Limited
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) sanctioned the Scheme of Voluntary Amalgamation of Akola (Maharashtra)
based Akola Merchant Co-operative Bank Limited with Jalgaon (Maharashtra) based The Jalgaon Peoples
Co-operative Bank Limited. Both of the banks are Urban Co.operative Banks(UCB).
• The authority is granted under Sub-Section (4) of Section 44A read with Section 56 of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949.
After Amalgamation:
i.The Scheme of Amalgamation will come into force with effect from 28th August, 2023.
ii.Following the amalgamation, the branches of Akola Merchant Co-operative Bank Ltd., will function as
branches of The Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd.
About Amalgamation guidelines:
i.RBI has the authority to approve the voluntary amalgamation of Co.operative banks based on its discretion.
ii.The Amalgamation was based on a comprehensive framework notification of RBI released in 2021,
named Master Direction – Amalgamation of Urban Cooperative Banks, Directions, 2020.
RBI may consider proposals for merger or amalgamation of urban cooperative banks (UCBs) under three
circumstances.
i.Positive net worth of amalgamated bank; amalgamating bank assures full deposit protection.
ii.Negative net worth of amalgamated bank; amalgamating bank assures deposit protection.
iii.Negative net worth of amalgamated bank; amalgamating bank ensures deposit protection with state
government’s upfront financial support in merger process.
About Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rohit Pandurang Bhujbal
Headquarters – Jalgaon, Maharashtra
RBI Authorises Bandhan Bank for Disbursing Civil Pension

Bandhan Bank Ltd has been appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to act as an authorized bank
for pension disbursement for civil pensioners on behalf of the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO), an
entity under the Ministry of Finance.
• Bandhan Bank will soon be integrating with the office of the CPAO to operationalise the
disbursement process.
Beneficiary Categories:
i.Bank authorization is primarily aimed at disbursing pensions to the following groups:
• The Central Government employees in Civil Ministries and Departments (other than Railways, Posts,
and Defence)
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi
• Union Territory Administrations without legislatures,
• Retired Judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court, and
• All India Service Officers.
ii.This scheme also covers the payment of pensions to former Members of Parliament (MPs) and the payment
of pensions and other amenities to former Presidents/Vice Presidents of India.
About Bandhan Bank:
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer– Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Established In– 2015
Tagline– Aapka Bhala Sabki Bhilai

SEBI
Sebi asks MIIs to develop Common Online Dispute Resolution Portal
On 31st July 2023, Security market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) released a circular
stating Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) such as stock exchanges, depositories and clearing
corporations should set up a common Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) portal to resolve disputes involving
investors, listed companies, designated intermediaries and regulated entities.
• Market participants such as all listed companies, specified intermediaries and regulated entities
should enrol in the portal.
• Essential features and functionalities will be integrated into the ODR Portal to facilitate the
registration of investors and market participants, the submission of complaints, and the uploading
of relevant documents or papers related to the dispute.
• The portal will include a status update facility that retrieves information from the ODR Institution
concerning the progress of the complaint.
Two Phases:
Phase 1(From 1st August 2023 to 16th August 2023):
i.Development of the ODR Portal, empanelment of ODR Institutions by the MIIs and empanelment of
conciliators and arbitrators by those ODR Institutions by August 1, 2023.
ii.Registration of trading members and depository participants on the ODR Portal will be accomplished by
August 15, 2023.
iii.From August 16, 2023 onwards, the registration of complaints against brokers and depository participants,
as well as their resolution, will commence.
Phase 2:
i.It is proposed that registration of all other market participants on the ODR Portal will be completed by
September 15,2023.
ii.The registering of complaints against all other market participants and their resolution will begin from
September 16,2023.
Dispute resolution process:
To initiate the dispute resolution process, SEBI has outlined the following steps:
i.In the first instance, the investor must raise their grievance directly with the market participant by lodging a
complaint.
ii.If the grievance is not resolved satisfactorily, the investor can escalate it through the SCORES(SEBI
Complaints Redress System) portal.
iii.After exhausting all available resolution options, if the investor remains dissatisfied, they can initiate dispute
resolution through the ODR Portal.
iv.Alternatively, the investor may directly opt for the ODR Portal if the grievance lodged with the market
participant was not resolved to their satisfaction, or at any subsequent escalation stage.
Note: The concerned market participant has the option to initiate dispute resolution through the ODR Portal.
However, before doing so, they must provide the investor with a notice period of at least 15 calendar days to
attempt resolution, which should have remained unsatisfactorily resolved between them.
About Securities Exchange Board of India(SEBI):
Chairperson – Madhabi Puri Buch
SIDBI collaborates with IIM Ahmedabad’s CIIE.CO to Establish Accelerator Fund

The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), partnered with the Centre for Innovation, Incubation
and Entrepreneurship (CIIE.CO), Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, Gujarat (IIM-A)’s startup
incubator and investor, to set up a SIDBI Accelerator Fund, at IIMA’s CIIE.CO.

• The objective of establishing the Accelerator Fund is to provide support and extend seed investment
to early-stage enterprises, especially for deep technologies start-ups in India.
• This collaboration is a part of SIDBI’s “India of Tomorrow” initiative, which intends to strengthen
India’s developmental and funding ecosystem for early-stage start-ups.
Key People:
S Ramann, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of SIDBI; Prof. Chitra Singla, and Prof. Ankur Sinha from IIM
Ahmedabad; S P Singh, Chief General Manager (CGM) of SIDBI, and Kunal Upadhyay, co-founder of CIIE.CO,
among others were attended the event.
Funding:
i.SIDBI and IIMA’s CIIE.CO jointly established the fund with a total corpus of Rs.40 crore.
ii.SIDBI is contributing Rs.20 crore to the fund and CIIE.CO is contributing the remaining Rs.20 crore.
Key Points:
i.Through this collaboartion, SIDBI aims to enable seed funding to start-ups in exchange for equity and promote
deep technologies and science-led innovation.
ii.The primary focus is to support start-ups with new and meritorious ideas, and technologies needed for
India’s 2047 goal of becoming Self-reliant (Atmanirbhar Bharat) as well as a dominant player in high-
quality/high-entry barrier products/ services.
iii.CIIE.CO’s investments span a broad range of sectors, with a key focus on three thematic areas: deep tech,
digitisation, and climate tech.
• CIIE.CO has been recognised as a Center of Excellence by the Department of Science and Technology
under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (GoI).
SIDBI Anchors Vivriti’s Rs 700 crore AIF fund for Micro-Enterprises with BBB and Lower Ratings
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has participated as an anchor investor in the Promising
Lenders Fund (PLF) managed by Vivriti Asset Management Private Limited (VAM), a part of Chennai (Tamil
Nadu)-based Vivriti Group, with an aggregate target corpus of Rs. 700 crore in two tranches.
• The fund was co-conceptualised by SIDBI and Vivriti to provide debt capital to microenterprises and
build bond markets for issuers rated BBB and lower categories.
• The PLF is predicted to benefit over 8,000 micro-enterprises and 80,000 women entrepreneurs.
Note: BBB is a moderate level of default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or
monetary union.
Phases of the fund:
Phase 1:
• In March 2022, the first phase of the fund (PLF-I) was launched with a fund size of Rs.300 crore. The
fund reached its full investment capacity by October 2022.
• The fund has made 18 investments in 16 Microfinance institutions (MFIs)/Non-Banking Financial
Companies (NBFC)s and Fintechs rated in BBB and lower categories.
• As of June 2023, contributors have already received approximately over 25% of their initial capital.
Note: It provided crucial capital to 8,500 microenterprises and supported over 43,000 women entrepreneurs.
Phase 2:
• The second phase of the fund (PLF-II) launched in March 2023, with a target fund size of Rs.400
crore.
• It is expected to announce a final close by December 2023.
• PLF-II aims to make 20–25 investments in (MFIs) /NBFCs and Fintechs rated in below BBB or lower
category.
• This will enable the fund to extend financial support to an estimated 4,000 microenterprises and
empower 40,000 women entrepreneurs.
Note: Presently, the initiative benefits lower-rated MIFs/NBFCs and Fintechs and provides them opportunities
to tap debt funds under Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) route.

About Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI):
SIDBI set up on 2nd April 1990 under an Act of the Indian Parliament.It is under the jurisdiction of the
Ministry of Finance, GoI.It is the Principal Financial Institution for the Promotion, Financing, and Development
of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME)
CMD– Sivasubramanian Ramann
Headquarters– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
SEBI, APMI jointly set Standards for Performance Audit of PMS Players
On August 2, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Association of Portfolio Managers in
India (APMI) collaboratively established performance audit standards for portfolio management services
(PMS) providers, effective from October 1, 2023.
• This information by SEBI is provided in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the
SEBI Act, 1992, read with the provisions of Regulation 43 of SEBI (Portfolio Managers) Regulations,
2020, to protect the interest of investors in securities and to promote the development of the
securities market.
Standard Terms of Reference by APMI:
i.APMI, in consultation with Sebi, will set standardized Terms of Reference (ToR) for auditing firm-level
performance data. It will mandate portfolio managers to include all client portfolios in the audit process.
ii.According to the new standards, Portfolio Managers need to submit two reports to SEBI related to the firm-
level performance data within 60 days after each financial year ends.
• The first report is a “confirmation of compliance” with the requirement of an annual audit of the
firm-level performance data. Portfolio Managers need to ensure that they have conducted the
necessary audit as per the specified standard and submit this confirmation to SEBI within sixty days
from the end of each financial year.
• The second report is required to submit the actual “audit report” on firm-level performance
data to SEBI within 60 days from the end of each financial year.The report contains the findings and
results of the audit conducted on the firm-level performance data which includes detailed
information about the assessment and evaluation of the portfolio manager’s performance data
during the financial year.
iii.The performance of advisory clients may be excluded from the audit if it has not been published in any
marketing material or website.
Click Here for Official Circular
About Securities and Exchange Board of India ( SEBI):
Chairperson -Madhabi Puri Buch
Establishment – 12 April 1992
SEBI Allows OFS for Units of Private Listed InvITs via Stock Exchange
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed Offer For Sale (OFS) for units of private
listed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvlTs) through a stock exchange mechanism. This information by
SEBI is provided in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act, 1992.
• Offer For Sale (OFS) mechanism is allowed for the sale of units of both Real Estate Investment Trusts
(REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) by their respective sponsors or sponsor
group entities. Additionally, other unit holders of listed REITs can also use the OFS mechanism to
sell their units.
• Now,it has been decided to modify the framework to allow OFS for units of private listed InvITs.
• In the case of OFS for listed InvITs, the trading lot will be the same as the trading lot prescribed for
such InvITs in the secondary market under SEBI’s Infrastructure Investment Trusts rules.

What is Offer for Sale (OFS) Mechanism: OFS is a method that allows existing investors (promoters,
shareholders, etc.) of a company or trust to sell their securities (shares or units) to the public through the stock
exchange platform.
About Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs):
InvITs are investment vehicles that pool money from investors to invest in income-generating infrastructure
projects such as roads, highways, power plants, etc. These trusts are listed on stock exchanges, and their units
can be bought and sold like shares.
InvITs Units
i.There are two types of InvITs based on their issuance: privately placed and publicly offered.
• Privately placed InvITs have the flexibility to invest in a mix of under-construction assets, which are
still being developed, and completed and revenue-generating assets that are generating income.
• Publicly offered InvITs, on the other hand, mainly focus on investing in completed and revenue-
generating assets, providing stable cash flows to investors from the outset.
What is Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): REITs are similar to InvITs but invest in income-generating
real estate assets like commercial properties, office spaces, shopping malls, etc. REITs are also listed on stock
exchanges, allowing investors to trade their units.
SEBI Mandates FPIs to carry 10% of Corp.Bonds Trades ; Shortens AIFs/VCFs Overseas
Investment to 4 Months
On August 7, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated Foreign Portfolio Investors
(FPIs) to place at least 10% of their trades in corporate bonds through the Request For Quote (RFQ) platform
of stock exchanges w.e.f. from October 1, 2023.
• This information by SEBI is provided in exercise of its power conferred
under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act 1992, read with the provisions of
Regulation 20(5) and Regulation 44 of SEBI (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations,
2019 to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to
regulate the securities markets.
Aim:
i.To boost liquidity on the RFQ platform
ii.To enhance the transparency and disclosures pertaining to investments in corporate bonds to encourage
investment by FPIs in the corporate bond segment
Reason behind this Mandate:
This mandate followed a consultation paper by SEBI in July 2023. According to the paper, FPIs’ corporate bond
investment is generally low, and their trades on the RFQ platform are even lower. In FY2022-23, FPIs
conducted only 4.5% of their total corporate bond trades through the RFQ platform, and their share of total
trades executed by various entities on the RFQ platform was merely 0.78%. So, to overcome this, the above
mandate is made.
What is RFQ?
Request For Quote (RFQ) , launched on BSE (earlier Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock
Exchange of India) in February 2020, is an electronic platform that facilitates multi-lateral negotiations for
debt securities on a centralized online trading platform. It enables straight-through processing of clearing and
settlement, and offers a diverse range of debt securities for trading.
• It operates as a participant-based model, allowing registered regulated entities, listed corporate
bodies, institutional investors, and Indian financial institutions to access and transact quotes.
SEBI Reduces Overseas Investment Timeline for AIFs and VCFs to 4 Months
SEBI has decreased the validity period of approval for Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) and Venture Capital
Funds (VCFs) to make overseas investments to four months from six months.

• If these funds do not utilize their investment limits within this timeframe, SEBI has the authority to
allocate the unutilized limits to other applicant AIFs and VCs.
• This information by SEBI is provided in exercise of its power conferred under Section 11(1) of the
SEBI Act 1992.
Key Points:
i.The decision has been taken following the recommendation of the Alternative Investments Policy Advisory
Committee.
ii.This decision will apply to the overseas investment approvals granted by SEBI.
iii.In August 2022, SEBI issued guidelines permitting Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) and Venture Capital
Funds (VCFs) to invest in foreign companies without requiring any connection to India. Prior to this, their
investments were limited to companies that had at least one office in India.
• AIFs/VCFs can invest in an overseas investee company, which is incorporated in a country whose
securities market regulator is a signatory to the International Organization of Securities
Commission’s Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (Appendix A Signatories) or a
signatory to the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with SEBI.
• This step opens up investment opportunities for AIFs and VCFs in overseas companies within a
regulated framework.
i.SEBI has introduced ASBA (Application supported by Blocked Amount)-like process for trading supported by
Blocked Amount in the secondary market w.e.f. January 1, 2024. This move is aimed to safeguard investors’
cash collateral.
ii.SEBI has made the manager and key management personnel of the AIF responsible for appointing an
‘independent valuer’ of assets and ascertaining true and fair valuation of the investments of AIF schemes.
About Securities Exchange Board of India(SEBI):
Headquarters -Mumbai, Maharashtra
SEBI Reduces IPO Listing Timeline to 3 days

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reduced the timeline for listing securities after the
closing of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) to 3 days (T+3) from the present requirement of 6 working days
(T+6).
• This will be an option for IPOs opening on or after September 1, 2023, and will be mandatory for
public issues opening after December 1, 2023.
• According to SEBI, the reduction in timelines for listing and trading of shares will benefit both
issuers and investors.
• Under the new guidelines, companies will have to finalise allotment before 6 pm on T+1 day. The
transfer of funds will be made to unsuccessful applicants on T+2 day.
Benefits:
i.Swift access to raised capital allows issuers to promptly deploy funds for business expansion and other
operational enhancements.
ii.Early access to credit ensures investors have more flexibility in allocating funds for other investment
opportunities.
PAN verification:
i.Third-party verification will be carried out by the Registrar, to ensure the accuracy of the data provided by the
applicant.
ii.The Registrar matches the Permanent Account Number (PAN) available in the applicant’s demat account. The
PAN available in the applicant’s bank account is also cross-referenced.

Helios Capital Gets SEBI Approval to Launch MF business
Singapore-based Helios Capital Management PTE Ltd, which offers Portfolio Management Services (PMS) has
been granted approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch a Mutual Fund (MF)
business.
• Once launched, Helios Mutual Fund will become the 46th entity to enter into the MF industry with
an Asset Under Management (AUM) of Rs.46-lakh crore.
Background:
i.In February 2021, Helios Capital applied for a mutual fund license with the SEBI.
ii.In September 2022, Helios Capital received Sebi’s in-principle approval to float the MF business and another
firm, which received the approval along with Helios Capital was Zeordha Broking Ltd.
Key Points:
i.Zerodha Broking Ltd and Old Bridge Capital Management Pvt Ltd are the 2 entities awaiting SEBI’s final nod
for a MF license.
ii.Another three entities waiting for SEBI approval to enter the MF industry is Unifi Capital, Alpha Alternatives
Fund Advisors and Wizemarkets Analytics.
iii.In June 2023, Bajaj Finserv Mutual Fund became the 43rd asset management company to enter into the MF
space.
Zerodha AMC Launched After Receiving Approval From SEBI

Zerodha Broking Limited(Zerodha) has received final approval from Securities and Exchange Board of
India(SEBI) to launch an Asset Management Company (AMC) – Zerodha Asset Management Private Limited
called as “Zerodha Fund House”.
• Zerodha Fund House is the joint venture (JV) of Zerodha with Smallcase Technologies Private
Limited(smallcase), a fintech platform.
• Vishal Jain has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Zerodha Fund House.
Previously, He headed the Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) division of Nippon Life India Asset
Management Ltd.
Background:
i.Zerodha applied for the AMC licence in February 2020 and received an in-principle approval in September
2021.
ii.Prior to the final approval (in April 2023), Zerodha announced its decision to form a JV with smallcase to start
the AMC
Zerodha’s motivation to start Mutual Funds:
i.Despite substantial growth in the past three years, the count of unique equity investors remains around 60-80
million.
ii.The need for the market to have simple products(like mutual funds) to facilitate the swift entry of the next 10
million investors.
SEBI Sets New Exit Option Timeline for MF Unitholders for AMC Control Change
SEBI new timeline for the exit option window period given to the mutual fund unitholders in the event of a
change in the control of an AMC.
• Under the new guidelines, the change in control of the AMC will require the unitholders of the MF to
be granted the choice of exiting at the prevailing Net Asset Value (NAV), devoid of any exit load,
within a span of 15 calendar days from the date of communication(earlier it was 30 days).
Key Points:
i.This move aims to enhance investor protection and streamline the process of such transitions within the
mutual fund landscape.
ii.With improved communication technology, has enabled faster dissemination of information to unitholders,
SEBI received a request from the mutual fund industry to reconsider the exit option timeline.

In case of merger:
If the change of control is because of consolidation or merger of schemes, unitholders will have the opportunity
to exit at the prevailing NAV without incurring any exit load, but the window for this choice will extend to a
minimum of 30 calendar days from the date of communication.
Requirements for change in control:
i.Trustees and SEBI’s prior approval.
ii.A written communication about the proposed change to each unitholder.
iii.Advertisement in the newspaper concerning the proposed alterations.
ASCI Mandates Finfluencers To Registered With SEBI

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) announced that it is mandatory to all finfluencers or
finance influencers working in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector offering investment
advice to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• The new guidelines are to safeguard consumers from the consequences of advice from non-experts.
New Guidelines:
i.Finfluencers who have certifications from recognized institutions need to openly share their certified expert
status and their credentials.
ii.They should display their registration number along with name and qualifications.
iii.For other financial advice, suitable credentials like a licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI), being a chartered accountant (CA) or holding a company secretaryship are
required.
Other Requirements:
i.All the advertisements they post are labeled with a disclosure that clearly indicates they are advertisements.
ii.They should provide clear and appropriate information about their qualifications and registration particulars
on all forms of promotional content.These disclosures need to be visibly displayed on visuals in a noticeable
and upfront manner.
• Video content – they should be displayed clearly on the screen or spoken as the initial statement.
• Blogs or text– they should be put at the beginning, so people see them before reading.
• Podcasts or audio posts – mentioned right at the start of the content.
Who are Finfluencers?
Finfluencers are people with public social media platforms offering advice and sharing personal experiences
about money and investment in stocks.
Existing Provision:
The SEBI Act, 1993 and the SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities
Market) Regulations, 2003 forbid certain unfair acts.
Additional Info:
The guidelines of ASCI have been updated for influencers who promote products with health and nutrition
claims as well.
Influencers endorsing such products should possess appropriate qualifications like medical degrees or
certifications in nursing, nutrition, dietetics, physiotherapy or psychology.
SEBI Issues Disclosure Norms for FPIs Holding High Indian Equity AUM
On August 24, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated additional disclosures from
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) that have concentrated holding in a single company or a group firm
w.e.f. November 1, 2023.
• Such FPIs will be required to identify all entities with any ownership, economic interest and control
rights.
Key Points:
i.FPIs with over 50% of Indian equity Assets Under Management (AUM) in a single corporate group get 10 days

to reduce holdings, followed by further ownership disclosures.
ii.FPIs with equity AUM exceeding Rs 25,000 crore have 90 days to reduce holdings.
• Accounts of all such FPIs will be blocked for further equity purchases until the holding is brought below
Rs 25,000 crore.
iii.If investment remains high after deadlines, 30 days for disclosures, then FPI registration invalid.
iv.Invalid registration leads to securities liquidation and market exit within 180 days from invalidation.
This information by SEBI was provided in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 11(1) of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 read with Regulations3(2), 22(1), 22 (6), 22 (7)and 44 of
SEBI(FPI) Regulations,2019,and Sub-rule 14 (i) of Rule 9 of the Prevention of Money-laundering
(Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005.
About Securities and Exchange Board of India ( SEBI):
LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS

ADB & GoI Signed USD 200 Million Loan Agreement for Expanding Urban Services in Rajasthan
On 28th July 2023, The Government of India (GoI) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 200
million loan agreement as additional financing for the ongoing Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development
Sector Project as additional financing, to expand water supply and sanitation systems and enhance urban
resilience and heritage living in selected towns.
• The additional financing will assist the Government of Rajasthan in reducing the basic infrastructure
gaps in its secondary towns by expanding water supply and sanitation services and improving
livability in selected urban local bodies.
• This initiative includes the reconstruction of water structures with heritage value, integrating
nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience for expanding basic urban services.
Key Signatories:
The loan agreement was signed by Mr. Vumlunmang Vualnam, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic
Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India (GoI) and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India
Resident Mission, ADB.
Key Points:
i.The project incorporates nature-based solutions to improve heritage structures besides operating public-
private partnerships in the water and sanitation sector of Rajasthan to deepen private sector engagement.
ii.The project in progress, approved in September 2020 has so far laid approximately 1,451 kilometres (Kms)
of water supply pipes, 1,110 kms of sewer pipes, and connected 68,098 households in selected secondary
towns across Rajasthan.
iii.The additional financing aimed at improving water supply systems in at least 7 towns by converting all
groundwater sources to surface water, replacing about 700 km of leaking water pipes, installing 1,400 km of
new water supply pipelines, and providing 77,000 households connections with water metres.
• It will also establish 3 new water treatment plants.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines

AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED
Axis Bank Partners With Kiwi to Bolster ‘Credit on UPI’ on RuPay Credit Cards
On 2nd August 2023, Axis Bank, India’s third-largest private sector bank in collaboration with National
Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), partnered for the first time with Kiwi, the revolutionary credit on Unified
Payment Interface (UPI) platform to launch the Axis KWIK virtual credit card that offers credit card rewards
along with the convenience of UPI’s fast and secure payment for seamless online and offline transactions.
• This functionality enables users to conduct merchant payments within the Kiwi app utilising
their credit cards through UPI, resulting in a virtualized payment encounter that eliminates the
necessity for physical cards.
• The partnership offers a complete “Credit on UPI” platform on the RuPay network.
Axis KWIK virtual credit card
i.The virtual credit card extends the advantage of receiving two edge rewards for every Rs. 200 spent.
ii.The Users are entitled to a 1% cashback on scan and pay transactions (when utilising the credit card on UPI),
along with the benefit of having the usual 1% fuel surcharge at petrol pumps waived for card payments.
Reserve Bank of India(RBI)’s proposal:
• In the month of June 2023, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a significant proposal to link
credit cards with UPI platforms, with an initial focus on Rupay cards.
• The fusion of UPI with credit cards could potentially ignite a significant surge in credit card
utilisation in India.
About Axis Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Amitabh Chaudhry
About Gokiwi Tech Private Limited
Co-founders – Siddharth Mehta, Mohit Bedi and Anup Agrawal
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
IndusInd Bank and Tiger Fintech partnered to launch a co-branded credit card Powered by
Visa
On 3rd August 2023, IndusInd Bank Ltd. and Tiger Fintech Private Limited, a Bajaj Capital Group company,
announced the launch of the ‘IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card’, a co-branded credit card powered by Visa Inc
(Visa), the global digital payments technology company, to give the best-in-class credit card access to the
customers, to meet their lifestyle requirements.
Benefits of the card:
i.The card offers a ‘Magnificent Rewards Program’, where customers earn up to 6X accelerated rewards.
ii.Cardholders will also be able to convert their rewards points to air miles (by redeeming the reward points for
flight tickets) and enjoy discounted foreign currency markup of 1.5%, which can lead to considerable savings
on their international expenses.
iii.It also offers access to complimentary benefits like a 24×7 concierge facility (customers can have access to a
team of personal assistants to perform various tasks), domestic and international lounge access at the airports,
games/lessons of golf, assured movie tickets, and many other entertainment benefits.
iv.The benefits also include discounted fees for international transactions, with Visa’s commitment to a safe,
secure, and seamless payment experience, cardholders can make secure transactions.
About IndusInd Bank Ltd:
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Sumant Kathpalia
Tagline– We Make You Feel Richer

Swiss impact investor signs agreement with Electronica Finance
Swiss impact investor responsAbility Investments AG signed a USD 15 million funding deal with Non-Banking
Financial Company (NBFC) Electronica Finance to promote green financing in India in line with its
sustainability goal.
• Electronica Finance is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, and is a part of the SRP Electronica
group.
• It is supported by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
Key Points:
i.Electronica Finance will use the funding for financing energy efficient machines and promoting rooftop solar
installation.
ii.It has already received USD 7.5 million from responsAbility in July 2023 will get remaining part in later 2023.
The fund was raised at 11.4%.
Bajaj Finance has Partnered with ICICI Lombard General Insurance to Provide Insurance Plans
Bajaj Finance Limited (BFL) has partnered with ICICI Lombard General Insurance along with other partners to
provide car and two-wheeler insurance plans on the platform Bajaj Finance Insurance Mall.
Key points:
i.The ICICI Lombard Car and Two-wheeler Insurance policies offer comprehensive damage coverage, (including
own and third-party damage), personal accident cover, No Claim Bonus (NCB) to vehicle owners and vehicles.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Complete protection for insured vehicle and safeguard against third-
party liabilities.
• Own Damage Cover: Receive coverage for damages caused to vehicle due to accidents, theft,
natural disasters, and fire incidents.
• Third-Party Cover: Secure financial support for third-party liabilities, compensating for property
damage and injury expenses caused by the policyholder’s fault.
• Personal Accident Cover: Receive financial aid in case of accidents resulting in injuries or fatality of
the owner/driver, with a personal accident cover up to Rs. 15 lakhs.
• No Claim Bonus (NCB): Policyholders will receive a No Claim Bonus when they haven’t made any
claims in the previous policy year. This bonus earns you a discount on your renewal premium, which
grows as you accumulate more bonus points.
ii.ICICI Lombard also offers a range of add-on covers to help customers enhance their vehicle insurance such as
NCB protector cover, 24×7 roadside assistance cover, Zero depreciation add-on cover, Engine protection add-
on cover.
• These covers provide additional financial backup, ensuring the customers stay fully covered in case
of any emergency.
iii.The policies can be brought through a seamless digital process.
About Bajaj Finance Limited (BFL):
BFL a subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Ltd. is a deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-D).
Chairman- Sanjiv Bajaj
Headquarters- Pune, Maharashtra
Established- 1987
Star Health Partners With SCB To Sell Health Insurance Products

Star Health & Allied Insurance Co. Ltd.,(Star Health) India’s leading private Health Insurance company has
entered into a strategic corporate bancassurance tie-up with Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) , a reputed
international bank to enhance the accessibility of health insurance products through the bank’s extensive
distribution network.

• The SCB, with 100 branches spread across 42 cities, will function as a convenient single point of
access for customers seeking health insurance.
• The agreement also provides top-tier services that align with the distinct needs of India’s affluent
clientele.
Why Health Insurance?
i.Health and protection are key needs today for clients. The rising healthcare expenses in India have led to an
unparalleled increase in the desire for health insurance.
ii.Customers are now in need of all-inclusive policies that address their medical needs, including features like
OPD Care, Hospi Cash, and Critical Illness coverage.
iii.The focus on health and fitness is growing, fostering a heightened interest in tailor-made wellness programs.
Note: According to the Wealth Expectancy Report, 2022 by Standard Chartered, more than 54 percent of
respondents in India have placed a higher priority on health and wellness in the aftermath of the COVID-19
pandemic.
Bancassurance:
Bancassurance constitutes an insurance distribution framework wherein insurance firms collaborate with
banks for the sale of insurance policies. This association yields advantages for both entities involved.
• The bank secures a commission from the insurance company, while the insurer capitalises on the
expansive distribution network of the bank.
About Star Health & Allied Insurance Co. Ltd:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Anand Roy
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamilnadu
About Standard Chartered Bank(SCB) India:
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Zarin Daruwala
PayU and CSC Academy to offer Financial Education to Underprivileged People

PayU India and CSC Academy collaborated to provide digital and financial literacy to the weak and
underprivileged segments of society from July 1 2023 to June 30, 2024.
• Under this Mobile vans will be stationed in and around three districts
in Delhi/Gurugram (Haryana), Mumbai (Maharashtra), and Bengaluru (Karnataka) to provide
financial and digital literacy instructions as well as other civic services for people between the ages
of 15 and 60.
• Underprivileged segments of society include SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), BPL
(Below Poverty Line), and Women.
Note: PayU India is a leading online payment service provider in India, and CSC Academy is a SPV (Special
Purpose Vehicle) of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
Key Points:
i.The main objective of this campaign is to improve the standard of living for an expanding number of people by
including them in the Government of India’s Digital India plan.
• This campaign would encourage common people to save and invest money while also promoting
secure digital financial transactions
ii.This drive seeks to motivate ordinary citizens to save, invest, and engage in secure digital financial
transactions, fostering both financial and digital literacy.
iii.By utilizing the advantages of Information & Communications Technology (ICT), this initiative aims to
seamlessly integrate technology into rural dwellers’ daily routines, particularly enhancing healthcare, income
opportunities, and education.

iv.Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) from CSC will play a pivotal role in administering this campaign,
aiming to train approximately 50,000 individuals per year through each van.
Bandhan Bank & Odisha Govt Partnered to facilitate OTDC payment solutions
On 7th August 2023, Kolkata (West Bengal) based-Bandhan Bank Limited, partnered with the Government
of Odisha, to support the payment solutions for the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) Ltd.
• The Bank has introduced Point of Sale (PoS) machines, which offers a seamless card payment
experience and are placed in prime locations across popular tourist destinations in Odisha including
Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Konark, Chilka, and Gopalpur.
• Bandhan Bank will be providing the machines to OTDC and these PoS machines provide easy and
quick payment solutions to tourists, thus bringing convenience, both for the tourists and OTDC
officials.
• The Electronic Data Capture (EDC) machines will also help prevent revenue loss for OTDC, due to
the lack of cash carried by the tourists. This initiative is also aligned with India’s vision of a ‘Cashless
Economy’.
Note:
• Bandhan Bank Limited, incorporated on 23rd December 2014, is an associate of Bandhan Financial
Holdings Limited (BFHL) which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bandhan Financial Services Limited
(BFSL).
In 2015, It became the first-ever microfinance institution to become a universal bank in India.
Kotak Life partners with ESAF Bank to offer Life Insurance to customers
On 9th August 2023, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Ltd (Kotak Life) announced its corporate
agency tie-up with ESAF Small Finance Bank (ESAF Bank) to offer life insurance to ESAF Bank customers.
The tie-up plans to benefit 68 lakh customers of ESAF Bank through life insurance products provided by Kotak
Life, including protection, savings, investment and retirement through ESAF Bank’s 700 banking outlets spread
across 21 States and 2 Union Territories(UTs)
PNB & Amul Signs MoU To provide Finance Through MUDRA

Punjab National Bank (PNB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat Cooperative Milk
Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMFL) also known as Amul, to finance Amul’s retailers, wholesale dealers/area
milk distributors and exclusive Amul preferred outlets-milk parlours.
• The financing is made through small ticket financing under Micro Units Development & Refinance
Agency (MUDRA).
• By the association, both the partners extend assistance to over 11 lakh retailers, wholesale dealers,
and numerous other stakeholders.
Other Services:
Additional offerings encompass the seamless incorporation of diverse digital mediums such as QR codes, point
of sale (POS) systems, Unified Payment Interface (UPI), along with digital supply chain finance and electronic
collection of Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs) and facilitation of working capital limits.
Axis Bank Partners with RBIH To Launch KCC & MSME loans Powered By PTPFC
Axis Bank Limited has launched two new financial products, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and unsecured Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) loans powered by Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit (PTPFC),
an initiate of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of
India(RBI).
Features:
i.On Pilot basis, the Kisan Credit Cards(KCC) will be introduced in Madhya Pradesh(MP).

Customers can access these cards for amounts up to Rs. 1.6 lakhs.
ii.MSME loans will be made available across India, and this will offer loans up to Rs 10 lakh to customers.
iii.Both the products will be of fully digital process and require no paper works.
About PTPFC:
i.PTPFC can be used to obtain the necessary data for evaluating loans from trusted sources, all while ensuring
complete customer consent and security.
ii.This platform will increase the efficiency of the lending process by reduction of costs, quicker disbursement,
and scalability.
PTPFC & Axis Bank:
During the trial phase, Axis Bank will use the PTPFC to securely access customer data.
• This will involve activities like confirming Permanent Account Number (PAN) details, using Aadhaar
electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC), gathering data from Account Aggregators, checking land
records, and using the penny drop service to verify bank accounts.
Tagline – Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi
About Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Rajesh Bansal
SBI Partners With IIT–B to Strengthen its Data Analytics, AI Capabilities

State Bank of India (SBI) is contributing Rs 22.5 crore through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
arm, SBI Foundation, to set up a Banking Data and Analytics Hub at the Indian Institute of Technology,
Bombay (IIT-B), Mumbai, Maharashtra, to tackle the distinct challenges facing by the Indian banking and
financial services industry. The collaboration will boost SBI’s AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities and
promote the exchange of innovative concepts through cooperation between the banking industry and
academia.
• The partnership’s positive impact will extend to the entire Banking, Financial Services, and
Insurance sector (BFSI) sector, facilitating the incorporation of emerging technologies such as
ChatGPT.
• The hub is designed to encompass a laboratory area of 10,000 square feet. Its primary focus will be
on supporting research and skill enhancement in the fields of data analytics and AI.
SBI, founded through a parliamentary Act on July 1st, 1955.Recently, it celebrated its 68th Bank Day. Dinesh
Kumar Khara is the Chairperson of SBI.
ICC & Mastercard signed global partnership for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has signed a global partnership with Mastercard, a global payment-
processing corporation, for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 which is scheduled to be held in India from
5th October 2023 to 19th November 2023.
• The tie-up aims to connect cardholders and cricket enthusiasts to priceless experiences throughout
the tournament.
Benefits to Mastercard holders:
Exclusive 24-hour pre-sale window, chance to meet cricket players, getting up close to the Men’s Cricket World
Cup trophy and a chance for the children of cardholders (aged between 12-18 years) to be a part of the
flagbearer programme.

About ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023:
i.ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the most prestigious One-Day International(ODI) cricket tournament, will
be the biggest world cup ever featuring 10 teams across 10 different venues.
• The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat will be the venue for the first match and the last
match of the tournament.
ii.The other nine venues are Bengaluru(Karnataka), Chennai(Tamilnadu), Delhi, Dharamsala(Himachal
Pradesh), Hyderabad(Telangana), Kolkata(West Bengal), Lucknow(Uttar Pradesh), Mumbai(Maharashtra) and
Pune(Maharashtra).
Note:
i.Defending champions England will be playing against New Zealand in the first tournament in Ahmedabad on
5th October 2023.
ii.India will be playing against (five-time winners) Australia in Chennai(Tamil Nadu) on 8 October 2023 and
against Pakistan in Ahmedabad on 15th October 2023.
About International Cricket Council (ICC):
Chief Executive – Geoff Allardice
Headquarters – Dubai, United Arab Emirates(UAE)
About Mastercard
President – Ari Sarker( Asia Pacific)
Headquarters – NewYork, United States of America(USA)
IIT Bombay Partners with HSBC to Support Innovation-led Green Hydrogen Initiatives
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, (Mumbai) Maharashtra has partnered with HSBC to pursue
technological advancements towards making green hydrogen production more efficient, cost-effective, and
scalable.
• This partnership will help boost the Indian government’s National Green Hydrogen
Mission (NGHM) focused on providing policy support towards achieving global leadership in green
hydrogen transition.
This partnership was unveiled by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance at Delhi on August
24, 2023.
Key People:
Prof. Ravindra D. Gudi, IIT Bombay, Group Chairman, HSBC, Mark Tucker; CEO, HSBC India, Hitendra Dave;
Global Head of Philanthropy & Head of Sustainability, HSBC India, Aloka Majumdar among others were present
during the event.
About Partnership:
i.The IIT Bombay and HSBC partnership will boost IIT researchers and students to create innovative solutions
to address challenges in green hydrogen technology. The initiative involves project proposals from IIT Bombay,
assessed by a steering committee including HSBC India representatives and professors, potentially leading to
incubation for the top submissions.
ii.India’s MGHM targets 5 MMT (Million Metric Tons) annual green hydrogen production by 2030, contributing
125 GW (Giga Watt) renewable energy capacity and aiding the country’s net-zero emissions goal.
IIT Bombay has received a donation of USD 18.6 million for Green Energy and Sustainability Research
Hub
IIT Bombay has received an USD 18.6 million donation from an alumnus to establish a Green Energy and
Sustainability Research Hub, which will redefine the institute’s role in tackling the global climate crisis.
The hub will be located within a state-of-the-art academic building on the IIT Bombay campus in
suburban Powai.

Focus Areas:
It will focus on vital aspects such as assessing climate risks, devising mitigation strategies, climate adaptation,
and environmental monitoring. It also aims to promote renewable energy adoption, efficient technologies, and
research in key domains like battery tech, solar energy, biofuels, clean air, flood forecasting, and carbon
capture. The center will provide tailored industry education and foster collaborations with global universities
and corporations.
DBS Bank Partners with Maptrasco to Complete First eBL Transaction Between India &
Singapore
DBS Bank Ltd (formerly known as Development Bank of Singapore Limited) in collaboration
with Maptrasco (Khaitan International Private Limited – KIPL), a Singapore-based commodities trader, has
completed the first “live” transaction of electronic Bills of Lading (eBL) for shipments between Singapore and
India.
• The transaction was implemented under the TradeTrust framework, an initiative by the Infocomm
Media Development Authority (IMDA) and supported by Enterprise Singapore.
• This was announced by Gan Kim Yong Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore during the G20
Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Partnerships:
i.This project was implemented in close partnership between government agencies (Ministry of Trade and
Industry (MTI), Singapore), the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog (India), Enterprise
Singapore, and IMDA (Singapore).
ii.Industry partners of the project includes DBS (Singapore), ICICI Bank (India), Maptrasco (Singapore), Jindal
Stainless (India), and A.P. Moller-Maersk (APMM), Singapore.
TradeTrust Framework:
TradeTrust aims to streamline the process of document handling, reduce the reliance on physical paperwork,
and enhance transparency and security in cross-border transactions.
i.The framework can be used for the transmission of any digital trade document including Certificates of Origin,
Preferential Certificates, and transfer of Electronic Transferrable Records (ETRs) like eBLs.
ii.TradeTrust meets United Nations Commission On International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on
Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) requirements. Incorporated into Singapore legislation in 2021.
iii.It utilises blockchain-powered technology to ensure the singularity and provenance of transactions,
enhancing trust, security, and accuracy.
Details of First Shipment Using TradeTrust Framework:
i.Maptrasco shipped a container of scrap metal from Miami, Florida, the United States of America (USA) to
Gujarat, India.
ii.Maersk issued an eBL using the TradeTrust portal, a reference implementation of the TradeTrust framework,
to Maptrasco.
iii.Jindal Stainless applied for a Letter of Credit (L/C) from ICICI Bank as the Issuing Bank of the LC.Jindal
Stainless is the first Indian company in a partnership between India and Singapore.
iv.Maptrasco utilised DBS as the Presenting Bank and transferred the title ownership of the eBL via the
TradeTrust portal.
v.DBS checks and confirms the supporting documents as per the terms of the L/C, including the
TradeTrust eBL. DBS uses the Singapore Trade Data Exchange (SGTraDex) platform to transfer the title
ownership of the eBL to ICICI Bank.
vi.ICICI Bank receives the eBL and uses its own advanced platform, TradeChain, powered by EdgeVerve which
is TradeTrust-enabled by GUUD to transfer the title ownership of the eBL to Jindal Stainless.
vii.Jindal Stainless as ICICI Bank’s customer, utilises the TradeChain platform to Surrender the eBL to Maersk
and complete the shipment.

viii.Maersk then issues an electronic Delivery Order (DO) for Jindal Stainless to collect the cargo at the port of
discharge.
Bills of Lading:
i.Bills of Lading(BL/BoL) are essential documents in shipping and logistics and serve as legal proof of
ownership for goods during transit, as well as receipt of goods.
• A bill of lading is issued by the carrier (typically a shipping company or a freight forwarder) to the
shipper (exporter) as a confirmation that the goods have been received and will be transported to
their destination.
ii.However, only about 1.2% of bills of lading globally are issued electronically due to limitations in platforms
that are not interoperable or use variations in rulebooks and standards, which makes scalability challenging.
iii.eBLs are expected to improve the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of information required for trade financing.
Key Points:
• The project supports MLETR and aims to drive cross-border document and title exchanges.
• The successful transaction paves the way for more efficient, interoperable digital bills of lading, and
is a key milestone in the digital transformation of trade financing.
• The project demonstrates the real-world applicability of the Group of 20 (G20) HighLevel Principles
on Digitalisation of Trade Documents, particularly Interoperability, Scalability, Data Privacy, and
Voluntary Sharing of Data.
DBS Bank India launched an investment solution ‘digiPortfolio’ on its digibank platform, to create a set of
investment options curated by Morningstar that match the risk preferences of different investors.
About DBS Bank Ltd:
Chief Executive Officer– Piyush Gupta
Headquarters– Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore
Tagline – Live more, Bank less
Yes Bank Partnered with Zaggle to Launch Corporate Credit Card

Yes Bank Ltd launched a co-branded Corporate Credit Card named ‘YES BANK Zaggle Corporate Credit
Card’ in partnership with Zaggle, a spend management platform, to empower businesses to redefine their
corporate payments, expenditure management, and cash flow optimisation.
• The card provides a solution by granting businesses direct authority over company expenses. This
includes setting individual spending limits, applying merchant category restrictions, and
implementing diverse controls.
• The card will facilitate businesses to bring in greater cost efficiencies by facilitating integration with
Zaggle’s ZatiX, a spend management and analytics platform, allowing corporates to optimise cash
outflows.
• Yes Bank’s partnership with Zaggle allows businesses to enhance their operational efficiency by
consolidating banking transactions, managing business expenses, and offering a centralized solution
for tracking all business-related overheads.
• The Co-branded cards are a compelling proposition for businesses, offering a dual benefit of upfront
savings on spending and the privilege of earning rewards on both spending and repayments across a
large range of business expense categories.
Note: Zaggle collaborated with Yes Bank for prepaid cards in 2016, before the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-
initiated restructuring in 2019.

LIC tied up with Saraswat Cooperative Bank to sell LIC Products under Bancassurance
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) tied up with a Mumbai
(Maharashtra) headquartered Saraswat Cooperative Bank Ltd., India’s largest urban cooperative bank, to
increase the distribution of life insurance products through the Bancassurance channel.
• Citizens and Customers of Saraswat Bank can now purchase LIC insurance products directly through
Saraswat Bank.
• LIC, being the premier insurer of India, has insurance products for all segments of society, from
annuity, Unit-Linked Insurance Plans (ULIP), and term insurance to savings plans.
• Saraswat Bank Bank has a vast network of 294 Branches (as of March 31, 2023) spread over 6 states
and is serving over 2 million customers.
Note: Bancassurance refers to the partnership or relationship between a Bank and an insurance company
whereby the insurance company leverages the Bank’s sales channel in order to sell insurance products.
ADB Signs Agreement with Fourth Partner to Set up Solar Power Plant in Tamil Nadu
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed an agreement of worth Rs 1.2 billion (about USD 14.7 million)
with Fourth Partner Energy (4PEL) Private Limited (Fourth Partner), an Independent Power
Producer(IPP) to build and operate a solar photovoltaic power plant in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
• The 25 Megawatt(MW) power plant will produce electricity of about 50.7 GigaWatt-
hours(GWh) annually.
Note: ADB for the first time provides direct financing for a renewable energy plant.
Aim:
• The solar photovoltaic power plant aims to provide clean and affordable energy to commercial
and industrial users.
• The plant will prevent the emission of nearly 41,700 tons of carbon dioxide(CO2) per year.
About Open access energy procurement:
i.Open Access enables heavy users with a connected load exceeding 1 MW to purchase affordable
electricity from the open market.
ii.India’s open access renewable energy policy allows businesses to buy electricity directly from IPP.
• This can help them to reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net zero emission target.
Additional Info:
Other projects of Fourth Partner: Construction of solar and wind parks across Ottapidaram, Tuticorin and
Nandikundu, Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu.
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters – Manila, Philippines
Members – 68 member countries
Fourth Partner Energy (4PEL) Private Limited (Fourth Partner)
Fourth Partner Energy, a premier Renewable Energy firm dedicated to the advancement of solar, wind,
hybrid, battery storage, and e-mobility projects/solutions. Catering to the diverse needs of commercial,
industrial, and institutional entities, the company has positioned itself as a beacon of innovation and
progress.
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana

OTHER BANK NEWS
ADB Supports ECD & Maternal Mental Health in Meghalaya
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 40.5 million loan for an integrated project focussing
on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Maternal Mental Health in Meghalaya. The Government of
Meghalaya is contributing USD 15.27 million to the project.
• This initiative focuses on enhancing Day care centers or Anganwadi centers (AWC) to provide
nurturing care, including maternal mental health support and inclusive group-based parenting
programs involving fathers.
• The project is initiated to strengthen home-based childcare for children aged 0–1.5 years and
center-based childcare for those aged 1.5–6 years.
Background:
Meghalaya launched the Meghalaya Early Childhood Development Mission (MECDM) on June 8, 2022, to
improve ECD indicators and enable every child to reach their full potential.
About the Project:
i.ADB project upgrades 1,800 AWCs and builds 600 new ones in challenging areas with climate-resilient
designs.
ii.AWCs serve as daycare centers, now with added ECD educators extending services to 1.5–3 and 3-6-year-
olds.
iii.ADB is set to conduct a first-of-its-kind evaluation to assess the potential to revolutionise ECD interventions
in Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) , shaping national and global childcare policies.
Funding Assistance:
Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) will grant USD 2 million in technical
assistance to help develop guidelines and training curricula for AWC staff and ECD educators.
Key Points:
• ADB to support nutrient enhancement by introducing egg in dietary plan for pregnant, lactating
women, and 0.5–6-year-old children.
• Climate-resilient efforts to establish nutrition gardens at AWCs for improved diet diversity and
security.
• Focus on vital first 1,000 days for optimal child development and nurturing care.
• ADB strengthens India’s early childhood development (ECD) initiatives, aligning with Meghalaya
Government’s cause.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines
Fino Payments Banks’ Board Approves Transition to SFB licence

On 28th July 2023, the board of Fino Payments Bank Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Fino Paytech Ltd
approved the proposal for the transition of the Bank into a Small Finance Bank (SFB) licence. The board has
also formed a committee to explore the possibility of group corporate restructuring and evaluate the
implications and other considerations.
• The bank received a letter from holding company Fino PayTech Ltd, regarding a group corporate
restructuring proposal, following which the board formed a committee.
The Bank continued its thrust on acquiring new customers and had registered growth 85% year-on-year (YOY)
in the net profit of Rs. 19 crore and its revenue in the June quarter of FY24 increased 21% YoY to Rs 348 crore.

Karnataka Bank Hosts Fintech Growth Program in Bengaluru
On 28th July 2023, Karnataka Bank Limited, a leading ‘A’ Class Scheduled Commercial Bank in India, hosted the
first edition of ‘KBL – FinOne’, “A Fintech Growth Program” in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The objective is to forge collaborations to develop innovative business models, providing seamless
banking experience & offering a complete product suite.
• Srikrishnan H is the Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the bank.
The first edition of ‘KBL – FinOne’ featured over 30 speakers from various fintechs, on topics such as emerging
lending models, neo-banks, platformization, including no code – low code, embedded finance, cards
infrastructure, payment innovations, etc.
Note: The event is hosted in association with “The Fintech Meetup”.
NABARD sanctions Rs 1974 cr to Rajasthan under RIDF for 2023-24

National Bank for Agriculture And Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 1,974.07 crore to
the Government of Rajasthan under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for 2023-24. A
budget of Rs.930.44 crore has been sanctioned for 3 rural drinking water supply projects in the districts of
Rajasthan namely Ajmer, Jalore, and Kota.
• Further, Rs.926.48 crore was sanctioned for the construction of 676 rural roads in the desert and
tribal areas of Rajasthan. Earlier, Rs.117.15 was allocated for the establishment of 104 veterinary
hospitals and 431 sub-centres in all the districts of Rajasthan.
• The drinking water supply projects are expected to provide clean and potable water to 2.87 lakh
households in 2,500 villages, whereas rural road projects will improve connectivity in 1,229 villages
across 12 districts.
• NABARD is also supporting the Rajasthan government to bring 4.28 lakh hectares under micro-
irrigation with support of Rs.740 crore from the Micro Irrigation Fund.
Note:
• NABARD’s Infrastructure Development Assistance has allocated Rs.623.38 crore for the construction
of earthen canal linings covering 450 kilometers in the Kota and Bundi districts.
• NABARD is India’s apex development bank, established in 1982 under an Act of Parliament to
promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development.
Airtel Payments Bank Launches India’s 1st Eco-Friendly Debit Card

On 8th August 2023, India’s first payment bank, Airtel Payment Bank also became the first Indian Bank to
launch an eco-friendly debit card for its new and existing customers with a savings bank account.
• The debit cards will be crafted from recycle- Poly Vinyl Chloride (r-PVC) material, a certified eco-
friendly material, against normal PVC cards.
• The introduction coincides with the Bank’s dedication to sustainability and its drive to advocate for
environmentally conscious practices within the financial industry.
Environmental Impact:
i.Each production batch of 50,000 cards will result in a reduction of 350 kgs of carbon emissions compared
to the traditional PVC cards commonly used in the market.
ii.The production of r-PVC cards will lead to a 43% reduction in hydrocarbon consumption, playing a role in
curbing petroleum usage during the manufacturing process.
iii.With each batch of r-PVC cards contributing to the conservation of an 6.6 million litres of water.
About new Debit cards:
Airtel Payments Bank debit card comes in two variants(under Classic variant)
i.Personalised Classic Card – Availed through the Airtel Thanks mobile application.
ii.Insta Classic Card – Availed at selected neighbourhood banking points (by the close of the current quarter).
Note: The cards also offer the rewards with e-commerce benefits of up to INR 10,000, as well as complimentary
One Dines experiences in major cities across India.

About Airtel Payments Bank Limited:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Anubrata Biswas
Exim Bank of India launches Factoring Subsidiary ‘Exim Finserve’ in GIFT City, Gujarat
On August 8, 2023, the Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank of India) launched its
subsidiary- India Exim Finserve IFSC Private Limited (Exim Finserve) at the Gujarat International Financial
Tec (GIFT) City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• It was inaugurated by Dr. Vivek Joshi, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry
of Finance.
• This subsidiary is set to provide a suite of trade finance solutions to Indian exporters, with a primary
emphasis on export factoring.
• Exim Finserve is the first finance company in GIFT City for export factoring.
Note: The subsidiary of Exim Bank was announced in the Union Budget 2023 by Union Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman.
Services to be provided by Exim Finserve to Exporters:
The subsidiary aims to empower exporters with a trio of services:
1. Receivables financing,
2. Risk mitigation against non-payment
3. Efficient accounts receivable management
Key Points:
i.The services by Exim Finserve will improve cash flow and reduced payment risk for exporters.
• It will enhance the export competitiveness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as
they can provide attractive credit terms to buyers without facing associated risks.
ii.During the launch event, Exim Bank also released a study titled “Strengthening Collaborations to Bridge
the Trade Finance Gap: Insights for G20 Countries”. The study notes that the trade finance gap expanded to
US$ 2 trillion in 2021/22.
About Exim Bank of India:
Managing Director– Harsha Bangari
IBA forms Sectoral Committee for 26 Banks in GIFT City

The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) constituted a sectoral committee to frame the unique regulatory landscape
and address challenges faced by 26 member banks operating within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City
(GIFT City) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The committee is intended to function as a bridge connecting the banking sector and regulatory
bodies, ensuring effective communication and resolution of concerns and perspectives.
Why the committee?
i.Due to the differential regulatory guidelines between banks operating within GIFT City and those outside,
there is a need for a dedicated committee to focus on resolving the challenges encountered by International
Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Banking Units (IBUs) .
ii.The committee will represent the collective interests of the banks operating within GIFT City.
iii. In the past, banks used to independently raise the issues they were experiencing with the International
Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA).
About Indian Banks’ Association (IBA):
Chief Executive – Sunil Mehta

About Gujarat International Finance Tec-city co. ltd. (GIFT-City)
Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Tapan Ray
Headquarters – Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Axis Bank to raise stake in Max Life to 16.22% via Rs 1,612 crore Investment
On August 9, 2023, Axis Bank Limited announce to raise its stake in Max Life Insurance Company Limited to
16.22% from 9.99% by infusing Rs 1,612 crore (USD 194.6 million) through a preferential allotment of shares.
• The proposal for the same was approved by the acquisitions, divestment and merger committee of
Bank’s board.
• This capital infusion will help Max Life to support its growth ambitions, augment capital position
and improve solvency margins.
Background:
Axis Bank, along with its entities (Axis Securities and Axis Capital), had acquired a 12.99% stake in Max Life in
2021, and through this new investment they will own 19.02% in the Max Life.
Key points:
i.The increase in the stake by the bank will be done through a share subscription agreement with Max Life
through subscription to the preferential issue of 14,25,79,161 fully paid-up equity shares of face value of Rs 10
each at a fair market value of Rs 113.06 per share.
ii.Currently, Max Financial holds an 87% in Max Life. On completion of the proposed capital infusion, Max
Financials’ shareholding will reduced to 80.98%.
iii.After the investment, Five nominee directors of Axis entities and three nominee directors of Max Financial
will be there on the board of Max Life.
About Axis Bank:
MD & CEO– Amitabh Chaudhry
Tagline– Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi
Chakr Innovation Secures Rs 18 Crore Funding from EXIM Bank’s USP for Sustainable
Environment
Chakr Innovation Pvt Ltd, a Gurugram (Haryana)- based technology start-up focused on environmental
sustainability and pollution reduction solutions, secured substantial funding of Rs.18 crores from the Export-
Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) under its Ubharte Sitare Programme (USP), for developing the
environmental sustainability and technology sector in India.
• The funds were sanctioned under EXIM Bank’s USP, reflecting the institution’s commitment to
promoting domestic growth and addressing international demands.
Note:
• Chakr Innovation has developed the world’s first retrofit emission control device for diesel
generators, and their technology can reduce ~70% of particulate matter emissions from the exhaust
of diesel generators.
• EXIM bank is the premier export finance institution, established by the Government of India, under
the Export-Import Bank of India Act, 1981. It commenced its operations in March 1982 and is
operating under the Ministry of Finance.
Canara Bank Launched Canara Jeevan Dhara for Pensioners

Canara Bank launched Canara Jeevan Dhara, a unique savings bank account designed for pensioners and
those who are planning for retirement, including all the employees who retired on a voluntary basis or

standard retirement procedures.
Variants:
Under this scheme, the bank provides two variants based on the amount of pension credit.
• Diamonds account is designed for pension credits of up to Rs 50,000.
• Platinum account caters to pension credits exceeding Rs 50,000.
Facilities:
Loan against Deposit: This account presents an opportunity for senior citizens as the bank extends an offer of
0.75% above the deposit rate.
Top-Up Facility: Customers holding this account will find added convenience, as the bank provides them with
a top-up facility on pension loans.
Concession on Medical Expenses: Canara Bank Jeevan Dhaara customers are entitled to a concession of up to
25% on medical expenses, easing their financial burdens.
Canara Bank Fixed Deposit(FD) Interest Rates: FDs offered by Canara Bank, maturing over durations
spanning 7 days to 10 years, yield interest rates ranging from 4% to 7.25% for the general public, and 4% to
7.75% for senior citizens.
Interest rates:
The bank provides different interest rates, ranging from 2.90% to 4% based on the balance in the savings
accounts. Click here for Interest rate details
About Canara Bank:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – K. Satyanarayana Raju
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
Established in – 1906 (as Canara Hindu Permanent Fund Ltd. and renamed as Canara Bank Limited in 1910)
Tagline – Together we can
Bank of Maharashtra Tops List of PSU lenders chart in Q1 in Loan, Deposit Growth
Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), an Indian Public Sector Bank(PSB), has emerged as the top performer among
public sector lenders in terms of loan and deposit growth in percentage during the first Quarter (Q1) of the
current financial year (FY24).
• Its deposit and advances recorded around 25% rise, the highest by any PSB, during the April-June
quarter.
• According to the recently published quarterly data of PSBs, BoM’s gross domestic advances surged
by 24.98%, reaching a total of Rs. 1,75,676 crore at the end of June 2023.
Top 5:
i.BoM was followed by UCO Bank with a growth rate of 20.70% in the 2nd spot.
ii.Bank of Baroda (BoB) with 16.80% and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) with 16.21% growth rates are at 3rd
and 4th spots, respectively.
iii.India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) stood at the 5th spot with a 15.08% rise in domestic
advances growth.
Key Points:
i.SBI’s total loans were about 16 times higher at Rs. 28,20,433 crore, as compared to Rs. 1,75,676 crore of BoM
in absolute terms.
ii.In terms of Retail-Agriculture-MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) loans (RAM loans), BoM has
the highest growth of 25.44% followed by Punjab & Sind Bank with 19.64% and Punjab National Bank (PNB) at
19.41% on Year-on-Year basis.
Highlights:
i.In the domain of deposit growth, BoM has marked a significant growth of 24.73% and mobilised Rs. 2,44,365
crore at the end of June 2023.
• BoB holds the 2nd place with a 15.50% growth in deposits (Rs. 10,50,306 crore), while PNB
recorded a 13.66% rise at Rs. 12,67,002 crore.

ii.With regard to low-cost Current Account and Savings Account (CASA) deposits, BoM retained the top position
with 50.97% followed by the Central Bank of India (CBI) at 49.56%.
iii.BoM’s total business also recorded the highest growth of 24.84% at Rs. 420,041 crores, followed by BoB at
16.10% at Rs. 18,62,932 crore at the end of June 2023.
About Bank of Maharashtra (BoM):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– A S Rajeev
Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra
Established on– 16 September 1935
Tagline– Ek Parivaar, Ek Bank (One Family One Bank)
IndusInd Bank Launches Visa Multi-Branded Credit Card with Qatar Airways & British Airways
IndusInd Bank Limited launched first-of-its-kind Visa multi-branded credit card “IndusInd Bank Avios Visa
Infinite Credit Card” in partnership with British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.
• This card aims to offer best-in-class rewards and benefits to customers, across travel, wellness and
lifestyle experiences.
• Avios, the rewards currency for British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
which can be used for travel rewards, including hotels and car hire.
About IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card:
i.The IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card is an ultra-premium metal card with an innovative, sleek
design.
ii.The chip-based contactless credit card will enable swift, convenient, and secure transactions for your daily
purchases.
Benefits:
i.The card offers flexibility to choose your preferred airline loyalty programme partner (Qatar or British
Airways) and select preferred international destination to maximise benefits.
ii.Complimentary Gold membership tier awarded by Qatar Airways.
iii.Airport Meet & Greet Immigration Services at leading international airports.
Other benefits:
The cardholders are also entitled for other benefits such as dedicated concierge, elderly care assist,
international travel health insurance and discounted foreign currency markup at preferred international
destinations.
Additional Info:
The British Airways is a member of oneworld Alliance, a premier airline alliance which aims to deliver a
superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers.
About IndusInd Bank Limited(Ltd):
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sumant Kathpalia
Tagline – We Make You Feel Richer
ADB Approves Rs.3.32 crore for Safe Public Transport Projects in Hyderabad
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted Rs.3.32 crore to a team of technology experts from Birla
Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Hyderabad (Telangana), Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Bombay (Maharashtra), and IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal) to develop, test, and implement
passenger safety projects in the public transport systems of Hyderabad.
• The experts’ team led by Prof. Prasanta Sahu, was working on developing technology solutions to
improve last-mile security for metro rail and public transit passengers under the guidance of NVS
Reddy, Managing Director (MD) Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL).

A maiden inception workshop of Technologies for Urban Transit to Enhance Mobility & Safe
Accessibility (TUTEM) was organised at BITS, Hyderabad campus, where DGP Anjani Kumar as the Chief Guest
promised full support from the Police department to ensure success and boost commuter confidence in safe
travel.
Indian Bank Starts Specialised Startup Cells in 10 Cities across India

Indian Bank, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) bank headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has
established 10 start-up cells across various cities in the country to mark its 117th foundation day (15 August
1907). These cells aim to cater to specialized banking needs and promote the growth of the startup ecosystem
in India.
• The start-up cells have been set up in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Bengaluru in Karnataka, Coimbatore
& Chennai in Tamil Nadu, New Delhi in Delhi, Gurgaon in Haryana, Guwahati in
Assam, Hyderabad in Telangana , Kanpur in UttarPradesh, and Mumbai in Maharashtra.
• As part of the initiative, the bank has developed a range of tailor-made(customized) banking
products and services specifically designed for startups, taking into consideration their distinct and
specialized banking needs.
• It includes offering payment gateways, corporate credit cards, and credit facilities apart from the
existing products of the bank.
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Indian bank is Shanti Lal Jain.
HDFC Bank Along With Marriott International Launched India’s First Co-Branded Hotel Credit
Card
Marriott International, one of the world’s largest hotel chains, in collaboration with HDFC Bank launched
India’s first co-branded hotel credit card in the name Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card.
• The card aims to enhance the travel experiences of cardholders by offering exclusive benefits,
rewards, and seamless access to Marriott International’s loyalty program Marriott Bonvoy .
• The co-branded credit card will run on Diners Club, part of the Discover Global Network.
Eligibility:
Salaried Indian National:
i.Must be an Indian national.
ii.Must be between the ages of 21 to 60 years.
Must have a gross monthly income of more than Rs. 1 lakh.
Self Employed Indian National:
i.Must be between the ages of 21 and 65 years.
ii.Must have an Income Tax Return (ITR) of more than Rs. 15 lakhs.
Bonvoy points:
i.The reward points earned by using the credit card are called Marriott Bonvoy points.
ii.These points can be redeemed at participating hotels across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Cardholders can
also transfer their points to 40 different airlines around the world.
Travel benefits:
i.12 complimentary access to domestic lounges and 12 complimentary access to international lounges.
ii.Insurance facility by HDFC Bank against loss or delayed baggage, loss of passport, ticket and missed
connection along with complimentary personal air accident insurance cover.
Additional info:
HDFC bank has over 100 million customers, and about 18 million of them use credit cards. The bank wants to
reach more of its existing customers with this premium product, and it also wants to reach the 180 million
plus customers who are part of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

About HDFC Bank Ltd:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Indian Bank Becomes 1st PSB to Extend Online Locker Agreement Through DDE Platform of
NeSL
Indian Bank became the First Public Sector Bank (PSB) to extend facility of execution of on-line locker
agreement through Digital Document Execution (DDE) Platform of National E-Governance Services Limited
(NeSL), India’s first Information Utility under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
• Online locker agreements are available 24/7, improving customer convenience and reduces agreement
execution time.
i.DDE is a fully automated contract execution platform with paperless e-stamp and electronic signature (e-
Sign) facility. The facility of e-Sign includes Aadhar based (OTP/Biometric) and dongle-based digital
signature…Click here for the workflow and benefit of DDE
ii.The platform provides the option for both individual and multiple signatories to execute documents
sequentially. This feature enables joint account holders to easily execute locker agreements. Additionally,
customers can monitor transaction status and instantly download the Electronic Evidence (65B) certificate.
• The 65B Certificate is prescribed under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act,1872. A 65B Certificate is
a certificate submitted to a court in India for the purpose of producing Electronic or Digital Evidence in
certain cases.
iii.The end-to-end digital process eliminates the need for physical stamp papers and signatures, making it
faster and more efficient.
About Indian Bank
MD & CEO – Shanti Lal Jain
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tagline – Your own bank
Frontier Markets Joined with Airtel Payments Bank and Mastercard Partner, Launched ‘She
Leads Bharat: Udyam’
Frontier Markets, a Social Commerce Platform, in collaboration with Airtel Payments Bank and the Mastercard
Center for Inclusive Growth launched an initiative ‘She Leads Bharat: Udyam’ . The announcement was made
at the 1st edition of Asia Inclusive Growth Forum.
• The initiative aims to elevate 1,00,000 women-owned small businesses in Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh.
• This is a first-of-its-kind initiative that brings together the private sector,social enterprise, and
philanthropy in the banking, financial services, and insurance sector.
• This initiative focuses on showcasing a digital-first approach to empower women-owned small
businesses, enabling them to enhance their earnings.
Role of Frontier Markets’:
Frontier Markets will implement the program and utilize its team of Saral Jeevan Sahelis, who are women
entrepreneurs. Their role involves identifying and enrolling women-owned small businesses onto the Meri-
Saheli platform.
i.In the first phase, the initiative will enable 1,00,000 women-owned small businesses to learn and earn via
Frontier Markets’ proprietary, flexible Meri-Saheli platform.
ii.Frontier Markets aims to reach 1 million women and 100 million rural households by 2025.

• Saral Jeevan Sahelis – Frontier Markets, has a network of 32,000+ rural women entrepreneurs
called “Saral Jeevan Sahelis”.
• Meri-Saheli tech platform, the first of its kind vernacular, Artificial intelligent (AI)-voice enabled
tech platform designed by Sahelis to support rural markets.
Role of Airtel Payment Bank:
i.Selective 10,000 women business owners will be made as Business Correspondence (BCs) by Airtel Payments
Bank.
ii.This initiative is in alignment with the Airtel Payment Bank’s vision of ‘Empowering India with Accessible
and Inclusive Banking.’
Role of Mastercard:
i.Mastercard through its Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth program will provide capital and global
expertise.
ii.The funding of the project will be provided by Mastercard Impact Fund.
About Frontier Markets:
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Ajaita Shah
Headquarters – Jaipur, Rajasthan
About Airtel Payment Bank:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Anubrata Biswas
‘Infinity Savings Account’ , First-Of-Its-Kind Fixed Fee-Based Savings Account Launched by Axis
Bank
Axis Bank Limited launched ‘Infinity Savings Account’, a first-of-its-kind fully Digital fixed fee-
based savings account with no paperwork or branch visits.We can able to open completely in digital
through the Video Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
• This account is designed for customer who are comfortable using digital services and often sign
up for subscription-based services.
Eligibility:
Any Resident Indian who is 18 years and above with Initial Funding of Rs 5,000.
Benefits:
i.Customers need to pay a fixed amount of fee at a predefined interval of time.
• There are no service charges or no Average Monthly Balance (AMB) requirement
ii.No charges on any domestic transactional fees.
iii.Free Debit Card with unlimited Automated Teller Machine (ATM) withdrawals.
iv.No charges on cheque book usage or transactions/withdrawals above limits.
Plans offered:
i.Monthly plan: The customers need to pay Rs 150 every month.The plan should be in active for a
minimum of 6 months.
ii.Annual plan: The annual plan is charged at Rs.1650 (inclusive of GST) and offers Infinity benefits for
360 days.
Tagline – Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

FINANCE NEWS
IFC invests USD 100 million in IIFL HFL to Boost LIG’s Access to Affordable Housing Finance in
India
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has invested up to USD 100
million in IIFL Home Finance Ltd (IIFL HFL),a housing finance company in India to increase access to housing
finance among economically weaker sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG), including women
borrowers in India.
• The investment also aims to induce India’s affordable housing space, promote green construction,
and support India’s climate goals.
• Through this partnership with IFC, IIFL HFL aims to bring sustainable living in self-constructed
houses.
• IIFL HFL is a subsidiary of IIFL Finance Limited, formerly known as IIFL Holdings Limited, doing
business as India Infoline Finance Limited(IIFL).It is registered under National Housing Bank(NHB)
in India.
Features of the Partnership:
i.Under the partnership, 50% of funding will be dedicated to promoting housing finance for women borrowers,
with the remaining 50% dedicated to financing green housing for buyers in this underserved segment.
ii.As part of this collaboration, IFC will offer a performance-based incentive from the United Kingdom(UK)-IFC
Market Accelerator for Green Construction Program (MAGC).
• The incentive aims to accelerate the execution of IIFL HFL’s green building strategy and stimulate
the adoption of affordable housing units certified as green.
Note: In 2018, IFC and the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ, then
operating as BEIS), collaborated to address climate change in developing nations. The Micro, Small, and
Medium Enterprises Advisory and Guarantee Facility (MAGC) represents the first UK-IFC partnership in this
endeavor.
• IIFL will also leverage IFC’s expertise in capacity building for diversity and inclusion to increase the
proportion of women borrowers in its portfolio.
Key Points:
i.India’s rapid urbanisation has intensified the need for affordable housing, with an estimated requirement of
38 million housing units by 2030. EWS and LIG segments represent over 96% of these needs.
• LIGs, particularly women, often lack the financial resources and credit history required to secure
mortgages, making adequate housing.
ii.As per IFC estimates, India’s green buildings market accounts for only 6% of residential buildings, despite
representing a USD 1.25 trillion opportunity between now and 2030.
About International Finance Corporation (IFC):
IFC is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing
countries.
Managing Director– Makhtar Diop
Headquarters– Washington, D.C., The United States of America
Paytm Launches 2 New Devices: Pocket Soundbox & Music Soundbox To Empower On-The-Go
Merchants
On July 31, 2023, Paytm, owned by One97 Communications Ltd (OCL), introduced two new cutting-edge
payment devices, the Paytm Pocket Soundbox and Paytm Music Soundbox. Both devices are equipped with
4G capabilities, providing enhanced convenience for on-the-go merchants.
About Paytm Pocket Soundbox:
It is a first-of-its-kind ‘Made in India’ portable device as small as debit card to empower on-the-go merchants
with instant audio payment alerts. This easy-to-carry device has all the features of Paytm Soundbox.

• It provides 5-day battery life, 4G connectivity and a torch to keep going even in low-light conditions.
• The merchants on the go include cab and auto drivers, electricians, delivery agents, parking fee
collectors and cart vendors.
About Paytm Music Soundbox:
It is a unique device that allows merchants to play music from their mobile phones via Bluetooth while
managing payment transactions. It serves both as a speaker for payment notifications and a Bluetooth music
player.
• It has 10-day battery life, 4G connectivity and a powerful 4W speaker.
• An additional feature called “voice overlay” enables merchants to hear payment notifications while
music is playing.
About Paytm:
Founder & CEO– Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pardesh (UP)
SBI Life Insurance becomes the first Indian private life insurer to launch ’24X7 inbound contact
centre
State Bank of India (SBI) Life Insurance became the first private life insurance company in India to provide
24X7 inbound contact centre via toll-free number 18002679090 to address before and after purchase queries
with the aim to offer real time solutions to queries related to policies and insurance solutions.
• The contact centre is available to both existing and new consumers, throughout the year.
• This is aligned with the goal of ‘Insurance for all by 2047’ set by Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
• This initiative aims to address both pre and post-purchase inquiries, offering real-time solutions for
policy and insurance-related queries.
Current Capacity:
The current capacity of the customer care support enables it to manage approximately 13 lakhs calls annually.
Additionally, the company operates an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) featuring 13 self-service
options.
Insurance for all by 2047-IRDAI:
i.IRDAI committed to enable ‘Insurance for all by 2047’ with an aim to provide every citizen with life, health
and property insurance cover and every enterprise with appropriate insurance solutions.
ii.The three pillars of the entire insurance ecosystem are insurance customers (policyholders), insurance
providers (insurers) and insurance distributors (intermediaries).
CRED launched RuPay credit card-based UPI payments

CRED, a Bengaluru (Karnataka) based fintech company, in collaboration with the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), introduced RuPay credit card-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments
for CRED members.
Features and Benefits:
i.Members of CRED can now use their RuPay credit cards to make payments to merchants via UPI.
ii.This integration enables members to complete transactions quickly and securely with a simple scan using
their linked RuPay credit card.
iii.It also eliminates the requirement to carry physical cards, enabling seamless payments using saved cards
and the benefit of tracking and clearing bills right on the CRED app.
iv.It can enable customers to earn more rewards on their UPI transactions through their credit cards on CRED.
Key Points:
i.Multiple payment options for UPI will be now available for the CRED members such as linking their Rupay
Credit Card, Peer-to-Peer (P2P), Scan and Pay, and paying on online merchants.
ii.CRED supports RuPay credit cards issued by banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, Axis Bank, BOB

Financial Solutions, Canara Bank, Indian Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Union Bank.
Note: Currently, the CRED app is the 4th most preferred UPI app.
About CRED:
Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Kunal Shah
IndiaFirst Life Insurance launches ‘Guarantee of Life Dreams(G.O.L.D)’ Plan

On 31st July 2023, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life), launched a new
plan “IndiaFirst Life Guarantee of Life Dreams (G.O.L.D.)” a non-linked, non-participating, individual life
insurance plan is designed to provide policyholders with a regular long-term income option.
• The highlight of this product is that one can plan to receive future income from the end of the first
month itself.
Premium and Tenure:
The plan offers Premium Paying Terms (PPT), with options of 6 years, 8 years, and 10 years for a policy tenure
of 30 years or 40 years. Receive a regular income from the end of the 10th year of the policy with the benefit of
life cover
• Pay premiums for a fixed period – 6, 8 or 10 years.
• Receive a regular income in yearly, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly frequency till the end of the
chosen policy term, i.e., for 30 or 40 years.
What is Premium Paying Terms (PPT)?
Premium Paying Term (PPT) refers to the duration during which a policyholder needs to pay premiums for an
insurance policy. It is the period within which the regular premium payments are made to keep the insurance
policy in force.
• Once the PPT is over, the policy remains active until the end of the policy term or maturity,
depending on the terms of the insurance contract.
About Guarantee of Life Dreams (G.O.L.D.):
The IndiaFirst Life Guarantee of Life Dreams Plan extends three distinct choices for generating income:
i.Immediate Income Option: This option introduces a consistent and progressively increasing income stream,
commencing as early as the conclusion of the first policy month. The income is disbursed monthly, ensuring a
regular inflow of funds.
ii.Intermediate Income Option: With this option, policyholders enjoy regular increasing income starting from
the end of the 5th policy year.
iii.Deferred Income Option: The Deferred Income Option provides a reliable and progressively increasing
income source, commencing from the end of the 10th policy year. In addition, the plan incorporates two lump-
sum cash back instalments, each amounting to 50 percent of the Annualised Premium. These installments are
allocated at the conclusion of the 3rd policy year and the termination of the Premium Paying Term (PPT).
i.Age at Entry:
• Minimum 90 days
• Maximum for Premium Payment Term is 6, 8 & 10 years
• Maximum for Immediate income is 50 years and 55 years
• Maximum for Intermediate income is 50 years and 55 years
• Maximum for Deferred income is 50 years and 60 years
ii.Age at Maturity:
• Minimum 30 years
• Maximum 90 years
iii.Premium Payment Frequency – Yearly,Half Yearly,Quarterly, Monthly options are available.The minimum
premium is Rs.4176 and is no limit on maximum premium.

Additional Info
The plan offers Waiver of Premium (WOP) Rider in which future premiums are waived off in case the
policyholder/ life assured suffers from death, accidental total permanent disability, or critical illnesses.
About IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life)
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Vishakha RM
Mastercard Introduces CVC Free Online Transactions for Its Customers

On 7th August 2023, Mastercard introduced Card Verification Code (CVC)-free online transactions for
customers who have tokenized their debit and credit cards on merchant platforms.
• The move aims to reduce the checkout time and make CVC-free payment to enhance the payment
security.
Mastercard’s token-based transactions leverage 3 key factors that ensure a high degree of safety and security
which includes
i.Enhanced Security Features
ii.Authenticated User Identity Check
iii.Domain Control
Tokenization of Card & CVC:
As per the Reserve Bank of India’s tokenization guidelines, merchants who implement tokenized payments will
collect the CVC only once, during the initial tokenization of the card. For future transactions, cardholders select
the tokenized card, verify One-time password(OTP), and complete the payment without re-entering CVC,
streamlining the process while ensuring security.
Note: CVC is the 3-digit number printed on the back of debit and credit cards.
AU SFB Launched India’s first 24×7 Video Banking Service

On 08th August 2023, AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB), India’s Largest Small Finance Bank, became the first
bank in India to offer 24X7 for 365 days video banking facility to all the customers(including account holders
under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana(PMJDY) ) for free of cost.
• Video Banking provides customers with a branch-like experience, enabling them to engage in face-
to-face interactions with AU Video Banking relationship managers over a video call.
• The customer needs to be at least 18 years of age and located within India while making the video
call.
Services offered:
i.Opening of Savings Account & Booking for Fixed Deposit(FD).
ii.Initiating financial transactions like Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), National Electronic Funds Transfer
(NEFT) and Internal Fund Transfer.
iii.Other services like mobile number updation, address change, dormant account activation, registration of net
banking without debit card.
Timeframe:
• The Video Banking service for initiating account openings is accessible every day, including Sundays
and Bank Holidays, only from 8 am to 9 pm.
• The Video Servicing feature, catering to inquiries and service requests, is operational only from 8
am to 8 pm.
Mode of connection: Via AU 0101 Mobile Application or by NetBanking.
Security Measures:
• Verification of mobile numbers via One-Time-Password (OTP).
• Facial recognition powered by Artificial Intelligence(AI).
• Customised security queries.

• Recording of calls.
• Strict due diligence on all financial transactions and service requests.
Required Documents:
i.For Account Opening- Original PAN Card.
ii.For Video Banking (Servicing)- Any Officially Valid Document (OVD) apart from Aadhaar.
Note: Video Know Your Customer (KYC) is a part of Video Banking which offers 400+ services.
About AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB):
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sanjay Agarwal
Headquarters – Jaipur, Rajasthan
Tagline – Badlaav Humse Hai
PFRDA integrates NPS Statement of Transaction (SoT) with CAS

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA) in coordination with the Securities and
Exchange Board of India(SEBI) has integrated the National Pension System (NPS) Statement of Transaction
(SoT) with the Consolidated Account Statement (CAS).
• Now, PFRDA has enabled Central Record Keeping Agencies (CRAs) to integrate with depositories,
registered with SEBI to provide NPS Subscribers with the option to include NPS transactions in CAS.
• The facility to include NPS SoT in CAS will be available to NPS subscribers on consent basis.
About CAS:
i.The CAS provided by National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Central Depository Services Ltd
(CDSL) offers a consolidated view of the personal investments in the securities market with updated mark-to-
market values.
ii.It encompasses holdings of Demat accounts and mutual fund holdings of the investors.
Note: CAS is issued to investors in accordance with Regulation 36(4) of SEBI
(Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996.
Present scenario:
At present, the NPS SoT is shared annually, either in physical form or via email, and is also accessible for online
viewing through CRA login.
Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) Advantages:
i.Simplified Record-Keeping: CAS summarizes the statements for different investments into one
comprehensive statement, reducing paperwork and offering a consolidated view of all investments in one
place.
ii.Enhanced Security: CAS ensures the safety of information related to contributions/investments. Monthly
updates help Subscribers spot unauthorized transactions.
iii.Timely Information: CAS provides monthly updates on transactions and holdings, enabling Subscribers to
track performance, stay informed, and make informed choices.
About Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA):
Chairperson – Deepak Mohanty
HDFC Group launched Life Insurance & Asset Management Services from Gujarat’s GIFT City
HDFC Group launched new life insurance and asset management services at International Financial Services
Centre (IFSC) situated in Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City, Gujarat.This initiative offer services to
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and the global Indian diaspora.
• HDFC Life unveils HDFC International Life and Re, and HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Ltd by HDFC
Asset Management Company to cater to the financial needs of the worldwide Indian community.

HDFC International Life and Re:
HDFC Life created HDFC International Life and Re to provide specialized insurance solutions.
i.This is offering life and health insurance plans in United States (US) dollars(USD) which aims to make world-
class foreign currency denominated insurance solutions available for Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and global
Indians.
ii.The first product – US Dollar Global Education Plan– to eliminate any future mismatch between the
currency of investment and the currency of expenses.
• The plan is designed to help parents with a US dollar-denominated corpus to meet future expenses for
their child’s overseas education.
HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Limited(Ltd):
i.HDFC Asset Management Company(AMC) established HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Ltd to offer fund
management and advisory solutions as part of its offshore hub operations.
• Indian investment solutions available to global investors and global investment solutions available to
resident investors.
ii.The first product – plan to launch six funds – to contribute to various HDFC Mutual Fund schemes,
encompassing strategies related to equity and hybrid investments.
About HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited
Managing Director(MD) & Chief executive Officers (CEO) – Vibha Padalkar
About HDFC Asset Management Company Limited:
HDFC AMC was established in 2000 and firm registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
Joint Venture Formation: In 2001, a strategic joint venture was established between HDFC Limited and abrdn
Investment Management Limited (formerly Standard Life Investments Limited).
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Director – Navneet Munot
CBDT Notifies New Rules for Tax Exemption of Life Insurance Premiums Exceeding 5 Lakh
Central Board for Direct Tax (CBDT) under Department of Revenue in Ministry of Finance issued notification
(No. 61/2023) regarding the Income Tax Amendment (Sixteenth Amendment) Rules, 2023 is a set of rules
introduced as part of the Finance Act, 2023. The new guidelines for tax exemptions under the amended
section 10 (10D) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, state that the maturity sum received from life insurance
policies will be subject to taxation if the annual premium exceeds Rs.5 lakh.
• The insertion of a new clause (xiii) in sub-section (2) of section 56 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, is
related to the amendment mentioned in the Income Tax Amendment (Sixteenth Amendment) Rules,
2023.
• This new clause (xiii) introduces a specific provision that addresses the tax treatment of sums
received under a life insurance policy.The tax treatment of life insurance policies refers to how
the proceeds or benefits received from these policies are treated for taxation purposes
• Rule 11UACA provides the methodology for computing the income chargeable to tax under clause
(xiii) of sub-section (2) of section 56 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Note – The Finance Act is an annual legislation in India that outlines the amendments, modifications, and
changes to various tax laws, including the Income Tax Act, 1961.
The key changes introduced through the amendment are as follows:
Under the previous rules specified in section 10 (10D) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, the maturity sum of a
life insurance policy, along with any bonuses, was not subject to taxation.
• However, the amendment to Clause (10D) of section 10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, stipulated
that the maturity sum received from life insurance policies issued on April 1, 2023, or after, will be
taxable if the yearly premium exceeds Rs 5 lakh.

The new provisions specify that starting from the FY 2023-24 (Assessment Year 2024-25):
i.Premium Limit for Exemption: Sums received from life insurance policies (except Unit Linked Insurance
Policies(ULIP)) issued on or after April 1, 2023, will not be eligible for exemption under Clause (10D) if the
aggregate premium payable for any previous year during the policy term exceeds Rs.5 Lakhs(Rs.5,00,000).
ii.Multiple Policies Aggregate Limit: If you have multiple life insurance policies (excluding unit linked
policies) issued after April 1, 2023, the tax exemption will only apply to policies where the total premium paid
in any previous year doesn’t exceed Rs. 5 lakhs for the entire duration of those policies.
iii.Exception for Death Claims: These conditions won’t apply to sums received on a person’s death. In case of
claims received due to the demise of an insured person, the new provisions will not be applicable.
Note: The Union Budget 2023-24 introduced a change in the tax treatment of life insurance policies, with the
exception of Unit Linked Insurance Policies (ULIPs).
• Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs): ULIPs combine life insurance coverage with investment.
The tax treatment varies based on whether the policy is primarily an insurance product or an
investment product. The premium paid for insurance coverage is eligible for deduction, and the tax
treatment of investment gains depends on the holding period and other factors.
The New Rules-11UACA:
Rule 11UACA” is a reference to a specific rule introduced as part of the Income Tax Amendment
(Sixteenth Amendment) Rules, 2023.
• Rule 11UACA has been established to regulate the determination of income associated with the
maturity proceeds of life insurance policies issued after 1 April 2023, when the premiums paid
exceeds Rs. 5 lakh.
• The rule makes distinctions in the calculation methodology based on whether the sum is received
for the first time or in subsequent years under the life insurance policy.
A new clause (xiii) has been introduced in sub-section (2) of section 56
• It states that if any sum, including bonuses, is received during a previous year under a life insurance
policy (excluding unit linked policies), which isn’t excluded from total income under clause (10D) of
Section 10, the portion exceeding the aggregate premiums paid during the policy term (and not
claimed as a deduction elsewhere in the Act) will be taxed under the head “Income from other
sources.”
A new sub-clause (xviid) is added to clause (24) of Section 2, specifying that income includes any sum
mentioned in clause (xiii) of sub-section (2) of section 56.
Max Life Insurance Introduces Max Life NIFTY Smallcap Quality Index Fund
Max Life Insurance Company Limited(Max Life) launched “NIFTY Smallcap Quality Index Fund” in the Unit
Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP) segment to provide an opportunity to capitalise on the growth potential of
smallcap companies, aiming for long term index linked returns.
• This marks the first smallcap index fund of the life insurance sector.
• Max Life Nifty Smallcap Quality Index Fund is similar to Nifty Smallcap 250 Quality 50 Index which
offers 22% Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for 10 years.
• This fund is designed to provide investors with an opportunity to leverage the growth potential of
Small-Cap companies, with a focus on achieving long-term index-linked returns.
Additional Points about NIFTY Smallcap Quality Index Fund:
i.The fund will be available with leading products like Online Savings Plan, which carries no allocation and
administrative charges, and the Platinum Wealth Plan, available with guaranteed wealth boosters and additions
during the New Fund Offer (NFO) period.It will also be available with other ULIP products.
• During the NFO period, the Fund will be offered through both the Online Savings Plan and the
Platinum Wealth Plan.
ii.The lower Fund Management Charges (FMC) makes this Index Fund a valuable investment avenue for
millennial investors.

iii.This fund is anticipated to generate returns in line with the benchmark performance of the NIFTY Smallcap
250 Quality 50 Index, following to the investment guidelines set by the Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI).
About Max Life Insurance Company Limited(Ltd):
Max Life Insurance Company Limited(Ltd) is a joint venture between Max Financial Service Limited(70%) and
Axis Bank Limited(30%).
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Prashant Tripathy
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
Muthoot Fincorp Launches “Muthoot FinCorp ONE”, an All-In-One Financial Platform

Muthoot Fincorp Limited(MFL), a leading Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) based in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, launched “Muthoot FinCorp ONE”, an innovative all-in-one digital financial
platform.
• The platform will provide a range of services including Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and
Gold loans along with investment products like Digital Gold and Non-Convertible Debentures(NCDs).
• The platform introduced its gold loans in May 2023 and aims to add insurance, personal loans, two-
wheeler loans, housing loans, and money transfer services within the next 6 months.
Muthoot Fincorp is a flagship company of Muthoot Pappachan Group (also known as Muthoot Blue). Chief
Executive Officer of MFL- Shaji Varghese.
IRDAI Approves Amendments to Reinsurance Regulations

On August 24, 2023, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), during its 123rd
Authority Meeting, approved amendments to Reinsurance Regulations to enhance the business environment,
and to attract more reinsurers to set up operations in India.
• These amendments streamline the existing regulations for all insurance market
participants including Indian insurers, Indian reinsurers, Foreign Reinsurance Branches (FRBs),
and International Financial Services Centre(IFSC) Insurance Offices (IIOs).
• This will also position India as a key global reinsurance center.
Key Amendments:
i.The amendments include a reduction of the minimum capital requirement for FRBs from Rs 100 Crore to Rs
50 Crore, with the provision to repatriate any excess assigned capital.
• The decrease in the capital requirement for overseas reinsurers will increase the number of
reinsurers operating within India.
ii.The order of preference for various categories has also been simplified from six to four levels. These levels
are as follows:
• Category 1: This includes Indian Reinsurers, with the sole Indian reinsurer being GIC Re.
• Category 2: IIOs, which invest 100% of retained premiums within India’s domestic market, as well
as FRBs.
• Category 3: Encompasses other International Insurers and Intermediaries.
• Category 4: It includes other Indian insurers and Cross Border Reinsurers (CBRs) for per-risk
facultative placements within the registered insurer’s business segment.
iii.The format for reinsurance programmes has been simplified, and regulatory reporting requirements have
been rationalised for increased clarity and effectiveness.
iv.The regulatory framework for IIOs has been aligned with International Financial Services Centres Authority
(IFSCA) regulations to remove dual compliance.
Focus Areas of Amendments:
i.To expand reinsurance sector capacity to meet rising demand and handle bigger risks.
ii.To boost industry expertise to encourage excellence and innovation.
iii.To ease compliance obligations for sector entities, enhancing regulatory navigation efficiency.

About Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI):
It is a statutory body formed under an Act of Parliament, i.e., Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority Act, 1999 (IRDAI Act 1999) .It is a public authority as defined in the Right to Information Act, 2005
Chairman– Debasish Panda
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS

India’s Q1 FY24 Fiscal Deficit at Rs 4.51 Trillion, 25% of Annual Target
Based on the data released by Controller General of Accounts(CGA) under Department of Expenditure,
Ministry of Finance on 31st July 2023, the fiscal deficit for first quarter(Q1 – April 2023 to June 2023) stood
at Rs 4.51 trillion(USD 54.86 billion) as against the full year estimate of Rs 17.86 trillion, accounting
for 25.3% of annual estimates for the financial year 2023-2024(FY2024).
• It was lower at Rs 3.5 trillion or 21.2% of the Budget estimate in the corresponding period in FY
2022-2023 (FY23).
• The rise in fiscal deficit is attributed to increased capital expenditure and accelerated tax devolution
to state governments, which offset the sharp increase in non-tax revenues.
Key Points:
i.Capital Expenditure (Capex) Surge:
• Capex increased significantly to Rs 2.78 trillion in June 2023 quarter.
• This marked a substantial rise from Rs 1.75 trillion in the same period the previous year.
ii.Non-tax revenues:
Total non-tax revenue for Q1 in FY2024 was Rs 1,54,968 crore or 51.4 % of the budget estimates against 23.1%
for the same period last year. Dividends and profits made up 105% of the non-tax revenue, adding up to Rs
91,000 crore.
Other Observation:
i.Receipts and Tax Revenues:
• Total receipts for April-June reached Rs 5.99 trillion, constituting 22.1% of annual estimates.
• Tax receipts contributed Rs 4.3 trillion, equivalent to 18.6% of annual estimates.
ii.Total Expenditure Increase:
• Total expenditure grew notably to Rs 10.5 trillion in June 2023 quarter.
• This represents 23.3% of annual estimates, a significant rise from Rs 5.86 trillion in the previous
year’s period.
iii.Fiscal Deficit Target:
• Government’s aim: Reduce fiscal deficit to 5.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in FY 2023-24
against 6.4% last year.
iv.Non-Tax Revenue Surge:
• Net tax revenues contracted by 14%.
• Non-tax revenues surged by 149%, driven by factor like RBI dividend transfer of Rs 87,416 crore in
May 2023 for FY2023
v.Expenditure Composition: Within total revenue expenditure of Rs 7.72 trillion at June quarter-end:
• Interest payments accounted for Rs 2.44 trillion and Rs 87,035.14 crore directed toward subsidies.
About Fiscal Deficit:
• It is the excess of total spending from the Consolidated Fund of India(excluding repayment of the
debt) over total receipts into the fund (excluding the debt receipts) during a financial year.
• Formula: Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure of the government (capital and revenue expenditure) –
Total income of the Government (Revenue Receipt + Recovery of loans + Other receipts).

Air India unveils new logo ‘The Vista’ at rebranding event
On 10th August 2023, Air India, Tata Group-owned airline unveiled its new logo, branding, and plane livery at
the rebranding event held in New Delhi, Delhi. The new logo called ‘The Vista’ was inspired by the peak of the
gold window frame that signifies the limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and Air India’s bold, confident
outlook for the future.
• The Vista replaces old logo “Wheel of Konark”, a red swan adorned with the distinctive orange
Konark Chakra.
• Air India’s new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine,
and gold highlights and a chakra-inspired pattern.
• The rebranding of Air India gained momentum following its acquisition by the Tata Group. Tata
Sons, via its fully owned subsidiary, Talace Private Limited (“Talace”), acquired a 100% stake in Air
India on 27th January 2022.
• Air India underwent a 15-month transformation, and through advancements in technology, fleet,
maintenance, ground handling, and operations, Air India succeeded in elevating itself to world-class
standards in safety, customer service, and overall passenger experience.
Note:
• Livery refers to the collection of symbols, insignia, colours, and distinctive identifiers that are
associated with an airline’s brand.
• In December 2022, the Tata Group took a step towards the rebranding of Air India by enlisting the
services of Futurebrands, a brand and design consultancy based in London, the United Kingdom
(UK).
Quinag Exits Manappuram Finance; Sold Entire Stake For Rs 1,177 Cr

Quinag Acquisition (FPI) Ltd, a foreign fund house, has offloaded its entire stake, 8,37,85,880 shares
amounting to a 9.90% stake, in Manappuram Finance Limited, a Kerala based Non-Banking Financial
Company (NBFC), for Rs 1,177 crore through an open market transaction.
• The shares were offloaded at an average price of Rs 140.50 apiece.
Bofa Securities Europe SA(“BofASE”),a subsidiary of Bank of America has acquired 62.60 lakh shares and
Chartered Finance Management Limited (CFM) and Leasi NG has acquired 50 lakh shares of Manappuram
Finance.
India to grow at average 6.7% per year from FY24 to FY31: S&P Global
As per the United States based corporation S&P Global’s report titled ‘Look Forward: India’s Moment’, India
will grow at an average 6.7% per year from financial year 2023-24 (FY24) to FY31. This will increase the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of India to USD($)6.7 trillion by FY31 from $3.4 trillion in FY23 and The Per capita
GDP will rise to about $4,500.
• For FY24, India will be the fastest growing economy in the G20 (Group of Twenty) and will grow by
6% amid global slowdown and policy rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• India shows a GDP growth of 7.2% in FY23.
• The report projected India’s economic growth from FY24 to FY31.
Key Points:
i.The Indian private sector will drive India’s economic growth with projected capital contribution of around
53% of the projected 6.7% average GDP growth until 2030.
ii.Increasing the participation of women in the labor force will be crucial for future growth since only 24%
were participating in 2022.
iii.India has an opportunity to boost its share of global manufacturing exports, and the government aims to
raise manufacturing’s contribution to GDP from 17.7% to 25% by 2025.

iv.The development of digital infrastructure is also a potential growth driver of Indian economy.
v.India’s total energy demand to double by 2050.
Crisil projects Indian economy to grow at 6% in FY24

On August 16, 2023, Crisil, a global analytics company, has estimated that the Indian economy will experience a
growth rate of 6% during FY24, a decline from the 7.2% growth achieved in FY23.
Key Points:
i.The report stated that the global economic slowdown is expected as a result of rising interest rates and the
exports may continue to be a drag on industrial output.
ii.It also stated that the monsoon will have a significant impact on industrial prospects through effects on
inflation and rural demand.
• Crisil also noted that the monsoon has weakened, with all India rainfall turning deficient at 5%
below long period average (LPA) as on 15th August 2023.
• This also highlighted that El Nino which will determine the rainfall pattern has set in as expected.
Key Highlights:
i.Retail inflation in India escalated to 7.44% in July of the current year, surpassing the upper tolerance level set
by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) i.e. 2-6%.
ii.The notable surge in food inflation to 11.5% in July, up from 4.5% in June and 3% in May, can be attributed to
accelerating inflation rates in vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices, and milk.
• This marks the highest food inflation rate since April 2020.
Marketing Freedom regime: ONGC signed 1st-ever term contract with BPCL for sale of crude oil
from Mumbai region
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under
the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), has entered into a term contract with Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited (BPCL), a Maharatna PSU under MoPNG, for the sale of crude oil from
the Mumbai region in Maharashtra. This agreement represents the first-ever term contract under the
Marketing Freedom system of government.
• The contract comes after the Government of India’s (GoI) decision to grant marketing and pricing
freedom for domestic crude oil replacing the previous allocation mechanism.
Note: ONGC has adapted to the new regime and successfully conducted the first-ever e-auction of Mumbai
(Maharashtra) Offshore crude oil.
Key Signatories:
The contract was signed by Sanjay Kumar, ONGC Executive Director (ED)- Chief Marketing, and Manoj Heda,
BPCL ED (Information Technology (IT)) at ONGC NBP Green Heights, in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Key Points:
i.BPCL and ONGC have been in collaboration since 1976. BPCL processes ONGC’s crude oil at the Mumbai
refinery.
ii.The refinery’s strategic location is connected by pipeline, facilitating seamless logistical operations for ONGC.
iii.The energy market is constantly changing, ONGC stands strong, driving innovation and achieving excellence
in India’s oil and gas sector. As a key player, ONGC plays a vital role in shaping India’s energy future.
About Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC):
Chairman & CEO– Arun Kumar Singh
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Established in– 14th August 1956

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL):
Incorporated in 1952 as a private limited company with the name Burmah Shell Refineries Ltd and renamed
BPCL on August 1, 1977.
Chairman & MD (CMD) – G Krishnakumar
L&T, partners to invest $4B in Green Hydrogen Projects ; To Acquire NPCIL stake in Arm
Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) and its green hydrogen joint venture (JV) partners viz. Indian Oil Corporation
Limited (IOCL) and ReNew Power, will invest upto USD 4 billion (Rs 32,000 crore) in their green hydrogen
businesses over next three to five years.
• This is a part of the L&T’s plans to invest around USD 12 billion over the next five years.
Focus:
The focus of this collaboration is to harness the potential of green hydrogen, a clean and sustainable alternative
to traditional fossil fuels.
Key Points:
i.L&T has approached some coastal states in India to acquire 500-1,000 acres of land for hydrogen facilities.
ii.The venture into hydrogen production will commence with the manufacturing of electrolyzers, scheduled to
begin operations in December 2023.
iii.These electrolyzers will utilize renewable energy from ReNew Power Private Ltd. to produce green
hydrogen at the IOCL refinery in Panipat, Haryana.
iv.The project will subsequently be expanded to other IOCL refineries and L&T customers.
Note:
The clean energy strategy will be led by L&T Energy Green Tech, a subsidiary of L&T.
Additional info:
i.The key part of this investment involves allocating approximately Rs 500 crore towards the development of
electrolysers.
• Electrolysers are components in the production of green hydrogen, as they facilitate the separation
of hydrogen from water using renewable electricity sources, thus ensuring a more eco-friendly
energy creation process.
ii.L&T has set up a hydrogen plant in Hazira, Gujarat in 2022 and has partnered with IOCL to manufacture
electrolysers.
iii.In 2023, L&T signed an agreement with Norway-based H2Carrier to develop floating green ammonia
projects for industrial-scale applications.
• L&T also entered into a manufacturing agreement with France-based McPhy Energy for the
production of electrolysers using McPhy’s technology.
L&T to buy out NPCIL stake in L&T Special Steel and Heavy Forging
L&T is also looking to procure 26% stake that Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) currently holds in
L&T Special Steel and Heavy Forging. In pursuit of this acquisition, L&T is prepared to invest
approximately Rs 150 crore.
• L&T Special Steels and Heavy Forgings is a Joint Venture of L&T and Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Limited.
Reason behind this move:
L&T has a forge shop that plays a critical role in the production of nuclear and defense-oriented items.
However, the presence of NPCI’s stake has posed challenges, hindering L&T’s efforts to broaden its horizons.
The nuclear plant connected to the JV accumulated loss of nearly Rs 3,000 crore. Recognizing the need for a
shift, L&T has initiated discussions with NPCI regarding the potential sale of the shareholdings.
i.To strengthen defence ties with India, the government of the USA has signed a formal framework
agreement on naval ship repair with Larsen & Toubro, the Indian defense shipbuilder.

ii.L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS) has partnered with Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL) to provide private 5G (Fifth-generation) network solutions for global enterprises providing
faster connection speed and lower latency.
About Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T):
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director– Sekharipuram Narayanan Subrahmanyan
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
ICRA Estimates GDP Growth at 8.5% in Q1FY24; Maintains FY24 Forecast at 6%

ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) projected that
India’s economic growth will accelerate to 8.5% during the first quarter of the financial year 2023-24 (Q1FY24)
in the period from April 2023 to June 2023. This is a notable increase from the 6.1% growth rate recorded in
the fourth quarter of the financial year 2022-23 (Q4FY23), spanning January 2023 to March 2023.
• ICAR forecasts India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to remain at 6% for the financial
year 2023-24 (FY24), a figure lower than the RBI’s projected estimate of 6.5%.
Highlights:
i.India’s Q1FY24 GDP increase is supported by a strong Q1FY23 base, improved profit margins, and service
sector revival.
ii.This 8.5% estimate for Q1FY24 is higher than the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) forecast of 8.1%.
iii.Q1FY24 Gross Value Added (GVA) growth is projected at 8.1%, compared to 6.5% in Q4FY23.
iv.Unpredictable rainfall, narrowing year-on-year commodity price differences, and a potential slowdown in
Government capex momentum due to the upcoming parliamentary elections will hamper GDP growth in
FY2024.
Key Points:
i.Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) expansion in Q1 FY24 to be in double digits, based on the robust year on
year growth performance of a majority of the investment-related indicators.
ii.The aggregate capital outlay and net lending of 23 state governments (except Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa,
Manipur and Meghalaya), and Indian Government’s gross capital expenditure surged by 76% (Rs 1.2 lakh
crore) and 59.1% (Rs 2.8 lakh crore) respectively in Q1FY24.
iii.Capex-related External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) for modernization, new projects, and capital goods
imports reached USD 13.0 billion in Q1FY24, surpassing FY23’s full-year levels of USD 9.6 billion.
iv.Services’ gross value added growth to have risen to 9.7% in Q1FY24 from 6.9% in Q4 FY23
v.Electricity generation growth dropped to an 11-quarter low of 1.3% in Q1 FY24 due to an unfavorable base
and excessive rainfall in the first half of the quarter.
vi.Industrial GVA growth estimated to have risen to 7.3% in Q1 FY24 from 6.3% in Q4 FY23, driven by the
manufacturing sector with an expected growth of 8% in Q1 FY24.
vii.Agricultural growth projected at 4.0% in Q1 FY24, relatively lower compared to the 5.5% in Q4FY23.
Click Here for Official Release
India’s Per Capita Income to rise 7.5-times by FY47: SBI Research

According to SBI Ecowrap, research division of the State Bank of India (SBI), India’s per capita income will rise
7.5 times by 2047, reaching Rs14.9 lakh (USD 12,400) annually from the present Rs 2 lakh (USD 2,500) in FY23.
• This aligns with the government’s target of transforming India into a developed economy by 2047.
Key Points:
i.The mean income of tax-filing individuals is projected to increase to Rs 49.9 lakh by FY47 from Rs 13 lakh in
FY22, driven by economic shifts, tax trends, and initiatives like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the
UDYAM Portal.
ii.State Contributions: Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and West Bengal contribute
significantly to total tax returns, accounting for nearly half by FY22.

iii.Tax filers increased from 2.1 million in FY13 to 85 million in FY23, projected to reach 482 million by FY47,
with the working population subject to taxation rising from 22.4% in FY23 to 85.3% in FY47.
iv.An approx. 25% decrease expected in zero-tax filers by FY47 as many shift to higher income brackets.
v.Notably, 13.6% between FY11 and FY22 moved from lowest income category, with 8.1% reaching Rs 5-10
lakh and 3.8% entering Rs 10-20 lakh range between FY11 and FY22.
vi.Migrating individuals contributed 0.5-2.5% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in specific states.
Antler Launched India’s First ONDC-Centric Venture Platform Antler ONDC for Indian Start-up
Founders
Antler India, a Venture Capital (VC) firm launched India’s first Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)-
focussed venture platform, Antler ONDC, to provide resources, an expert network, community, and capital to
start-up founders building on ONDC. The platform aims to increase talent density and enable opportunities on
ONDC and is also set to democratise e-commerce in India. It will also support pre-team and pre-idea founders
to build on ONDC.
• The platform has been created in partnership with Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Chairman of
the Infosys Board; Foundation for Interoperability in Digital Economy (FIDE) (Beckn Protocol),
and ONDC.
• The new programme offers USD 300,000 pre-seed capital and a potential extra investment of up to
USD 200,000 from Antler network partners, including unicorn founders, for prepared teams with
ideas,
The Antler India offers a unique solution, helping aspiring entrepreneurs find cofounders and raise funding in a
span of 3 months, will also support founders building on ONDC to scale up.
MoU’s & AGREEMENTS

India’s eGov Foundation, UNDP Indonesia sign MoU to improve Medical Waste Management in
Indonesia
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia and India’s eGov Foundation have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to tackle the critical challenge of infectious medical waste
management in Indonesia.
Aim:
To utilize eGov Foundation’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – DIGIT (Digital Infrastructure for
Governance, Impact & Transformation) to implement a cohesive solution at speed and scale
Need behind this MoU:
The need for this collaboration is highlighted by recent data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and
Forestry Affairs (MOEF), which reported a 30% increase in daily medical waste to 382 tons after the COVID-19
Pandemic, as compared to approximately 293 tons of pre-pandemic levels.
Key Points:
i.This MoU will bring visibility and accountability in the management of infectious medical waste in Indonesia’s
13,000 health facilities.
ii.Through the partnership, Indonesia will use eGov Foundation’s DIGIT Sanitation platform to handle various
waste types.
• It should be noted that DIGIT is used in 6 countries with 16 governments and 100+ partners serving
250 million citizens, using flexible micro services architecture for large-scale deployment.
iii.Notably, UNDP Indonesia through the ME-SMILE is collaborating and utilizing the expertise of regional and
global partners. ME-SMILE has started managing medical waste in 32 hospitals and 1 health center.

• Now, by teaming up with eGov’s DIGIT platform, they aim to expand waste traceability beyond
medical waste.
About Indonesia:
Indonesia is moving its capital city from Jakarta to Nusantara, the island of Borneo. Currency– Indonesian
Rupiah
President– Joko Widodo
India & Moldova Agreed to Sign MoU for Cooperation in Agriculture

On July 31st 2023, India and eastern European country Moldova agreed to sign a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the agriculture sector during a meeting between Shobha Karandlaje,
Minister of State(MoS) for Agriculture, and Vladimir Bolea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture
& Food Industries of Moldova at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
• During the meeting, the Ministers emphasized the potential for increasing bilateral trade in
agricultural commodities and for strengthening of bilateral agricultural cooperation through the
exchange of knowledge and technology.
• Vladimir Bolea expressed Moldova’s interest in exporting vegetable oils to India and importing
fertilizers and pesticides from India .
• He also highlighted the Moldovan culture of producing wine and apples as a way of life and
expressed interest in exporting these products to India.
About Moldova:
Prime Minister(PM)- Dorin Recean
President- Maia Sandu
Currency- Moldovan Leu (MDL)
Capital- Chisinau
India, New Zealand sign MoU for Open Sky Policy; Boost cooperation in Civil Aviation
On August 29, 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Government of
India and the Government of New Zealand for an Open Sky Policy, allowing more flights between various cities
in the two countries.
• This will further boost the bilateral between both nations in civil aviation by scheduling of new
routes, code share services, traffic rights and capacity entitlement.
Signatories:
It was signed by Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), India; and David Pine, the New
Zealand High Commissioner in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, MoCA, and Damien O’
Connor, Minister for Trade and Export Growth of New Zealand.
What is in the MoU?
i.Under this, New Zealand’s designated airline(s) can operate unrestricted services with any type of aircraft,
holding third and fourth freedom traffic rights to/from six Indian cities: New
Delhi (Delhi), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil
Nadu), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Kolkata (West Bengal). This is set to amplify bilateral civil aviation
relations.
ii.Similarly, India’s designated airline(s) can operate unrestricted services with any aircraft type, having third
and fourth freedom traffic rights to/from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and three other New Zealand
points to be designated by the Indian Government.
iii.Both parties’ airlines can operate unlimited all-cargo services using any aircraft type, enjoying third, fourth,
and fifth freedom traffic rights between any points in each other’s territories, including via intermediate and
beyond points beyond those in the Route Schedule.

Key Points:
i.Both sides reviewed the existing arrangements relating to air service between the two countrie.
• An Air Services Agreement was signed between New Zealand and India at Auckland, New Zealand on
1st May 2016.
ii.Third freedom right involves carrying passengers/cargo from home country to another while fourth freedom
is the opposite i.e. transporting to home country from another.
• These rights are typically granted together in bilateral agreements.
iii.The Fifth freedom right means that the aircraft of country A, from a service originating in country A, is
allowed to embark passengers and cargo in country B and disembark them in country C.
About New Zealand:
Capital– Wellington
Currency– New Zealand Dollar
Prime Minister– Chris Hipkins
UNESCO & Telangana Govt Signed LoI to Implement UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Information
Technology, Electronics and Communications (ITE&C) Department, Government of Telangana, signed a Letter
of Intent (LoI) to collaborate and make efforts in order to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on the
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• The partnership is focused on raising awareness of ethical AI development and use, creating
capacity, and making contributions to the UNESCO Global Observatory on AI Ethics.
Note: UNESCO produced the first-ever global standard on AI ethics, the ‘Recommendation on the
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence’ in November 2021.
Key People:
The LoI was signed in the presence of Vakati Karuna, Principal Secretary of the Education Department
of Telangana, Dr Mariagrazia Squicciarini, Director of AI and Chief of Executive Office, Social and
Human Sciences at UNESCO; and Rama Devi Lanka, Director of Emerging Technologies, Telangana.
About the Partnership:
i.The combined effort signifies a shared commitment to an AI-powered future that prioritises
inclusive, sustainable, and equitable development.
ii.The collaboration is set to shape the landscape of the ethical development of and use of AI.
iii.The collaboration gains further significance with the ITE&C Department’s role in shaping the
technological environment of Telangana and its commitment to advancing ethical values.
iv.The ultimate goal of this transformative collaboration is to ensure that AI technologies are
harnessed for the betterment of society,
v.Recognizing the risks associated with AI, the collaboration will also focus on effective risk mitigation
strategies to ensure the responsible use of AI.
About Telangana:
Chief Minister– K. Chandrashekar Rao
Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan
Airports– Ramagundam Airport; Warangal Airport

UP signed MoU with Mexican State Nuevo Leon for Investment in tourism, infra & Pharma
sectors
On 5th August 2023, the Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and the Government of Nuevo Leon, Mexico,
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for investment in several sectors, including tourism,
infrastructure, pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
• Through this mutual cooperation, Nuevo Leon of Mexico and UP will have to increase trade with
each other.
Key People:
The MoU was exchanged between Manoj Kumar, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner
(IIDC), Govt of UP, and Ivan Rivas Rodriguez, Minister of Economics, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in the presence of
Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister(CM) of UP, and Samuel Garcia Cefalveda, Governor of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Key Points:
i.With this MoU, strong industrial relations are being established between UP and Nuevo Leon.
ii.UP, a significant state in India holds immense importance in both the agriculture and tourism sectors.
iii.The region offers modern infrastructure, a well-developed network of expressways, excellent interstate and
air connectivity, a strong rail network, access to eastern ports through inland waterways, and a dedicated
freight corridor junction.
iv.This has transformed UP into a logistics and transport hub. AND UP has also introduced 25 sectoral policies
aimed at attracting industrial investments, providing investors with exceptional facilities for their ventures in
UP.
v.Nuevo Leon is an Industrial region of Mexico, similarly UP, is the largest state in India in terms of ease of
doing business, and currently investments are being made on a larger scale in UP.
About Uttar Pradesh:
Chief Minister– Yogi Adityanath
Governor– Anandiben Patel
Stadium– Eklavya Sports Stadium (outdoor) and Late Mohan Choubey Pahalvan Sports Stadium (outdoor)
About Mexico:
Capital- Mexico City
President- Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Currency- Mexican Peso
TRAI and C-DoT Sign MoU to Establish Mechanism of Technical and Institutional Cooperation in
Telecommunications
On 25th July 2023, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Centre for Development of
Telematics (C-DoT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the mechanism of technical
and institutional cooperation in telecommunications, at TRAI headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The MoU has been signed by Anil Kumar Bhardwaj, DG (TRAI CSR) and Rajeev Kumar, Registrar, C-
DoT.
Outcome of the MoU:
i.Through the MOU, TRAI Centre of Studies and Research (TRAI CSR) and C-DoT have collaborated to explore
the potential of emerging technologies.
ii.The MoU steps towards policy research, regulatory studies, and knowledge dissemination of upcoming
technologies in the telecom and broadcasting sectors.
iii.The partnership aims to promote cooperation for research on regulatory practices and bridge gaps in
understanding.
iv.The partnership will conduct technical sessions, seminars and conferences to share knowledge and for
capacity building and will help India achieve policy-driven innovation.

About TRAI CSR:
i.The TRAI CSR was established as an entity within TRAI to conceptualize, coordinate, and enable technological
studies in the telecom and broadcasting sectors.
ii.Its task is to enable technology-driven growth in India by combining the energies of different industries and
sectors.
C-DOT Signs Consortium Agreement with industry partners for ‘Collaborative Development of
Disaggregated 5G RAN Solution’
The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the premier Telecom Research and Development (R&D)
Centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a consortium agreement with leading
industry partners for ‘Collaborative Development of Disaggregated 5G Radio
Access Network (RAN) Solution’ to bolster India’s telecom R&D capabilities.
• The industry partners include Lekha Wireless Solutions Private Ltd, Signaltron Systems Private Ltd,
Sooktha Consulting Private Ltd, and Resonous Technologies Private Ltd.
• The collaboration aims to create an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN)compliant disaggregated
5G RAN solution that can effectively operate in the FR1 and FR2 (Frequency Range) frequency
bands, catering to both public and private 5G networks.
Key points:
i.The consortium partners are companies engaged in the development of Radio communication products,
specialising in providing radio access network solutions for 5G, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), etc.
ii.This agreement marks the second initiative under the ‘C-DOT Collaborative Research Program 2022 (CCRP-
2022)’, aimed at promoting innovation and fostering cost-effective indigenous telecom products and solutions.
Note: The maiden agreement under CCRP-2022 was signed with VVDN Technologies Private Ltd and WiSig
Networks Private Ltd to pursue the development of a 5G Open RAN.
C-DOT’s Role in the Partnership:
i.C-DOT will act as a business incubator and facilitator and provides funding and infrastructure support for
testing, interoperability assessment, field trials, and Proof of Concept (POC).
ii.This approach is envisioned to accelerate the availability of domestic 5G RAN products, offering a competitive
edge to the Indian telecommunications industry.
Recent Related News:-
On 7th February 2023, K Rajaraman, Chairman, Digital Communications Commission (DCC) & Secretary of the
Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications (MOC), launched the ‘IEEE C-DOT Certified
Telecom Expert Program (ICCTEP)’ to bring learning in the areas of Telecom including 5G, Cyber Security and
Quantum Communication to bridge the skill gap. The first program launched on the platform is on 5G and
beyond.
About Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT):
Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Rajkumar Upadhyay
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Established- 1984
DGT Partners With Amazon Web Services to Enhance Students in Emerging Technologies
The Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE) is partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) India to enhance students’ capabilities and
employability in emerging technologies like cloud computing, data annotation, artificial intelligence (AI), and
machine learning (ML).
• The pact aims to provide students enrolled in DGT institutions with valuable self-paced online
learning programs at no cost.
Key points:
i.Under this partnership, AWS India will offer cutting-edge learning content through DGT’s Bharat
Skills platform.

ii.This platform serves as a central repository of updated curriculum, course content, question banks, and
learning videos for all courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) and Crafts Instructor Training
Scheme (CITS) offered by approximately 15,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 33 National Skill
Training Institutes (NSTIs) across India.
iii.According to the “Asia Pacific Digital Skills Study,” 92% of the 769 employers surveyed in India believe that
one emerging technology, such as AI, edge and quantum computing, blockchain, or cryptocurrency, will become
a standard part of their future business operations.
RIL & Brookfield Asset Management signed MoU to Manufacture RE & Decarbonisation
Equipment in Australia
Brookfield Asset Management signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reliance Industries Limited
(RIL) to explore opportunities to manufacture renewable energy and decarbonization equipment in
Australia. The MoU with RIL is a part of Brookfield’s efforts to bring global manufacturing technology and
expertise to Australia.
• The MoU aims to accelerate and de-risk Australia’s energy transition by enabling it to locally
produce clean energy equipment such as photovoltaic (PV) modules, long-duration battery storage,
and components for wind energy which will help Australia transition to a net zero future
• Under the MoU, Brookfield will work with RIL to explore direct capital investment and development
of skills, knowledge and expertise in the renewable energy sector of Australia to facilitate the
nation’s transition to a net zero future.
• The two companies will evaluate the operations in Australia to make/or assemble equipment used
in the construction of renewable energy projects supplying equipment.
• Brookfield will utilize RIL’s expertise in solar panel technology and long-duration battery storage
technology.
Note: In March 2023, Brookfield signed a binding agreement with EIG Consortium to acquire Origin Energy. As
a part of the acquisition, Brookfield and its partners are set out a plan to invest between AUD 20 billion and
AUD 30 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate its energy transition.
ISLRTC and NIOS Signed an MoU to Promote ISL

On 29th July 2023, Indian Sign Language Research and Training Center (ISLRTC) signed a Memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to promote Indian Sign Language (ISL)
and collaborate on standardization and development of quality learning resources during the 3rd year of
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 celebrations and 2nd Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sangam at India Trade
Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi.
• Under the MoU, ISLRTC and NIOS have planned to work on designing and developing a process of
review of learning content in ISL, and developing a smooth strategy for examination and evaluation
of deaf and hard of hearing.
The expertise and resources of ISLRTC will be deployed for the standardization process of ISL in selected areas.
Note: NIOS introduced ISL as a language subject at the secondary level in 2021. ISLRTC has contributed by
developing the processes for the examination and evaluation of children with hearing impairment.
NHPC and ALIMCO Signed MoU for Providing Aids & Assistive Devices to Divyangjans
On 1st August 2023, the National Hydroelectric Power Commission (NHPC) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) functioning
under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities,Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment(MSJE) to provide aids and assistive devices to 1000 Divyangjans (Persons with Disabilities) in
close proximity to NHPC projects in states in the north and north east.

• The MoU was signed under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the NHPC at the
NHPC Corporate Office, Faridabad, Haryana.
The agreement was signed by the NHPC Deputy General Manager (HR), CSR & SD, NHPC, and the General
Manager-Marketing, ALIMCO.
AIIMS Signed MoU with IREDA for Solarization in AIIMS New Delhi Campus
On 1st August 2023, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi (Delhi) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to initiate the
technical assessment for the solarisation of the AIIMS, New Delhi campus.
• The MoU was signed by Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), IREDA, and Dr. M
Srinivas, Director of AIIMS at the AIIMS New Delhi Campus.
The partnership helps AIIMS institute to reduce its electricity expenditure while minimizing its carbon
footprint with the help of IREDA.
Key points:
i.AIIMS has installed a 9 Kilowatt Rooftop Solar plant at its New Delhi campus.
ii.Under the MoU, IREDA will undertake a techno-commercial assessment of the AIIMS campus which includes
creating financial models, conducting pre-feasibility studies, preparing a detailed project report (DPR),
assisting in the analysis of technical and commercial aspects related to project development, finalizing
commercial and contracting arrangements, and defining performance indicators, etc.
Karnataka Govt & IBC Signed MoU To Set Up Recyclable Lithium-Ion Battery Unit
On 1st August 2023, the Karnataka government and the United States (US)-based International Battery
Company (IBC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a recyclable Lithium-ion battery
manufacturing unit with an investment of Rs 8,000 crores (USD 1 Billion) in Karnataka.
• The MoU was signed and exchanged by Venkatesh Valluri IBC President, IBC India Pvt. Ltd., and
Dr Selvakumar, Principal Secretary for the Department of Commerce and Industries.
This will be 2nd Lithium-ion manufacturing facility in Karnataka. it is expected to be established on a 100-acre
land at the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) at Devanahalli in the Bengaluru Rural district.
IUCN SSC & WTI Sign MoU for India’s First Species Survival Center
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to set up the first-ever
regional Center for Species Survival (CSS) in India.
• The MoU aims to enhance conservation efforts by wildlife experts and specialist groups and
safeguard the rich biodiversity of India.
• This will be the 10th CSS in the world and the first of its kind in South Asia.
• The MoU was signed by Prof. Jon Paul Rodríguez, Chair of IUCN SSC and Vivek Menon, Executive
Director and CEO, WTI.
Vision and purpose
i.CSS will act as a platform for conservation practitioners to share best practices, collaborate on species
conservation efforts, and contribute to species status assessments using the IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species.
ii.It will also bridge the gap between national and international efforts to preserve and protect species
iii.The Center will study the impact of environmental changes on species survival, providing vital insights for
conservation efforts.
iv.The center will address gaps in species assessments for species Red Lists and ensure the assessments are
aligned between national and Global IUCN Red Lists.
v.The collaboration between IUCN and WTI will enable IUCN SSC members to coordinate their efforts for

species conservation, amplifying the impact of species recovery initiatives.
Note:
i.CSS are partnerships between the SSC Chair’s Office and leading species conservation organisations.
ii.The IUCN SSC is a commission made up of over 8,300 conservationists worldwide.
iii.WTI is a conservation organization established in 1998 with a mission to conserve nature, especially
endangered species and threatened habitats, in partnership with communities and governments.
PNGRB & World Bank Partners to develop roadmap for Hydrogen transmission in Gas
pipelines
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), a regulator of natural gas distribution network,
collaborated with the World Bank to develop a roadmap for for Hydrogen transmission in Natural Gas (NG)
pipelines and City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks.
PNGRB-World Bank Study:
The PNGRB-World Bank study, which is expected to be completed within 16 weeks analyses the following:
• Mapping demand and supply of hydrogen
• Technical assessment for the compatibility of the existing pipeline network
• Commercial assessment of the pipeline sector
• Recognizing any hindrances in the policy and regulatory framework
• Framing roadmap milestones till 2040 for the expedited implementation of hydrogen blending in
India.
Key Points:
i.On 4th August 2023, a significant presentation took place at the PNGRB Office in New Delhi, Delhi.
ii.During the presentation, the PNGRB Board emphasized the need for swift action in implementing Hydrogen
Blending and optimising the use of existing energy infrastructure to achieve the National Energy Goal.
iii.The transportation of Hydrogen is best achieved through natural gas pipelines. The study aimed at
developing the Technical and Commercial viability of hydrogen blending into NG pipelines authorised by the
PNGRB Board
iv.Regulatory Frameworks are set to undergo important amendments to achieve the national target to reach 5
Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) per annum of hydrogen consumption by 2030.
v.PNGRB has also permitted 3 City Gas Distributors (CGD) to undertake hydrogen blending in NG in their
respective licensed areas and Hydrogen injection of up to 5% volume in NG has been achieved in low-pressure
Medium density polyethylene (MDPE) network.
• This move is aimed at integrating hydrogen into the existing NG infrastructure and gradually
transitioning towards a greener and more sustainable energy solution.
About Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB):
PNGRB was constituted under The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006.
Chairperson– Dr. Anil Kumar Jain
India & Nepal Signed An MoU to Undertake 4 HICDPs in Nepal

On 4th August 2023, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General
Administration of Nepal signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for undertaking 4 High Impact
Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal under the grant assistance of the Government of India.
• A total of 170 million Nepalese rupees (NPR) are expected to be spent on the four projects, three of
which will be in the education sector and one in the water supply and sanitation sector.
The project will provide better education facilities, water supply and sanitation facilities for the local
community in Nepal.
Projects in the Education sector:
Construction of the School Building of

• Shree Galainath Secondary School, Shailashikhar Municipality; Darchula district, Sudurpashchim
Province of Nepal
• Shree Himalaya Secondary School, Byas Rural Municipality in Darchula District, Sudurpashchim
Province of Nepal
• Diding Primary School, Chichila Rural Municipality in
Sankhuwasabha District, Koshi Province of Nepal.
Water Supply and Sanitation Project:
i.India will also help Nepal with a Water Supply and Sanitation
project through the construction of the Shreepur Water Supply and
Sanitation Project, Triyuga Municipality in Udayapur District of
Nepal
ii.The project will be implemented through the local authorities of
Shailashikhar Municipality, Byas Rural Municipality (Darchula
District of Sudurpashchim Province), Chichila Rural Municipality, and Triyuga Municipality.
Additional information:
i.Since 2003, India has taken up 546 HICDPs costing around 1220 crore Nepalese rupee in the areas of health,
education, drinking water, connectivity, sanitation and creation of other public utilities across all 7 provinces of
Nepal.
ii.Of these, 483 projects have been completed and the remaining 63 projects are under implementation.
iii.The total cost of all the projects is around NPR. 1220 Cr (INR. 762 Cr.) which are mostly implemented
through local authorities of the Nepali Government.
About Nepal:
President- Ramchandra Paudel
Prime Minister- Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’
Currency- Nepalese Rupee (NPR)
Capital- Kathmandu
IRISET& IIT Madras signed MoU to Establish 5G testbed at IRISET, Secunderabad

Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET), under the Ministry of
Railways (Indian Railways) and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai, Tamil Nadu
(TN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India 5G testbed at
IRISET in Secunderabad (the twin city of Hyderabad), Telangana for testing and development of 5G use
cases for Indian Railways.
Aim: To accelerate the indigenization efforts of Indian Railways in the field of communications and create a
testing facility for it.
Key Point:
The indigenous 5G solution and testbed has been developed jointly by IIT-Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP); Society
for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) under MeitY; IIT-Bombay; Centre of
Excellence in Wireless Technology (CEWiT), a society of IIT-Madras; and IIT-Madras, as part of the indigenous
5G testbed project funded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to a consortium of eight institutes.
IISc Bengaluru & GSL Signed MoU to Develop AI for Shipbuilding & Defence
On 4th August 2023, the Indian Institute of Science,(IISc) Bengaluru & Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for the shipbuilding
and defense sectors.
• IISc Bengaluru’s Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) will assist GSL to
streamline shipbuilding processes, shorten construction timelines and boost overall productivity.
The partnership aims to enhance productivity, safety, and defense readiness while also strengthening
indigenous defense manufacturing capabilities.

BIS signs MoU with 35 institutions for collaboration in Standardization and Conformity
Assessment
On August 5, 2023, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with
35 institutions across India for collaboration in standardization and conformity assessment.
• The institutions included prominent NITs (National Institutes of Technology), Government and
Private Engineering colleges from different states across India.
Note: BIS is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. It operates various schemes like Product Certification (ISI-Indian
Standards Institution mark), Management Systems Certification, Hall Marking of Gold and Silver
Jewellery/Artefacts and Laboratory Services for the benefit of the industry..
Key Points:
i.Through this MoU, the participating institution will associate with the technical committees of BIS at the
national and international level, get infrastructure support for relevant R&D (Reaserach & Development)
Projects, jointly organize events on Standardization and Conformity Assessment, exchanging publications,
introducing standardization curricula in academics, exploring a Centre of Excellence for Standardization,
testing, and Conformity Assessment, and sharing laboratory facilities.
ii.The MoU will enhance the standards formulation activities.
iii.BIS will also explore setting up of Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Standardization in partnership with these
institutions.
About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS):
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Director General– Pramod Kumar Tiwari
MoU’s Signed Between USI, CSC & PCTI to Promote Military Heritage Tourism
The United Services Institution of India (USI), the country’s oldest and prestigious National Security and
Defence Services think tank, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Power Conversion
Technologies (PCTI) for the inaugural Military Heritage Guided Tour at Hussainiwala in Firozpur district,
Punjab on August 12, 2023.
• An additional MoU was signed between PCTI and Common Service Centres (CSC) – e-Governance
India Limited for the local support and accessibility for these heritage sites and it will be facilitated
through CSC – special purpose vehicle (SPV).
The tour provides the tourists to view the important places related to military achievements.
Key points:
i.USI will identify potential tourist destinations and document them.
ii.PCTI will oversee the organization of the tours.
Apraava Energy signed MoUs with REC, and PFC to get Rs 9,120 cr Finance for its Various
Projects
Apraava Energy Private Ltd, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based integrated energy solution provider, signed a
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with REC Ltd (Formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) and
Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), to get finance of Rs 9,120 crore for funding its wind, transmission, and
advanced metering projects in India.
• REC Ltd is a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking(PSU) under the Ministry of Power and PFC is a
Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Power.
• This collaboration strengthens the strategic roadmap of Apraava Energy for sustainable and
integrated growth in the future.

• The signing of MoUs occurred during the Green Finance Summit hosted by REC. This event was held
on 21st July 2023, in Goa, coinciding with the Green Business Summit Clean Energy Ministerial
(CEM) and Energy Transition Working Group (ETWG) Ministerial and aligning with India’s G20
Presidency.
• Apraava has gradually diversified into newer areas of the energy value chain such as transmission
and advanced metering that will support the acceleration of the transition to a greener economy in
India.
Note: Apraava Energy is jointly owned by the CLP Group one of the largest investor-owned power businesses
in Asia-Pacific and Caisse de dpt et placement du Qubec (CDPQ) a global investment group.
Amazon India Signs MoU with EDII, Gujarat Govt. to Boost E-commerce Exports
Amazon India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Entrepreneurship Development
Institute of India (EDII) and the Cottage and Rural Industries Department, Government of Gujarat, to help boost
e-commerce exports from Gujarat.
Key points:
i.Amazon will focus on bringing weavers, artisans and other micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
from Gujarat on Amazon Global Selling, the e-commerce exports program.
ii.Through its Hastkala Setu Yojana program, the Cottage and Rural Industries Department will identify
about 1,000 artisans in handloom and handicrafts
iii.Amazon and EDII will conduct hybrid (in-person and online) training sessions and workshops
on B2C (business-to-consumer) e-commerce exports, educating the artisans on registering and listing their
products to sell on more than 18 Amazon Global Marketplaces and tools for making exports easier.
IIITD-IC & YES Bank Signed MoU to Scale up Indian Startups

IIITD Innovation and Incubation Centre (IIITD-IC), a section 8 company promoted by the Indraprastha
Institute of Information Technology-Delhi (IIITD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
YES Bank Limited (YES Bank) to support and scale up the growth of startup ecosystem in India.
Aim:
• To enable enterprise banking, personal banking and beyond banking solutions required by the
Startups.
• To bridge the gap between startups and corporates with the right and in-time mentorship.
Features of the partnership:
Under this MoU, IIITD-IC will strengthen the mentoring initiatives for startups, get access to experts across the
industry and find new investment and funding opportunities to support startups.
With this partnership, YES Bank will offer banking facilities to Startups which are in the developmental phase
at IIITD-IC through YES Bank’s YES HeadStartup programme.
• YES HeadStartup programme is a dedicated banking solution for startups which provides end-to-
end solutions for the banking and digital service requirements of the startup.
• The banking facilities include, A salary account proposition for startups with only 5 employees; A
fungible limit for credit cards for business and personal use and an API(Application Programming
Interface) Sandbox facility.
Note:
YES Bank is one of the first banks in India to adopt the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) which
supports developing startups to scale up.
About YES Bank Limited:
YES Bank was incorporated in November 2003 & Commenced operations in 2004.
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Prashant Kumar

Tagline– Experience our expertise
Chatbot– YES ROBOT
Protean & PayNearby Partner for Credit Marketplace on ONDC

Protean eGov Technologies(Protean) has partnered with PayNearby, a fintech platform owned by Nearby
Technologies Private Limited to provide credit services on the ONDC (Open Network for Digital
Commerce) network for last-mile borrowers and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Under this partnership, Protean will be an ONDC technology service provider through PayNearby’s
Distribution as a Service (DaaS) network through over 12 lahks active PayNearby outlets.
• Protean will also aggregate Loan Service Providers (LSPs) onto a single platform.
Note:
Previously, PayNearby & Protean have partnered for paperless PAN(Permanent Account Number) Card
services at nearby stores across India.
TDB-DST partnered with M/s Noccarc Robotics to Commercialise Advanced ICU Ventilator
The Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), has entered into an
agreement with M/s Noccarc Robotics Private Ltd., Maharashtra (Mumbai), a company dedicated to the
commercialisation of digitally enabled advanced universal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ventilators. The entire
technology has been indigenously developed by Noccarc, with several patents filed for each component of the
ventilator.
• TDB, as a statutory body to promote the development and commercialization of indigenous
technology and the adaptation of imported technology for wider application, has promised to
support Rs 3.94 crore out of the total project cost of Rs 7.89 crore.
• Established in the Startup Incubation and Innovation Center of the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT), Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, M/s Noccarc embodies the spirit of innovation with its indigenously
developed technology.
• The V310, Noccarc’s entry-level ventilator, emerged as a lifeline during the COVID-19 crisis. Building
on this success, Noccarc introduces the V730i, a smart ventilator designed to redefine critical care. It
offers seamless cloud connectivity through Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Wi-Fi,
and Local Area Networks (LAN).
• This initiative is aligned with the Government of India’s (GoI) vision for an Atmanirbhar Bharat
(self-reliant India) and Make in India initiatives in the medical devices sector.
• Healthcare professionals can remotely track and manage patient data through Noccarc’s advanced
digital platform, which will also enable hospitals to digitize their ICU data and workflows.
AIM Partnered with ISRO & Navars Edutech to Launch National Space Innovation Challenge
2023
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), the flagship initiative of NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming
India), partnered with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Navars Edutech Private Limited to
launch the National Space Innovation Challenge 2023 (NSIC 2023).
• NSIC 2023 is a national-level campaign designed to bridge the gap in the Indian space economy
and the future space workforce and encourage future space entrepreneurs.
• NSIC 2023 will be open from 11th August 2023 to 20th September 2023.
Note: Navars Edutech is a leading space education company based in Hyderabad, Telangana.
National Space Innovation Challenge 2023:
Aim:
To enable innovation among young school students to create awareness of and opportunities to participate in
the space sector.

Key Points:
i.NSIC 2023 is open for all school students (class 5 to class 12) across India.
NSIC is a platform that offers integrated content from Industry mentor videos, resources and challenges for
Junior Scientists (Grades 5-8) and Senior Scientists (Grades 9-12).
ii.The students from Atal Tinkering Labs(ATL) and Non-ATL schools can submit their entries on the automated
technology platform implemented by Navars Edutech.
Topics:
• For Category 1 (Grade 5-8) – Space Junk collection robot design and Reusable Rockets design
• For Category 2 (Grade 9-12) – Satellite design for Global warming studies and Indian Spaceship
design for Planet Mars
About Atal Innovation Mission:
AIM is a flagship initiative of the Indian government to create and promote a culture of innovation and
entrepreneurship across India.It is supported by Mission High-Level Committee (MHLC), which is led by the
respected Dr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Education and Skills Development.
Mission Director– Dr Chintan Vaishnav
NHPC Signed MoU With Universal Health Foundation to set up Gramin Gyan Jyoti Kendras
NHPC Ltd. (formerly known as National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.) the largest hydropower
development organization in India, signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universal Health
Foundation under its Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) initiative.
• The MoU aims to provide basic infrastructure facilities to Universal Health Foundation for setting up
of Gramin Gyan Jyoti Kendras by NHPC Ltd in government schools located in nine villages of
Jodhpur (Rajasthan) & one village of Nagore (Rajasthan).
Additionally, The Reading Room cum Online Coaching Center facility for poor students from educationally
backward villages of Rajasthan will be made available to access modern learning tools as well as to provide
coaching for higher studies and competitive examinations.
India Signs MoU with Trinidad and Tobago for Sharing ‘India Stack’
On 17th August 2023, India and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
on sharing of ‘India Stack‘, a collection of open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and Digital Public
Goods(DPGs) that aim to facilitate identity, data, and payment services on a large scale.
• Under this MoU, Both India and T&T have agreed to collaborate in the areas of digital
transformation by means of capacity building, training programmes, exchange of best practices,
exchange of public officials and experts, and development of pilot or demo solutions, among others.
Key People:
The MoU was signed in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), the National E-Governance Division, MeitY, and also from the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA).
Background:
The MoU was signed following a meeting between Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State (MoS) MeitY &
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship(MSDE), and Hassel Bacchus, a Senator and Minister of
Public Administration and Digital Transformation, T&T.
Purpose of APIs:
The collection of APIs in the India Stack serves as the foundation upon which external entities can construct
software that taps into government identification, payment networks, and data repositories.
Key Points:
i.In the meeting, they explored opportunities for collaborative efforts in areas like IT, emerging technologies,
and the India stack.

ii.Since June 2023, India have signed MoUs with countries like Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, and Antigua &
Barbuda to facilitate the sharing of India Stack.
• Countries like Mauritius and Saudi Arabia have also expressed interest and are at the advanced
stages of finalising cooperation on India Stack. A similar MoU was signed with Papua New Guinea in
July 2023.
iii.The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which is an integral part of the India Stack, has gained recognition
beyond India’s borders and has been accepted by countries including France, United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Singapore, and Sri Lanka, further solidifying the global acceptance and relevance of India’s digital innovations.
About Trinidad and Tobago (T&T):
Capital– Port of Spain
Prime Minister– Keith Christopher Rowley
Currency– Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TTD)
NEHHDC & Tide Signed MoU to Digitise Handloom and Handicraft Sector in Northeast India
Tide Platform Limited (Tide), a London, United Kingdom(UK)-based Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME)
focused financial platform, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North Eastern Handicrafts and
Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC) to empower digitisation of the handloom and handicraft
sector in northeast India.
• This year-long partnership aims to strengthen financial inclusion for nearly 2.1 million handloom
weavers and 3.5 million handicraft artisans across 800 clusters in Northeast India and provide them
with greater market access.
• This will enable the handloom sector to use digital tools based on Artificial Intelligence(AI), the
Internet of Things (IoT), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation, for inventory
tracking and mapping, among others.
• The MoU will provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools, knowledge, and resources to
effectively plan and manage their finances.
• As part of the MoU, Tide will also help in the financial and digital inclusion of weavers and artisans
from the region and provide masterclasses on topics like leadership, marketing, capital investment,
hiring and payroll, taxation, and legal, among others.
Note:
• NEHHDC works under the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) to develop
and promote the indigenous crafts of the region by connecting craftsmen to prospective markets
and consumers.
Northeast contributes 65% of India’s total handloom production and have the highest concentration of
handloom weavers across India with around 88% of women participation.
IREDA signed MoU with MNRE; Sets FY24 Revenue Target at Rs 4350 Cr
On 21st August 2023, The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA), a Mini
Ratna(Category I) Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE), signed a performance-based Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MNRE, Government of
India(GoI) outlining the strategic targets of IREDA for the FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25.
• GoI has set a target of achieving Rs 4,350 crores revenue from operations during FY 2023-24 and
Rs.5,220 crores during FY2024-25.
• The MoU is in line with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under
the Ministry of Finance.
Note: IREDA achieved a Revenue from Operations of Rs 3,482 crores in the preceding fiscal year (2022-23),
against a target of Rs 3,361 crores.
Key People:
The MoU was signed by Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, MNRE; Pradip Kumar Das, Chairperson & Managing

Director (CMD), IREDA at Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
Key Performance Indicators:
The government has also specified other key performance parameters in the MoU, including Return on Net
Worth, Return on Capital Employed, Non-Performing Asset (NPA) to Total Loans Ratio, Asset Turnover Ratio,
and Earnings per Share.
IREDA’s Financial Performance:
i.In the first quarter of FY 2023-24, IREDA witnessed a record 272% increase in loan disbursements compared
to the same period in FY 2022-23.
ii.IREDA also recorded a remarkable 30% growth in Profit After Tax (PAT) during the first quarter of FY
2023-24, compared to the corresponding period in FY 2022-23.
iii.IREDA’s financial management is evident in its reduction of Net Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). In Q1 of FY
2023-24, IREDA successfully lowered its NPA figure to 1.61%, a substantial improvement from 2.92% in Q1 of
FY 2022-23.
Key Points:
i.IREDA’s consistent excellence is supported by an ‘Excellent’ rating and a remarkable score of over 96 marks
for the MoU in the past 3 FY.
ii.As of August 21, 2023, IREDA has financed 3,137 Renewable Energy projects with a cumulative loan sanction
of Rs 1,55,694 crores and loan disbursement of Rs 1,05,245 crores and has supported Renewable Energy
capacity addition of 22,061 Megawatts (MW) in India.
About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA):
IREDA was established on 11th March 1987 as a Public limited Government Company under the Companies
Act, 1956
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Pradip Kumar Das
UNDP and MDoNER Signed MoU to Accelerate Sustainable Development in Northeast India
On 22nd August 2023, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), the UN’s Global Development Network, entered a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to enhance and accelerate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in northeastern
regions of India.
Key People:
The MoU was signed in the presence of B.L.Verma, Minister of State (MoS) for the Ministry of DoNER and
Ministry of Cooperation; and Ms Ulrika Modéer, United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary-General & Director of
UNDP Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA).
Key areas:
Under this MoU, UNDP would provide MDoNER with several technical support including:
i.Fast-tracking progress on the SDGs;
ii.Monitoring, evaluation, and capacity building;
iii.Support Aspirational districts and blocks;
iv.Support in the deployment of emerging technologies in governance and in scaling up good practices.
Key Points:
i.The Ministry of DoNER has taken steps across critical sectors such as infrastructure, connectivity, health,
education, climate change, and economic growth to transform the lives of the people in the northeast region.
ii.In this collaboration, UNDP has been the key partner for the Ministry in promoting data-driven decision-
making, especially through the North East Region (NER) District SDG Index.
iii.NER District SDG Index helped in forming the flagship Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North
Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme.
iv.UNDP is committed to supporting national and sub-national efforts to speed up the progress on the goals, by
providing technical support on SDG localisation and improved capacities towards implementation and

monitoring of programmes.
Note: PM-DevINE scheme announced in the 2022-23 Union Budget, provides infrastructure and social
development funding to boost livelihood opportunities in the region, especially for women and youth. Union
Cabinet approved the scheme on October 2022.
Administrator– Achim Steiner
Headquarters– New York, United States of America (USA)
UNDP is based on the merging of the United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance, created in
1949, and the United Nations Special Fund, established in 1958.
NHPC Signs Pact with RITES to Construct Railway Siding For 2,880 MW Dibang
NHPC Limited has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RITES Ltd, previously known as
Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited to construct a railway siding at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh,
in support of NHPC’s 2,880 megawatts (MW), Dibang Multi-Purpose Project development.
• NHPC Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) is a prestigious Miniratna
(Category–I) Schedule ‘A’ Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) under the Ministry of Power while RITES is
a distinguished Miniratna Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry
of Railways.
• NHPC’s total installed capacity is 7,097.2 MW of renewable power including Wind & Solar, through
its 25 power stations including 1,520 MW through subsidiaries.
• The strategic partnership between NHPC and RITES enhances the capabilities of both organizations.
• RITES, as a Project Management Consultant, will provide comprehensive and efficient solutions for
developing rail infrastructure facilities for NHPC Dibang and other upcoming projects in Arunachal
Pradesh.
The Dibang Multipurpose Project is a significant hydropower project undertaken by NHPC Limited in the
Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It aims to harness the potential of the Dibang River to
generate electricity and provide various benefits like irrigation, flood control, and water supply. The project’s
proposed capacity is 2,880 megawatts (MW), making it one of the largest hydropower projects in the country.
NRL and IWAI signs MoU for export of Petroleum Cargo via NW 2 & IBPR
On August 25, 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Inland Waterways
Authority of India (IWAI) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Guwahati, Assam to use National
Waterways (NW)-2 (Brahmaputra) and Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) for export of petroleum
products to Bangladesh and other south East Asian countries.
• The petroleum products will be transported through the IWAI’s upgraded jetty in Jogighopa in lower
Assam.
Note:
NRL is a Category-I Miniratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas(MoPNG) based in Assam.
Signatories:
The signing of the MoU was conducted by A Selva Kumar, Director of IWAI, and Subrata Das, Chief General
Manager (Marketing) of NRL in the presense of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports,
Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) Bhaskar Jyoti Phukan, Managing Director, NRL, and Sanjay Bandopadhyaya,
Chairman of IWAI.

What is in the MoU?
The NRL Part:
i.Under this, NRL will export approximately 10,000 metric tonnes (MT) of petroleum and petrochemical
products per month through NW – 2 and IBPR from IWAI jetty at the Assam’s Jogighopa Multi-Modal terminal
(MMT) Park.
• NRL is the biggest refinery of North East.
ii.NRL will provide 40 acres of land with a provision of getting connected to nearest Railway station at
Jogighopa, and also erect the loading and unloading facility.
iii.NRL will establish a POL (Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants) Oil Terminal at Jogighopa Logistics Park, which
will be linked by rail.
The IWAI Part:
i.IWAI will provide its terminal for cargo movement.
ii.It will also provide technical support, land to lay down petroleum pipeline, bunkering facilities to be operated
at various places en-route IBPR, provide assistance through its vessels, technical assistance in making available
vessels like Tugs, Work Boards, Survey vessels and other vessels as and when required.
Key Points:
i.This partnership supports the ‘Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for Northeast’ by improving inland waterways
transportation through NW2 and IBPR, which will led to the advancement in EXIM (Export Import) trade for
the Northeast.
ii.It is also on the lines with the PM (Prime Minister) Gati Shakti National Master Plan, and PM’s Act East policy.
iii.NRL is expanding its refinery through ‘Numaligarh Refinery Expansion Project (NREP)’ from 3.0 to 9.0
MMTPA (Million Metric Tons Per Annum), costing over Rs 28,026 crore, with completion expected by early
2025. Additionally, Rs 7,231 crore petrochemical plant project is underway.
• After these projects are completed, NRL aims to export 200 TMT (Thousand Metric Tons) of various
products annually to Bangladesh through the IWAI jetty in Jogighopa. These products will include diesel,
petrol, solvent, and polypropylene.
iv.Cargo handled on NWs during 2013-14 was 6.89 MMT (Million Metric Ton) whereas in 2022-23 it increased
to 126.15 MMT, showing 1734% growth.
v.NWs for Cruise Tourism rose from 3 in 2013-14 to 10 in 2022-23 marking an increase of over 233%.
vi.The investment in waterways also showed a growth of 198% to Rs 544.31 crores in 2022-23 from 2013-14.
vii.In the Northeast, 20 NWs and various projects of more than Rs 800 crores are being implemented for
development of NWs in the region.
i.On 9th June 2023, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW),
launched “Sagar Samriddhi – Waste to Wealth”, an online dredging monitoring system as part of the ‘Waste to
Wealth’ initiative of the MoPSW.
ii.On 27th June 2023, The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched ‘Sagar Samajik Sahayyog’ the new
guidelines of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the MoPSW.
About Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):
IWAI is the statutory authority in charge of the waterways in India.
Chairman– Sanjay Bandopadhyaya
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP)
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW)
GRSE Signs MoU with DEMPO Group For Building Commercial Ships
The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with V.S.Dempo Holdings Private Limited (Dempo Group) for building commercial
vessels.

• The vessels will be built at the 3 shipyards of the Dempo Group, including two in Goa and one in
Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
• It marks the GRSE’s first attempt to build commercial vessels.
Note:
Dempo Shipbuilding & Engineering Pvt. Ltd wholly-owned subsidiary of V.S.Dempo Holdings Private Limited, is
responsible for ship building and ship repair.
Dempo Group has two shipyards in Goa, one at Mandovi in Bainguinim, Old Goa, and the other at Undir,
Bandora, on the banks of the Zuari River in Goa.
i.The partnership will create a very helpful ecosystem that will draw advantages from one another’s knowledge
and use resources to secure more domestic and international shipbuilding orders.
ii.This is GRSE’s first attempt to significantly broaden its commercial shipbuilding operations in order to
capture a significant market share in the building of both domestic and foreign commercial vessels.
Indian Shipbuilding Market:
i.According to a recent study, the Indian shipbuilding market is worth USD 7.1 billion in 2023 and is predicted
to grow to USD 8.76 billion by 2028.
ii.Globally, the shipbuilding market is expected to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.45%
from USD 170 billion to USD 230 billion by 2028.
• It also indicates India currently contributes less than 1% to the global commercial shipbuilding
sector.
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd:
GRSE is a Category 1 Mini Ratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Company under the Ministry of
Defence(MoD).
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Commodore (Retd) P R Hari
Incorporated in 1934
NITI Aayog and UNDP India Signed MoU On Fast Tracking SDGs
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog and United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) India have signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to speed up the efforts to
achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
Aim:
The agreement aims to make a clear plan of cooperation on a range of areas, including SDG localisation, data-
driven monitoring, Aspirational Districts and Blocks programme, and SDG financing.
Outcome:
i.The MoU was signed for a period of five years.
ii.UNDP will also provide support for NITI Aayog’s work on women’s livelihoods, innovation, and Mission LiFE.
iii.UNDP plays the integrator role in coordinating efforts to fast-track progress on the SDGs within the United
Nation system.
Representatives:
Yogesh Suri, Senior Adviser (SDGs) from NITI Aayog, and Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative of UNDP
India, signed the MoU in the presence of B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog.
SDG and India:
i.India’s achievement in reducing multidimensional poverty to 50 percent between 2015-2016 and 2019-2021
showcases that moving towards SDG is possible irrespective of complex challenges.
ii.India’s leadership is essential for ensuring that SDGs become a reality.
About Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs):
i.The Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), officially known as ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development’ is a set of 17 Global Goals to be achieved within 2030 by 193 Member States.

ii.The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
iii.The SDGs come after and build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2000 to 2015.
About National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog:
NITI Aayog is the country’s premier policy-making which aims to construct a strong state to create a dynamic
and strong nation. The NITI Aayog’s creation has two hubs called “Team India Hub” and “Knowledge and
Innovation Hub”.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – B. V. R. Subrahmanyam
About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Administrator – Achim Steiner
Headquarters – New York City, United States of America(USA)
Goa Shipyard & Kenya Shipyard Ltd Signed MoU for Collaboration in Shipbuilding
The Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Kenya Shipyard
Limited(KSL) for capacity building and collaboration in ship design and building.
• The MoU was signed during the bilateral Defence Ministers meeting between Union Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Bare Duale in New Delhi,
Delhi on August 29, 2023.
Note:
i.GSL is a Miniratna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU), under the Ministry of Defence(MoD).
ii.Kenya Shipyards Limited(KSL) is a state-owned company under the Kenyan Defence Ministry. It was
established in 2020 with the objective to address the operational requirements of the Kenya Navy and for the
construction, repair and maintenance of ships and provision of other maritime services.
About the bilateral meeting:
i.During the meet, India and Kenya discussed on capacity building and cooperation in defence industry and
equipment. They also discussed on the other regional security issues of mutual interest.
ii.Defece Minister Rajnath Singh presented 15 pairs of parachutes (main and reserve) manufactured by
Gliders India Limited to Aden Bare Duale for Kenyan forces as a mark of friendship.
• India also offered assistance in the setting up of an advanced CT scan facility in Kenya.
iii.India and Kenya have agreed to expand their collaboration in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR)’s marine
security, counter-insurgency training, and UN peacekeeping domains.
Key people:
Chief of Defence Staff(CDS) General Anil Chauhan and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane were present
during the bilateral meeting.
Additional info:
Aden Bare Duale, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence, is on a 3 day visit to India. This marks his 1st visit
of Duale to India and the highest level stand-alone political visit from Kenya since the new government
assumed office in September 2022.
• He will be visiting the shipyards and defence industries in Goa and Bengaluru(Karnataka).
About Goa Shipyard Limited(GSL):
Chairman & Managing Director(CMD) – Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay
Headquarters– Vasco Da Gama, Goa

Maharashtra signs MoU with Germany’s DFL to Develop Indian Football
The Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DFL Deutsche Fußball
Liga GmbH(DFL) to develop the football ecosystem in India. The agreement focuses on advancing football
expertise and professionalising structures within the state of Maharashtra.
• DFL operates Bundesliga, a professional association football league in Germany.
The MoU was signed by Commissioner of Sports and Youth Services Dr. Suhas Diwase as part of the
prestigious Shree Shiv Chhatarapati Awards ceremony in Pune, India.
• A delegation representing the Bundesliga attended the ceremony and winessed the signing.
• The MoU outlines 3 fundamental components to develop football in Maharashtra: improving the
technical and sporting expertise at all levels within clubs, associations, colleges and schools;
strengthening football structures across the Indian subcontinent; and specifically supporting the
progression of football within the Maharashtra.
Established in 1970, the Directorate of Sports & Youth Services is an autonomous body under the Government
of Maharashtra, focused on the instillation and promotion of sports, youth welfare, and physical education
within the mainstream education sector.
COMMITTEES & MEETINGS

UGC Constituted An Expert Committee To Review Anti-Discrimination in HEIs
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha(the upper house of Parliament), Minister of State(MoS) for
Education, Subhas Sarkar announced that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has
constituted an expert committee on 21st July 2023, to review its regulations and guidelines concerning anti-
discrimination in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) for Scheduled Castes(SC), Scheduled Tribes(ST), Other
Backward Classes(OBC), Persons with Disabilities(PwD), and other minority groups.
• The primary objective of the expert panel is to undertake a comprehensive review of existing anti-
discriminatory policies and to make campuses free of caste discrimination.
• The committee formed as per the direction given by the Supreme Court of India on 6th July, 2023.
Why the Expert Committee?
The emergence of multiple suicides in the last six months, affecting students hailing from marginalized
communities, within the campuses of Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) such as IIT-Madras(Chennai,
Tamilnadu), IIT-Bombay(Mumbai, Maharashtra), and IIT-Delhi (New Delhi, Delhi)., has led to the formation of
the Expert Committee.
Supreme Court’s July 6th direction:
During a Supreme Court hearing on 06 July 2023, the cases presented by the mothers of Rohith Vemula( a PhD
scholar at the University of Hyderabad in Hyderabad , Telangana) and Payal Tadavi(a post graduate student in
T N Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, Maharashtra), both students who committed suicide due to
casteism.
• The court subsequently directed the UGC to provide a comprehensive account of the measures it has
undertaken to combat caste-based discrimination within educational institutions.
Existing University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations:
i.In 2012, the UGC released the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutes) Regulations, 2012
which encompassed various manifestations of discrimination.
ii.They established the role of liaison officers to monitor the fulfillment of reservation quotas and outlined the
requirement for robust grievance redressal cells dedicated to resolving discrimination-related issues.
iii.Nevertheless, these directives have encountered incomplete adoption across numerous higher educational
institutions, including a significant portion of the Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT).

DGCA forms a 4-Member Committee to Ensure Gender Equality in Civil Aviation Sector
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a Civil aviation regulator has set up a 4-member
committee namely, R P Kashyap, Director (Training); Survita Saxena, Director (Operations); Pavan Malviya,
Deputy Director (Administration); and Kavita Singh, Deputy Director (Aircraft Engineering Directorate), to
provide suggestions for achieving gender equality in the aviation sector in India.
• The committee is expected to formulate norms and submit them to DGCA, which the civil aviation
regulator will further circulate among aviation stakeholders to adopt and bring into practice for
gender equality.
• The deadline for the committee to submit its report/recommendation is six months from the date of
its constitution.
Objective:
The initiative aligns with the commitment of International Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAO), to promote the
participation of women and achieve an aspirational goal, for a balanced ratio of 50-50 (women to men) by 2030
at all professional and higher levels of employment in the global aviation sector.
Key Points:
i.India stands out with 15% of women pilots globally. This achievement is noteworthy but emphasises the need
for more progress, true gender equality in the pilot community remains an aspiration.
ii.Achieving gender equality, involves various stakeholders, including airlines, airports, ground handlers,
Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, as well as support services.
iii.The scope of this initiative should also encompass immigration processes, the Bureau of Civil Aviation
Security (BCAS), customs, and Air Traffic Control (ATC) departments, where women’s representation remains
notably low.
Analysis:
i.A report titled ‘Gender Diversity and Corporate Performance in Aviation‘ by CAPA Centre for Aviation,
consulting & research firm in May 2022, revealed that the share of women on boards in India’s aviation sector
stood at 19%.
• Among the 15 countries assessed, France stands out with the highest gender diversity of 49%
representation of women on boards.
Note: CAPA, Centre for Aviation, established in 1990 is one of the world’s most trusted sources of market
intelligence for the aviation and travel industry.
MoD Sets Up a 9-Member Committee to Review and Re-define DRDO

Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has set up a 9-member committee of experts to
maintain the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The committee will be headed by Prof
K Vijay Raghavan, former Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India (GoI).
• The 9-member committee has been tasked with the mission to review and redefine the role of
various departments within DRDO and submit a report within 3 months.
• Members: Lt Gen (Retd) Subrata Saha; Vice Admiral S N Ghormade;Air Marshal B R Krishna,;Sujan R
Chinoy,;Manindra Agarwal;P. Shukla;J D Patil ;Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair, Scientist; and
Ms Rasika Chaube.
About the 9 member Committee:
Background:
i.The formation of the 9-member committee was initiated under the direction of Prime Minister(PM) Narendra
Modi.
ii.This development followed the Government of India’s corporatization of the former Ordnance Factory Boards
(OFBs) in 2021, which were previously operating under the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry
of Defence (MoD).
iii.Corporatisation needed the merger of 41 ordnance factories and other non-production units into 7 new

defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).
iv.This provided greater autonomy and flexibility to the newly created DPSUs.
Terms of Reference:
• Restructuring and Redefining the roles of the Department of Defence (Research & Development
(R&D)) and the DRDO, in addition to their relationships with each other and with academia, and
industry.
• Enhance academia, Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME), and startup involvement in advanced
technology development.
• Establish project-based manpower system with performance accountability.
• Utilize NRI/foreign consultants and inter-country collaborations for tech advancement.
• Modernize administrative, personnel, and financial systems.
• Implement effective performance evaluation and laboratory structure rationalization..
Key Points:
i.This initiative to review and maintain the functioning of the DRDO holds immense significance, as it addresses
concerns over lack of accountability and delayed research within the organisation.
ii.DRDO typically works like a government Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), overseeing defence processes from
research to development to production.
Highlights of 4th G20 DEWG & G20 DIA Summit held in Bengaluru
The 4th and the Final meeting of the G20 (Group of Twenty) Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG),
organized by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as a part of the India’s G20
Presidency, was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from August 16-17, 2023.
• It was formally opened by the Chair of G20 DEWG Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY, and
was addressed by co-chair of G20 DEWG Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY.
Highlights:
i.Detailed deliberations on the draft “G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Declaration” were held regarding the
priority areas: Digital Public Infrastructure, Security in the Digital Economy, and Digital Skilling.
ii.The declaration for the consideration and acceptance in the Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting (DEMM)
was undertaken.
iii.Various issues relating to digital information, service delivery to citizens and growth of the digital economy
were discussed..
iv.A joint statement on the outcome summarizing the agreement on the challenges and opportunities of digital
economies were issued.
• Click Here for Official Outcome Document
Background:
i.The first, second and third meetings of the DEWG were organised at Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Hyderabad
(Telangana) and Pune (Maharashtra) in February 2023, April 2023, and June 2023 respectively.
ii.India is hosting the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023 on the theme
‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth One Family One Future’.
Priority Areas:
G20 DEWG has identified three priority areas
• Digital Public Infrastructure.
• Security in the Digital Economy.
• Digital Skilling.
Participants:
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Ministry of Railways and the Union Minister of State (MoS) Rajeev
Chandrasekhar, MeitY; Over 100 delegates from G20 members, nine invited countries, and five international
organizations: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), International

Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, and the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) attended the meeting.
G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) Summit
MeitY and the MeitY Start-up Hub have organized the G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) Summit at the
Bangalore Palace in Bengaluru (Karnataka) from August 17th to 19th, 2023.
• The summit was inaugurated by the MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MeitY.
The focal theme of the event is ‘Driving Digital Innovation for World Economies’.
• The theme highlights the importance of harnessing the power of Digital Innovation to propel
economic growth, foster sustainable development and address global challenges.
Key Points:
i.The summit had an exhibition, comprising of Startups, Incubators, Accelerators, Corporates, State
Governments, etc.
ii.More than 110 startups from 24 countries participated in the summit including policymakers, business
leaders, technocrats, young innovators, and investors.
iii.The G20 DIA showcases innovative solutions in the digital innovation space and foster collaboration. Its
objective is to support start-ups developing innovative digital solutions that bridge the digital divide and propel
global economic growth.
i.On 26th July 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated a futuristic International Exhibition-cum-
Convention Centre (IECC), the revamped India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) complex also known
as Pragati Maidan Complex, and also unveiled the G20(Group of 20) coin and stamp at Pragati Maidan in New
Delhi, Delhi.
ii.On July 20, 2023, Avaada Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with REC Limited (formerly
Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) under which the latter will invest Rs 20,000 crore in Avaada Group
over the next five years. This MoU was inked on the sidelines of the 4th meeting of the G20 Energy
Transition Working Group (ETWG) in Goa.
About Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY):
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha, Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha, Karnataka)
20th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ Meeting Held in Semarang, Indonesia

On August 21, 2023, the 20th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-India Economic Ministers’
meeting held in Semarang, Indonesia which was co-chaired by the Indian representative Rajesh Agrawal,
Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Dr. Zulkifli Hasan,
Minister of Trade, Indonesia.
• Before the Economic Ministers’ meeting, an AITIGA
Joint Committee meeting took place. This committee
discussed the roadmap for the review, outlining the
Terms of Reference and the Work Plan for AITIGA
Review Negotiations.
Agenda of Meeting:
The agenda of the meeting was the timely review of ASEAN-
India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) which was signed
in 2009 amid Indian businesses’ long-standing request in order
to enhance trade facilitation and mutual benefits.
i.India and ASEAN have mutually decided to finalize the review of their current free-trade agreement
(FTA) concerning goods by the year 2025.
ii.The Ministers agreed to follow a quarterly schedule of negotiations and conclude the review in 2025.
iii.The review is anticipated to diversify and enhance trade, while addressing existing imbalances in bilateral

trade.
iv.Upcoming Summit – Decision on review will be discussed at upcoming India-ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in
September 2023.
Highlights:
• Ministers discussed and fortified trade and investment ties between ASEAN and India.
• Emphasized commitment to bolster and advance the economic partnership.
• Focused on mutual gains through the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• Interacted with ASEAN-India Business Council (AIBC), acknowledging 2023 initiatives,
including 5th ASEAN-India Business Summit on March 6, 2023, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Recognized business concerns about Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
• Prioritized collaboration in resilient supply chains, food and energy security, health, and financial
stability.
Participants:
The Economic Ministers or their representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries viz. Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam participated in the meeting.
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste also joined the Meeting as an observer.
Key Notes:
i.India and ASEAN registered a bilateral trade of USD 131.5 billion in 2022-23.
ii.The trade with ASEAN accounted for 11.3% of India’s global trade in 2022-23.
About Indonesia:
Capital– Jakarta
Currency– Indonesian Rupiah
President– Joko Widodo
G20 TIMM adopted G20 Trade and Investment Outcome Document and Chair’s Summary
The Group of Twenty (G20) Trade and Investment Minister’s Meeting (TIMM) was held under the India’s G20
Presidency at the Pink City of India i.e. Jaipur in Rajasthan.
• The meeting was led by Union Minister Piyush Goyal,
Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).
• The meeting concluded with the finalisation and
adoption of G20 Trade and Investment Outcome
Document and Chair’s Summary.
Key Points from Document:
The meet consensus on the following five deliverables which have
been adopted in the Outcome Document of Trade Ministerial
Meeting:
i.First deliverable involves High-Level Principles for digitalizing
trade documents, encompassing 10 principles guiding effective transition to paperless trade with emphasis on
security, interoperability, and inclusivity.
ii.A Jaipur Call for Action was issued to improve MSMEs’ (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) information
access, with plans for the International Trade Center (ITC), Geneva, Switzerland to upgrade its Global Trade
Helpdesk, addressing MSMEs’ information gaps with the consultation from United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD) and World Trade Organization (WTO).
iii.Endorsement of G20 Generic Mapping Framework for Global Value Chains (GVCs), including data,
analysis, and representation building blocks, along with principles to enhance GVC resilience and collaboration.
iv.Sharing of best practices on Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for professional services.
v.Recognition of the need for mutual dialogues to reduce regulatory differences and trade frictions, along with
plans for a 2023 G20 Standards Dialogue to discuss regulatory practices and standards.
Note:

G20 comprises 19 countries viz. Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom (UK),
and the United States of America(USA) — and the European Union (EU).
The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds
of the world population.
Highlights of RIL’s 46th AGM 2023; Jio AirFiber Launched

On August 27, 2023, the 46th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) was held
through video-conferencing where Managing Director (MD) and Chairman Mukesh Ambani of RIL made
key announcements.
• RIL’s consolidated revenues stood at Rs 9,74,864
crore, while Earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for FY23 was
Rs 1,53,920 crore. The net profit was Rs 73,670 crore.
Launch of Jio AirFiber
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (Jio) is all set to
launch ‘Jio AirFiber’, a new Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
internet service for homes and offices, on September 19,
2023 i.e. on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. It will utilize 5G
technology for high-speed connectivity enabling users to use apps at low latency and high bandwidth for
applications like video streaming, gaming, and video conferencing.
• It aims to provide up to 1.5 Gbps (Gigabytes per second) speed.
• The speed will be offered over the air without using any wires or cables.
Features:
i.Speeds comparable to Jio fiber-optic connections which has up to 1 Gbps.
ii.Simple setup: plug in and turn on for a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.
• It has app-based installation and management.
iii.Coverage of up to 1,000 sq. ft. on the same floor, and supports simultaneous connection of multiple
devices.
iv.Parental controls, Wi-Fi 6 support, and integration with Jio set-top box.
v.Customizable network control, including website and device blocking.
vi.Expected pricing around Rs 6,000, 20% lower than similar devices.
Overall Goal:
i.Jio AirFiber aims for rapid internet expansion, targeting 150,000 connections daily.
ii.Aims to connect over 200 million users through advanced wireless tech
Jio Financial Services applies for General Insurance Licence
The new and the demerged financial services company of RIL, Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL), will
foray into insurance segment including life, general and health, using predictive data analytics to co-create
contextual products. It will initiate its services with non-life or general insurance, as JFSL has applied for
the same with the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
• It should be noted that JFSL has been capitalized with a net worth of Rs 1.2 lakh crore (Rs
1,20,000 crore) to create one of the world’s highest capitalised financial services platforms at
inception.
JFSL Subsidiaries:
It will have a total of six subsidiaries: Jio Payments Bank, Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings,
Reliance Retail Finance, Reliance Payment Solutions, Jio Information Aggregator Services, and Reliance
Retail Insurance Broking.

• JFSL has allocated the capital of Rs 1,000 crore for each of the business units.
Key Points:
i.JFSL will explore path-breaking features such as blockchain-based platforms and central bank digital
currency (CBDC).
ii.It will use predictive analytics for unique customer products, and drives digital adoption in payments.
iii.JFSL already partners with BlackRock for asset management industry.
iv.Currently, India has 31 non-life and 26 life insurance companies.
Ambani Children to join RIL board
Isha Ambani (31), Akash Ambani (31), and Anant Ambani (28), the children of Mukesh and Nita Ambani,
were appointed as the Non-Executive Directors on the board of RIL.
• Nita Ambani stepped down from the Board of Directors of RIL. she will continue as the
Chairperson of Reliance Foundation and attend the RIL Board meetings as a permanent invitee
to the Board.
• Mukesh Ambani will continue as chairperson-MD for 5 more years i.e. till 2028, and mentor the
next generation leaders.
RIL to set up 100 Compressed Biogas Plants
RIL will set up 100 Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants to convert agri-waste into gas. It already has set up
two demo units for CBG at Jamnagar while it has commissioned the first commercial scale CBG plant at
Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• Reliance has become India’s largest Bio-energy producer.
Key Points:
i.RIL aims to use 5.5 million tonnes of agro-residue, reducing 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions and
generating 2.5 million tonnes of organic manure annually.
ii.It will boost gas production to 30 million standard cubic meters per day, 30% of India’s production, and
15% of current demand.
iii.This gas will save up to USD 7 billion in annual imports for India.
Others:
i.RIL’s telecom unit, Jio, will be rolling out one million 5G cells by December, 2023.
ii.Reliance Jio is also will develop India-specific artificial intelligence (AI) models aimed at the country’s
government, businesses and consumers, while also building up 2,000 MW of AI-ready computing capacity.
iii.JioCinema, over-the-top (OTT) media streaming service by Reliance became India’s largest digital
entertainment destination.
• It created a global record with 45 crore viewers tuning in to the platform during IPL (Indian
Premier League).
iv.Reliance Jio has introduced Jio Smart Home Services that will allow users to control home appliances
seamlessly.
v.RIL will be establishing its Battery Gigafactory in India by 2026. It will manufacture battery chemicals,
cells and packs, and will include a battery recycling facility.
vi.On the other hand, RIL’s solar Giga Factory, Dhirubhai Green Energy Giga Complex at Jamnagar, Gujarat,
will be on-streamed in a phased manner by the end 2025.
• It will manufacture PV Modules, cells, wafers and ingots, polysilicon, and glass.
vii.Reliance will switch to 100% green energy for captive consumption to cut energy costs, and upgrade
the output of its refineries into value added chemicals.
viii.RIL is also accelerating the installation of at least 100 GW of renewable energy generation by 2030.
ix.It targets to achieve Net Carbon Zero by 2035.

i.On 13th June, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) climbed eight spots to the
45th rank, the highest for an Indian company in the 2023 edition of the Global 2000 list of
public companies published by Forbes’.
ii.According to the “2022 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500: a Six Month Update” released on 20th June
2023, RIL topped as India’s most valuable company with a value of Rs 16.37 lakh crore followed by Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS) with Rs 11.76 lakh crore and HDFC Bank with Rs 9.41 lakh crore.
About Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):
CMD– Mukesh D. Ambani
SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE

First WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit under G20 Summit Held In Gujarat
The First World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit held between August 17
and 18 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat alongside the Group 20(G20) health ministerial meeting which concluded on
August 19, 2023.India holds the G20 presidency in 2023.
• The summit also witnessed the 1st Joint Finance and
Health Ministerial meeting under the Indian
Presidency.
Note – India took over the leadership of the G20 on December 1,
2022, and is currently a member of the G20 Troika, which
includes Indonesia, India, and Brazil.The Troika is made up of the
current presidency, the previous presidency, and the upcoming
presidency.
First World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional
Medicine Global Summit
The First World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit,a significant international
event focused on traditional medicine and its role in global healthcare, was launched by Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat alongside the G20 health ministerial
meeting.
• The summit was hosted together by WHO and the Ministry of Ayush,Government of India.
• Theme of Summit: “Towards Health and Well-being for All”.
Note: WHO’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicine headquartered in Jamnagar, Gujarat, accelerates
advancements in Traditional Medicine globally.
Aim of the summit – It aims to bring together experts, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, researchers, and
stakeholders from around the world to discuss and deliberate on various aspects of traditional medicine.
• This summit helps to identify potential areas for collaboration, and innovation in traditional
medicines, and help harness traditional medicine in achieving Universal Health Coverage goals.
• This initiative is in line with the idea of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future,’ which highlights our
unity and collective responsibility for a better global future.
Attended delegates:
• The event was attended by Mansukh Mandaviya( Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare),
Sarbananda Sonowal (Union Minister of Ayush) Bhupendrabhai Patel (Chief Minister of Gujarat), Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Director General of the World Trade Organization),

• Foreign Ministers such as Lonpo Dasho Dechen Wangmo(Bhutan Health Minister) Budi G Sadikin
(Minister of Health for the Republic of Indonesia), Dr. Ernst Kuipers (Minister of Netherlands) also
attended the summit.
2023 G20 Health Minister’s Meeting
The 2023 G20 Health Ministers’ meeting took place as part of the G20 India Presidency from 17th to 19th
August,2023 in Gandhinagar,Gujarat.The meeting was focused on the 3 Health Priorities set under India’s G20
Presidency.
Launched events and programs:
In addition to the G20 Deputies Meeting on August 17, 2023, and the G20 Health Minister’s Meeting scheduled
for August 18th to 19th, 2023, there were accompanying side events:
• One Earth One Health Advantage Health Care – India 2023,
• India MedTech Expo 2023; and the ‘Sustain, Accelerate and Innovate to End TB in South-East Asia
Region’ Conference.
• Furthermore, a Joint Finance – Health Ministers’ Meeting will take place on August 19, 2023, serving
as a focal point within the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting.
Report
The World Bank launched a report titled “Digital-in-Health: Unlocking the Value for Everyone.” which
introduced a shift in perspective, moving beyond the mere digitization of health data and emphasizing the
complete integration of digital technology into health systems.
• The report directed its attention towards incorporating digital technologies into health financing,
service delivery, diagnostics, medical education, pandemic preparedness, climate and health
initiatives, nutrition, and ageing.
Scheme
“Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector” with a cost of Rs 700 crore for five
years which would help National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) to become
world class research institutes by establishing Centres of Excellence.
Other launches:
i.The Framework for Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) was created by the World Health Organization,
World Bank, IMF, and European Investment Bank together .
ii.The Report on Mapping Pandemic Response Financing Options and Gaps developed by the WHO and the
World Bank.
iii.The Report on Best Practices on Finance Health Institutional Arrangements during Covid-19.
iv.India’s first medical technology expo called India Medtech Expo 2023 was launched
Govt launches Global Initiative on Digital Health-WHO Managed Network
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched the ‘Global Initiative on Digital
Health’ (GIDH), a World Health Organization-managed network was launched at Mahatma Mandir convention
centre,Gujarat.
• The new GIDH initiative will operate as a WHO-managed network and platform to support the
implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
• This framework aims to consolidate all digital health initiatives, pooling efforts and investments
within the digital health domain to create a comprehensive digital health ecosystem.
Cross-regional External Advisory Group for WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit
With an aim to provide strategic and technical advice to WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, WHO
constituted 11 expert members in traditional medicine, public health and policy to its External Advisory Group.
Responsibilities:
i.Providing guidance on technical review criteria and ensuring thematic consistency throughout the Summit.
This guidance is founded on factors such as the robustness of evidence and data, research approaches,
worldwide significance, potential outcomes, and related factors.
ii.Offering counsel on the creation of scientific publications that delve into topics discussed during the Summit.

iii.Formulating a comprehensive report for the WHO, outlining crucial insights and priority measures derived
from the outcomes of the Summit.
The first Joint Finance and Health Ministerial:
The first Joint Finance and Health Ministerial G20 meeting was chaired by Ms.Nirmala Sitharaman the Union
Finance Minister and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
• Dr. Mandaviya announced the First Call for proposals by the Pandemic Fund during the meeting.
i.Under the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF) steps initiated to strengthen the global health
architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) through enhanced collaboration
between Finance and Health Ministries.
ii.These reports serve to enhance participants’ comprehension of the potential economic repercussions of
future pandemics, while also highlighting shortcomings in current institutional and funding setups designed to
address such crises.
About Gujarat:
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
Wildlife sanctuary – Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Pania Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Park- Sayaji Baug Zoo
PM Narendra Modi addresses B20 Summit India 2023 held in New Delhi
From August 25-27, 2023, the Business 20 (B20) Summit India 2023, an official G20 (Group of Twenty)
dialogue forum with the global business community, was held in New Delhi, Delhi.
• Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi,
addressed the summit on 27th August 2023.
• The theme of B20 India 2023 was ‘R.A.I.S.E’, an
acronym for ‘Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative,
Sustainable, Equitable‘.
• The B20 India 2023 Communique includes 54
recommendations and 172 policy actions for
submission to G20.
B20 India:
i.Throughout India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, the B20 India Secretariat, represented by the Confederation
of Indian Industry (CII), led the B20’s activities.
• The Secretariat was responsible for overseeing the development and execution of the B20
process.
ii.The chair of B20 India is Mr N Chandrasekaran, Executive Chairman, Tata Sons.
iii.At the culmination of the summit, N Chandrasekaran, Chair of B20 India handed over the B20
Presidency to Brazil.
Note: India officially assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1, 2022 after taking over from Indonesia.
Key Points:
i.It was attended by over 1500 policymakers, business leaders and experts.
ii.B20, during India’s Presidency, led the process of galvanizing global business leaders for their views on
issues of global economic and trade governance.
iii.The Summit saw the culmination of the year-long outcomes of all the B20 India Taskforces and Action
Councils.

Govt of Canada Hosted 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility from August 22-26,
2023 in Vancouver, Canada
The Government of Canada hosted the 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in
Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 22-26 August 2023. The assembly
gathered environmental leaders from 185 countries.
• Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development of Canada, was the chair and co-host of the
7th Assembly of GEF.
• The GEF Assembly coordinated financing for international efforts to address the recent diplomatic
achievements in areas such as biodiversity conservation, toxic chemical management, and ocean
health.
• It underscored the importance of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which include ending pollution and nature loss, combatting climate
change, and promoting inclusive, locally-led conservation efforts.
Note: The 6th GEF Assembly was held in 2018 in Da Nang, Viet Nam. The 7th GEF Assembly was delayed by 1
year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Points:
i.The Assembly brought together Ministers, government officials, business leaders, environmentalists, leaders
of international agencies and environmental conventions, and so on.
ii.The assembly discussed environmental solutions under the overarching theme of “Healthy Planet, Healthy
People“, which signifies the need to work together in new ways, within and across countries and across
sectors, to heal the planet.
iii.The assembly included the launch of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, a new source of funding for
protecting species and ecosystems globally.
iv.The Assembly’s agenda also included high-level roundtables, a Partnership Forum, side events, and
opportunities to visit environmental activities.
About GEF Assembly:
i.The GEF Assembly is the highest governing body of the GEF, composed of 185 member countries.
ii.Every 4 years, the GEF Assembly meets at the ministerial level to review: general policies; and evaluate GEF’s
operations based on reports submitted to the Council; the membership of the Facility; and consider, for
approval by consensus, amendments to the Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global
Environment Facility on the basis of recommendation by the Council.
About GEF:
i.GEF is a family of funds supporting developing nations’ action on interrelated environmental challenges,
including biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health.
ii.It is a unique partnership of 18 agencies, including UN agencies, multilateral development banks, national
entities, and international Non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
iii.It is a financial mechanism for 5 major international environmental conventions: the Minamata Convention
on Mercury; the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); the UN’s Convention on
Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN’s Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Note: Canada is a founding member of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). GEF is Canada’s primary
mechanism for assisting developing nations in tackling environmental issues.
GEF launched New Global Biodiversity Framework Fund
On 24th August 2023, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched the new Global Biodiversity Framework
Fund (GBFF) designed to mobilize and accelerate investment for the conservation and sustainability of wild
species and ecosystems globally.
• Representatives from 185 countries ratified and launched the fund during the 7th Assembly of
the GEF held from 22nd to 26th August 2023 in Vancouver, Canada.

• The new fund for biodiversity will attract funding from governments, philanthropy, and the private
sector.
Points to note:
i.This fund is intended to support the implementation of the goals outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted during the Conference of the Parties(COP) to the CBD held in
December 2022 in Canada.
ii.This will support the action to halt and reverse the biodiversity loss by 2030 and put nature on a recovery
path by 2050.
Background:
i.The GEF was selected to manage the new fund and the decision was made during the 2022 UN Biodiversity
Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) summit in December
2022 in Montreal, Canada.
ii.This fund’s establishment was formally approved by the GEF’s governing Council in June 2023, during a
meeting held in Brasilia, Brazil.
Initial contribution:
i.The initial contributions for the GBFF are set at USD 200 million from at least 3 donors by December 2023.
ii.Canada has contributed CAD(Canadian dollars) 200 million and the United Kingdom(UK) has contributed 10
million pounds.
Key Points:
i.More than a third of the fund’s resources will be used to support the Small Island Developing States and Least
Developed Countries.
ii.Around 20% of the resources will be used to support the Indigenous-led initiatives to protect and conserve
biodiversity.
iii.With a focus on the sustainability of biodiversity and the ecosystem, the fund will mobilise and disburse new
and additional resources from public, private and philanthropic sources.
Funding:
i.At COP15, Canada made a substantial financial commitment to support the GEF’s eighth replenishment. Over
the span of 4 years, from 2022 to 2026, Canada announced to provide USD 219 million.
• This financial support is aimed at empowering developing nations to address global environmental
challenges and enables them to fulfill their commitments under international environmental
conventions.
ii.Canada also committed USD 350 million in new and additional funding to support developing countries in
conserving biodiversity and to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Winners of Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program announced
On 23rd August 2023, GEF selected 23 civil society organizations as winners of its Inclusive GEF Assembly
Challenge Program, and the winning projects were announced during the 7th GEF Assembly held at the
Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada.
• Each awardee received a grant of up to USD 100,000 and gained access to networking, training, and
knowledge exchange opportunities through the GEF.
Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program:
i.It is a novel initiative reflecting a commitment to support and elevate community-driven climate and nature
projects and the unique contributions of Indigenous Peoples, women, girls, and young people across the GEF
partnership.
ii.It is funded by the Global Environment Facility’s 2 climate change adaptation funds, the Least Developed
Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).
Award Ceremony:
i.The GEF recognised the winning organisations during its Partnership Forum.
ii.The winning organisations showcased their experiences and insights through engaging panels and sessions.

iii.The event underscored the GEF’s commitment to fostering environmental progress via a comprehensive
“whole of society” strategy.
Selection Panel:
23 winners were chosen from nearly 600 applications, and the selection was made by a diverse panel
consisting of the following:
• GEF’s Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Network; Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel;
Indigenous Peoples’ Advisory Group; Gender Partnership; and youth representatives associated
with international environmental conventions.
• They span 26 countries.
Complete Winners’ List of the Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program 2023
About Global Environment Facility (GEF):
Chief Executive Officer & Chairperson– Carlos Manuel Rodriguez
Headquarters– Washington, District of Columbia (DC), United States of America (USA)
Established in 1991 and started operations on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit
Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 held in New Delhi: Edu Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
delivered Valedictory address
On 30th July 2023, the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2023, an educational event was concluded
with a resolution collectively made by the education leaders to transform India into an equitable and vibrant
knowledge society. The event’s valedictory address was delivered by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan,
Ministry of Education (MoE).
• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed that capacity building of teachers is a priority and
around 300 institutions including 100 from school education, 100 from higher education, and 100
from skill will be developed as centres of excellence during this academic year.
Key People:
Ministers of State (MoS) Annpurna Devi; Dr. Subhas Sarkar, and Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, MoE; K Sanjay
Murthy, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education
and Literacy, Ministry of Education and Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship (MoSDE).
Inauguration:
i.On 29th July 2023, Prime Minister (PM), Narendra Modi inaugurated the ABSS (‘Shiksha Mahakumbh’, a 2-
days event), jointly organized by the MoE and the MoSDE at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The PM also released the 1st installment of funds under the (PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI)
Scheme.
• He also released education and skill curriculum books translated into 12 Indian languages.
Note: This was the first event at the Bharat Mandapam after its formal inauguration.
Significance of ABSS 2023:
This event coincided with the 3rd anniversary of the National Education Policy, (NEP) 2020, which was
implemented on 29th July 2020.
• As per NEP 2020, students should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language until Class
5.
About PM SHRI Scheme:
Under the scheme, there is the provision of setting up more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools by strengthening the
existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central Government/State/UT Government/local bodies.
• 6207 schools received the 1st installment with a total amounting to Rs.630 crore.
Highlights of ABSS:
i.The Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on the 2nd day of the event, urged the education fraternity to
convert this education Mahakumbh into an All India Institution and strengthen the school ecosystem.

ii.The event was an initiative to emphasise the importance of capacity building for teachers will be developed
this academic year, to develop 300 institutions as centers of excellence.
• Those institutions will be divided into 100 each for school education, higher education, and skill
development.
ii.He also stressed all the educational and skilled institutions convert National Curriculum Framework (NCF)
guidelines into textbooks.
• NCF is a document that prescribes the broad policy framework and objectives for education in India.
ABSS 2023:
Sessions: The two-day event also witnessed the participation of academicians in the 16 thematic sessions on
various themes of School Education, Higher Education, and Skill Education including:
• Access to Quality Education and Governance (Higher Education);
• Equitable and Inclusive Education: Issues of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs);
• National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF);
• Internationalisation of Education, among others.
Objective:
• To encourage brainstorming sessions to identify various approaches and methodologies to
implement NEP 2020;
• To effectively articulate the roadmap and implementation strategies, fostering knowledge exchange,
discussing challenges;
• To provide a common platform for all stakeholders to come together and network for effective,
smooth, and timely implementation of the NEP 2020; and
• To deliberate, and share best practices for the implementation of NEP, 2020.
v.The Union Minister also released some books on the 10 major projects of the Central Institute for Classical
Tamil (CICT), which included Definitive Editions of Ancient Tamil Works, Translation of Ancient Tamil Works,
and Historical Grammar of Tamil.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Mobile App ‘ULLAS’
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, introduced the logo, slogan – “Jan Jan Sakshar“, and mobile
application of the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS): Nav Bharat
Saksharta Karyakram during the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2023.
• The new logo and slogan, “ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram,” reflect the enthusiasm and
vigour of the campaign.
• It symbolises the light of knowledge spreading across every corner of the country, empowering
citizens with the power of education, and igniting the flame of curiosity and learning in every
individual making Jan Jan Sakshar.
Key Features of the Mobile App:
i.The ULLAS mobile application marks a significant milestone in utitlising the potential of technology to
facilitate widespread access to basic literacy.
ii.This user-friendly and interactive app is accessible on both the Android and iPhone Operating Systems (ios).
iii.It will act as a digital portal to connect learners to a variety of educational resources through the Digital
Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) portal of the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT).
iv.The learners and volunteers can register in the app, on their own, or through surveyors.
v.It will focus on promoting functional literacy, vocational skills, and many important life skills like financial
literacy, legal literacy, digital literacy, and empowerment of citizens to involve in the nation-building of India.
vi.It also fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge-sharing in communities across India.
vii.It primarily targets citizens aged 15 and above who missed the opportunity to attend formal schooling. It
operates through volunteerism, encouraging volunteers to participate as DUTY or Kartavya Bodh towards
nation-building.

Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam 2023: 106 MoUs signed during the event
On 30th July 2023, the MoE and the MoSDE, signed 106 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with various
organizations and institutions on the occasion of the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2023.
• The objective is to foster innovation, research, and knowledge exchange across multiple domains,
strengthening collaboration between education and industry.
Key People:
The MoUs were signed in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MoE and MoSDE; and 3 MoS of
MoE Subhas Sarkar, Annapurna Devi, and Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
MoU’s in School Education:
i.Under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), 15 MoUs were signed with Institutes and sector skill
providers to focus on skill development and education, promoting skill assessment and capacity building.
ii.These MoUs were signed in association with the Atal Innovation Mission, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and various
sector skill councils.
iii.The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) signed 3 MoUs:
• The first MoU is with the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) in New Delhi,
Delhi, to promote Indian Sign Language and collaborate on standardisation and development of
quality learning resources.
• The second MoU is with the Common Service Centres (CSC), Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology, to facilitate the admission of Out of School Children (OoSC) in NIOS, increase enrolment,
and provide e-services.
• The third MoU is with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), Delhi for academic
advancements.
iv.Additionally, an MoU has been signed between Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and IBM to accelerate the
activities conducted for effective implementation of Vigyan Jyoti Program in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
(JNVs).
v.Under the eVidya initiative, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has signed 20
MoUs with Departments of School Education from various states.
• These MoUs aim to develop high-quality e-Content and distribute it through PM e-VIDYA DTH TV
channels in different languages, serving to various stakeholders in the education sector.
MoUs in Higher Education:
i.6 MoUs were established to promote the Indian Knowledge System.
ii.14 MoUs under the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) and All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE) were also signed in partnership with: SkillDzire Technologies Pvt Limited, MathWorks India
Private Limited, TimesPro, Google India, and various other institutions.
iii.2 SAMARTH MoUs with different states were also inked, alongside an MoU with SAMARTH DU and
Educational Consultants India Limited (EdCIL).
iv.6 MoUs have been signed between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras Zanzibar campus
(Tanzania), IIT Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), and others to offer training courses on ‘Digital Manufacturing and
Automation for Foundry Industry’.
v.The Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) initiative also resulted in 15 MoUs with various
states.
viFurthermore, The University Grants Commission (UGC) entered into 5 MoUs involving educational
institutions across the globe, including the partnerships between the University of Mumbai and the University
of Illinois in the United States of America (USA), and so on.
vii.The University of Lucknow also inked a MoU with Universidade Federal do Ceara in Brazil, paving the way
for international academic cooperation and exchange.
viii.Another 14 MoUs were signed to equip the youth with cutting-edge skills and knowledge, fostering
innovation, and nurturing academic excellence in India including the MoUs of Directorate General of Training
(DGT) with AWS India Pvt Ltd. and so on.

On 11th April 2023, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education and Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) unveiled the digital version of the Employability Skills Curriculum (ES) for students
enrolled in India’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) at the Future Skills Forum in New Delhi, Delhi.
About the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE):
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS)– Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha, Karnataka)
Overview of SemiconIndia Conference 2023 held from 28th-30th July 2023 in Gujarat
On 28th July 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2nd Edition of the Annual Global
Summit, ‘SemiconIndia Conference 2023′ in Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• SemiconIndia 2023, the 3-day program held from July 28 to 30, 2023, was organised by India
Semiconductor Mission in partnership with industry and industry associations.
• The event showcases the semiconductor strategy and policy of India which envisions making India a
global hub for semiconductor design, manufacturing, and technology development.
The theme of SemiconIndia 2023 is ‘Catalysing India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem’.
Aim:
• To make India a global hub for Semiconductor Design, Manufacturing, and Technology development,
which will help drive the vision of India Semiconductor Mission.
• To bring together global leaders from industry, academia, and research institutions.
Note: The inaugural ‘SemiconIndia 2022’ was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from 29th April to 1st May 2022.
Key People:
Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister(CM) of Gujarat; Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY); Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State (MoS), MeitY; Anirudh Devgan, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Cadence; Young Liu, Chairman of Foxconn; Anil Aggarwal, Chairman of Vedanta;
Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron; Mark Papaermaster, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Advanced Micro
Devices, Inc. (AMD); Prabhu Raja, President of Semiconductor Products Group Applied Materials (AMAT), were
present on the occasion.
Some plans of Major Companies in the Summit:
i.The conference witnessed the participation of representatives of major companies such as Micron
Technology, Applied Materials, Foxconn, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI),
Cadence, and AMD among others.
ii.Mark Papermaster, the Executive Vice President (EVP) and CTO of AMD announced the plan to invest UDS
400 million in India in the next 5 years to increase AMD’s Research & Development (R&D) capabilities.
iii.Sanjay Mehrotra, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Micron Technology, plans to set up a
semiconductor assembly and test facility for memory in Gujarat to create nearly 5,000 jobs and 15,000
additional jobs within the community.
India’s Growth in Various Sectors in a Decade:
i.India’s share in global electronic manufacturing has increased a lot, and currently it has crossed USD 100
billion, while in 2014 it was less than USD 30 billion.
ii.The export of electronics and mobile devices has doubled in the last 2 years.
iii.Currently, the number of mobile manufacturing units in India has gone beyond 200, compared to only 2
before 2014.
iv.The number of broadband users in India increased from Rs 6 crores to Rs 80 crores, while at present the
number of internet connections rose from Rs 25 crores to more than Rs 85 crores.
v.India’s solar power installed capacity has increased more than 20 times in the last decade, and a new target of
500 gigawatts (GW) of Renewable Energy (RE) capacity has been set to be achieved by the end of this decade.

Highlights:
i.The PM emphasised the Industry 4.0 revolution, a significant transformation in the manufacturing sector,
marked by the integration of digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI),
big data analytics, and robotics, into manufacturing processes.
ii.He discussed the growth of a neo-middle class in India, which has become the powerhouse of Indian
aspirations.
iii.By understanding its global responsibilities, India is building a vibrant semiconductor ecosystem with the
approval of the National Quantum Mission (NQM) to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–
1000 physical qubits in 8 years on various platforms like superconducting and photonic technology.
iv.The National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023 is going to be introduced in Parliament.
• NRF Bill 2023 seeks to replace the publicly funded mechanism of research support for the
scientific community through the Science and Engineering Board (SERB) Act, 2008.
v.In India, there are more than 300 colleges where courses on semiconductors will be available.
vi.The policy reforms taking place in India will have a positive impact on the construction of the semiconductor
ecosystem.
Tax Exemptions:
i.The PM highlighted several tax exemptions that have come into effect for the new manufacturing industry, the
lowest corporate tax rate in India, faceless and seamless taxation process, abolition of archaic laws,
compliances to increase ease of doing business, and special incentives for the semiconductor industry.
ii.He elaborated on giving 50% financial assistance to the technology firms to establish semiconductor
manufacturing facilities in India under the SemiconIndia Program.
SemiconIndia future DESIGN DLI: MeitY adds two new Semiconductor Design MSMEs
On 29th July 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) included 2 more
semiconductor design startups/ o, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) namely Aheesa Digital Innovations
and Calligo Technologies under its SemiconIndia future DESIGN Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme at the
SemiconIndia 2023 conference in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• With this inclusion, a total of 7 MSMEs/startups are under the DLI scheme.
Background:
i.Earlier in 2023, MeitY had already approved the names of 5 other startups/MSMEs under the DLI scheme
during the 2nd and 3rd DLI Roadshows in February 2023 in Bengaluru (Karnataka) and in May 2023, in Delhi.
ii.The 7 beneficiaries will be working on making chip and IP cores for the automotive, mobility, and computing
sectors
DLI Scheme and its Objective:
i.The DLI Scheme is implemented by the Center for Development and Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
ii.Under the DLI Scheme, the ChipIN centre has been set up at C-DAC as a one-stop centre to provide chip
design & fabrication services to supported companies.
iii.The DLI scheme offers financial incentives and design infrastructure support for the development and
deployment of semiconductor designs for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs), Systems &
Intellectual Property (IP) Cores, and semiconductor linked design(s) over a period of 5 years.
Aheesa Digital Innovations:
i.The Chennai(Tamil Nadu)-based Aheesa Digital Innovations Private Limited (Aheesa) is a fabless
semiconductor company that focuses on Telecom, Networking, and Cyber Security domains.
ii.Under the scheme, Aheesa plans to develop its own Aheesa Vihaan series of Networking SoCs, an integrated
circuit that integrates most or all components of a computer or other electronic system.
iii.The first version of Aheesa Vihaan is based on the soft IP-form C-DAC’s VEGA Processor Core, developed
under Digital India RISC-V Processor (DIR-V).
iv.Aheesa would be releasing the Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (GPON)/Ethernet Passive Optical
Networking (EPON) Optical Network Terminal (ONT) reference platform (Aheesa Seshnag) based on Aheesa

Vihaan with Operating System (OS), drivers, toolchains and applications for Indian Network and Telecom
product manufacturers.
Calligo Technologies:
i.Bengaluru(Karnataka)-based Calligo Technologies is also a fabless semiconductor start-up that works in the
areas of High-Performance Computing (HPC), Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)/machine learning.
ii.The company works to improve computing performance by means of software and hardware acceleration.
iii.Under the scheme, Calligo will develop an accelerator product capable of doing computations, using a new
number system- POSITs, which will be integrated into Digital India’s RISC-V Processor (DIR-V) with this co-
processor.
iv.It would be creating a highly power-efficient and computationally more accurate Central Processing Unit
(CPU) – TUNGA (Technology for Unum – based Next Generation Arithmetic) Silicon.
• This Silicon will power a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)-based Accelerator
Card, UTTUNGA. This solution does not require any source-level modifications to run the HPC/AI
Application.
AMD Announces Plan to Invest Approx USD 400 Million in India to Expand Design Center Operations
On 28th July 2023, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), a California (United States of America-USA)-based
computing, graphics, and visualization technologies company, committed to investing approximately USD 400
million in India over the next 5 years.
• Mark Papermaster, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of AMD,
announced the investment plans during the second edition of SemiconIndia 2023 in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat.
• The planned investment includes a new AMD campus in Bengaluru(Karnataka) that will serve as the
company’s largest design center and is expected to create approximately 3,000 new engineering
jobs by the end of 2028.
Key Points:
i.The new AMD campus, which will span 500,000 square feet (46,500 sq m), is expected to open before the end
of 2023.
ii.It will feature extensive lab space, state-of-the-art collaboration tools, and seating configurations designed to
promote teamwork.
iii.It will also provide tremendous opportunities for a large pool of highly skilled semiconductor engineers and
researchers.
iv.The investment is supported by various policy initiatives of the Government of India focused on the
semiconductor industry.
Establishment of AMD in India:
AMD has been an active part of the semiconductor ecosystem in India since 2001, when the company
established its first site in India at New Delhi, Delhi.
15th Japan-India Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue: India & Japan Explore Collaboration in
Semiconductors in Delhi
On 27th July 2023, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India, held the 15th India-
Japan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue with Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan in New
Delhi, Delhi. They explored potential areas of collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, including
semiconductors; resilient supply chains; and digital public infrastructure, among others.
• This is a part of the plans to reach a target of USD 35.9 billion Japanese investment in India by 2027.
• The Ministers also discussed ways to deepen Defense Equipment and Technology Cooperation.
Key Highlights:
i.The ministers’ emphasized the crucial role of a strong partnership between India and Japan in ensuring a Free
and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
ii.They also highlighted the significance of achieving the investment target of 5 trillion yen (Japanese Yen) in
public-private investment and loans to India over the next 5 years (2022–27).

• This goal was set by both India and Japan during Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio’s visit to India in
March 2022.
iii.Minister Hayashi requested cooperation to improve the investment environment and for the early
establishment of a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).
iv.The two ministers affirmed continuing to make steady progress on the high-speed rail project, a flagship
project of Japan and India.
v.In order to strengthen medium- to long-term Japan-India relations through people-to-people exchanges, they
agreed on expanding human exchanges between the 2 countries, such as tourism and international students.
• India and Japan are celebrating 2023 as the ‘Year of India-Japan Tourism Exchanges’ with the theme
of ‘Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji’
vi.They also discussed cooperation in the international arena, such as in the Quad countries and Security
Council reform.
On 9th May 2023, the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Purdue University, Indiana, United States of America (USA) in the presence of Union Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MoE&IT), for capacity building, research and
development (R&D), and industry participation.
About India Semiconductor Mission (ISM):
It is a specialized and independent Business Division within the Digital India Corporation.
Under the oversight of the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), the ISM was introduced in 2021.
Chairman– Alkesh Kumar Sharma
Chief Executive Officer– Amitesh Kumar Sinha
INDEX
RANKING
Fortune Global 500 list of 2023: Walmart tops the list followed by Saudi Aramco and State Grid
On 2nd August 2023, Fortune, a global media organisation released the 69th edition of Fortune Global 500
list of 2023, an annual ranking of the largest 500 corporations across the world as measured by total revenue
for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2022-23). Walmart tops the list for the 10th consecutive year, followed by Saudi
Aramco and State Grid in the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
• Walmart, an American (United States of America (US)) Retail and Wholesale company with USD
611.3 billion in revenue;
• Saudi Aramco, a Saudi Arabian (United Arab Emirates (UAE)) Mining and Crude-Oil Production
company with USD 603 billion; and
• State Grid, a Beijing (China)-based power company owned by the Government of China with USD
530 billion in the 3rd position.
Note:
• Saudi Aramco earned the highest annual total ever for a Fortune Global 500 company with USD 159
billion.
Key Points:
i.The companies are ranked by total revenues for their respective fiscal years ended on or before March 31,
2023.
ii.The list was released on the basis of the parameters such as Revenues, Profits, Balance sheet, Employees,
Medians, and Credits.

iii.Companies on the 2023 list employ 70.1 million people across the world and are based in 232 cities and 33
countries/territories and regions around the world.
iv.The Fortune Global 500 list generated record-high aggregate revenues of USD 41 trillion, which is more than
one-third of the world’s Gross domestic product (GDP).
2023 Fortune Global 500 Rankings by Geography
i.China tops the 2023 list with a total of 142 companies in the geographical regions in mainland China including
Hongkong and Taiwan.
ii.2023 Ranking featured 142 Chinese companies, 136 US companies, 41 Japanese companies, 30 German
companies.
• The US company with the highest profits in 2023 was Apple with USD 100 billion.
Categories:
The list includes the following categories: Newcomer to the Global 500; World’s Most Admired Companies;
Fastest Growing Companies; Dropped in Rank; Female Chief Executive Officer (CEO); Fortune 500; Gained in
Rank; Growth in Jobs; Best Companies; Profiatble; Change the World; Non US Companies.
• The number of women CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies rose to 29 in 2023, it was 24 in the
2022 edition.
• There were 39 newcomers in 2023, including 23 companies making their debut, such as Warner
Bros. Discovery (449), first-time Chinese companies, Contemporary Amperex Technology (292), and
Meituan (467).
8 Indian Companies Featured in the 2023 Fortune Global 500 list with Reliance Industries Ranked High
at 88
Reliance Industries, led by Billionaire Mukesh Ambani, featured in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2023.Reliance
Industries climbed 16 places and now holds a rank at number 88 in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2023.The
company has gained 67 places in the last 2 years from number 155 in 2021.
• Among the 8 Indian Companies on the list, Reliance Industries maintained its highest ranking.
• The other Indian companies on the list are: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Indian Oil
Corporation (IOL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd,
State Bank of India (SBI), Tata Motors, and Rajesh Exports.
• Reliance Industries in the 2022 list held the rank at number 104. The rank at number 88 is the best-
ever achievement of Reliance Industries in the Fortune Global 500 list.
Ranking of Other Indian Firms:
• LIC was first featured in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2022. In 2023, it slipped 9 places to 107 from
98 in 2022.
• IOC jumped 48 places to rank at number 94, it was 142 in 2022.
• ONGC was ranked number 158, it was 190 in 2022.
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd at number 233, was 295 in 2022.
• SBI was placed at number 235 on the list, it was 236 in 2022.
• Tata Motors climbed 33 positions at number 337, it was 370 in 2022
• Rajesh Motors climbed 84 places to number 353, 437 in 2022.
Saudi Aramco Emerged as Most Profitable Company in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2023, Ranked 2nd
in the List by Revenue
Saudi Aramco (also known as Saudi Arabian Oil Company), is one of the largest integrated energy and
chemicals companies in the world in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ranked 2nd in the
annual list of Fortune Global 500 list of 2023 and it has emerged as the most profitable company ever on the
list, earning USD 159 billion in the fiscal year 2022.
• It jumped up 4 places, from number 6 in 2022 to no.2 in 2023 list.
• Walmart tops the list with USD 611.3 billion in revenue, which was up by 6.7% compared to 2022
followed by Saudi Aramco (603 billion); State Grid, a China-based power company owned with USD
530 billion in the 2nd and 3rd places in revenue respectively.

Key Points:
i.Saudi Aramco reported a net profit of USD 161.1 billion for 2022, up from USD 110 billion in 2021, and a
record net earnings result for the company.
ii.With the most profitable business in the world, Saudi Aramco has about USD 3.2 trillion to invest by 2030.
iii.Aramco’s vast oil profits play a vital role in generating investments by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in
the sports industry. Saudi pro soccer league signed a nine-figure contract with some of the European soccer
players.
Table of Top 10 Companies in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2023:
Rank Company Name Country Revenue (in USD)
1 Walmart USA 611.3 billion
2 Saudi Aramco UAE 603.7 billion
3 State Grid China 530 billion
4 Amazon USA 514 billion
5 China National Petroleum China 483.1 billion
6 Sinopec Group China 471.2 billion
7 ExxonMobil USA 413. 7 billion
8 Apple USA 394.3 billion
9 Shell United Kingdom 386.2 billion
10 UnitedHealth Group USA 324.2 billion
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been included in the 25th edition of FORTUNE magazine’s list of the
“World’s Most Admired Companies” for 2023.
About Fortune 500
• Fortune 500 companies are ranked by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list is
compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine.
The concept of the Fortune 500 was created by Edgar P. Smith, a Fortune editor, and the first list was published
in 1955
WTO’s WTSR 2023 Report: India Ranked 18th Among Merchandise Exports
According to the World Trade Statistical Review 2023, (WTSR 2023) the annual flagship publication of the
World Trade Organization (WTO) featuring key data on global trade in merchandise and commercial services,
India is ranked 18th among the Leading exporters in world merchandise trade (2022).
• India is ranked 9th among the merchandise importers.
• China, the United States of America(USA), and Germany are the top 3 exporters in world
merchandise trade 2022.
• USA, China and Germany are the top 3 importers in World Merchandise Trade 2022.
Note: WTSR replaces International Trade Statistics, the WTO’s former annual statistical publication.
Points to note:
i.India is ranked globally 7th among exporters and 9th among importers in world in commercial services 2022.
ii.Commercial services exports of India registered a very strong
206% increase.
Exporters in world merchandise trade, 2022
Value
Rank Exporters ( in USD Billion) Share (%)
1 China 3594 14.4

2 USA 2065 8.3
3 Germany 1655 6.6
18 India 453 1.8
50 Iran 73 0.3
Importers in world merchandise trade, 2022
Value
Rank Importers ( in USD Billion) Share (%)
1 USA 3376 13.2
2 China 2716 10.6
3 Germany 1571 6.1
9 India 723 2.8
50 Colombia 77 0.3
Exporters in world trade in commercial services, 2022
Value
Rank Exporters ( in USD Billion) Share (%)
1 USA 900 12.8
2 United Kingdom(UK) 492 7
3 China 422 6
7 India 309 4.4
40 Saudi Arabia 31 0.4
Importers in world trade in commercial services, 2022
Value
Rank Importers ( in USD Billion) Share (%)
1 USA 671 10.3
2 China 461 7.1
3 Germany 458 7
9 India 246 3.8
40 Kuwait 26 0.4
Highlights of the report:
Trade in goods and services:
Trade in goods and services amounted to US$ 31.0 trillion in 2022, a 13% rise year-on-year.
Leading merchandise trader:
China remained the top merchandise exporter in 2022 but its share in world exports declined to 14% (from
15% in 2021).
Manufactured goods:
The share of manufactured goods in world merchandise exports fell to 63% in 2022 (versus 68% in 2018)
mainly due to high energy prices limiting demand.
Transport services:
Trade in transport services continued to grow in 2022 at a slower pace than in 2021 as shipping rates returned
to pre-pandemic levels.

Intra-regional merchandise trade:
i.Intra-regional merchandise trade represented 65% of Europe’s world trade in 2022, the highest amongst the
major world regions.
ii.The lowest was for Africa (14% in 2022, down from 16% in 2018).
Related information:
According to the latest WTO Goods Trade Barometer issued on March 1, 2023, World merchandise trade
growth is likely to have lost momentum in the fourth quarter(Q4) of 2022 and it is
likely to remain weak in the first quarter(Q1) of 2023.
• The overall barometer index has declined to 92.2 (Index value December 2022), down from 96.2 in
the previous release(November 2022).
About WTSR 2023:
i.The WTSR 2023 presents recent trends in international trade, technological challenges affecting the global
economy and supply chains.
ii.Along with data on economic developments like Gross domestic product (GDP) growth, commodity prices,
and exchange rate fluctuations, the data cover trade in goods and services broken down by geographical origin,
main product groups and sectors.
iii.Analytical chapters highlighting trade trends in 2022 are complemented by statistical tables providing
further details on merchandise trade and trade in commercial services.
About World Trade Organization (WTO):
Director-General- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established- 1st January 1995
REPORTS
Status of Tigers: Co-Predators & Prey in India-2022 Report: Tiger population in India estimates
to be 3,925
Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEF&CC), released the detailed report of All India Tiger Estimation – 2022 titled “Status of Tigers: Co-
Predators & Prey in India-2022” during the event orgnised as a part of the Global Tiger Day (29th July 2023) at
Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand.
• According to the report by National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA), Tiger Population in
India is estimated to be 3,925 with an annual growth
rate of 6.1% per annum.
• India currently retains almost 75% of the world’s
wild tiger population.
Background:
i.On 9th April 2022, during the celebration of 50 years of the
Project Tiger at Mysusru, Karnataka, Prime Minister (PM)
Narendra Modi declared the minimum tiger population of 3167,
population estimate from the camera-trapped area.
ii.According to the further analysis of data by the Wildlife Institute of India, from both camera-trapped and
non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas ,the upper limit of the tiger population is estimated to be 3925 and
the average number is 3682 tigers.
Key Points:
i.Currently, more than 3/4th of the tiger population in India is concentrated within protected areas.
ii.Madhya Pradesh has the largest tiger population with 785 tigers, followed by Karnataka with 563,
Uttarakhand with 560, and Maharashtra with 444.

iii.Nearly a 1/4th of the tigers were reportedly outside protected areas.
iv.Tigers in India are largely concentrated in 53 dedicated tiger reserves spread across 75,796 square km,
spanning about 2.3% of India’s total land area.
v.The tiger abundance within the Tiger Reserve is highest in Corbett (260), followed by Bandipur (150),
Nagarhole (141), Bandhavgarh (135), Dudhwa (135), Mudumalai(114), Kanha (105), Kaziranga (104),
Sundarbans (100), Tadoba (97), Sathyamangalam (85), and Pench-MP (77).
vi.Central India and the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains witnessed a notable increases in tiger population,
particularly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra.
vii.Certain regions, like the Western Ghats, experienced localized declines, necessitating targeted monitoring
and conservation efforts.
Some states, including Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh, have
reported disquieting trends with small tiger populations.
WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2023: 5.6 Billion People Protected by at Least One
Tobacco Control Measure
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the “’WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023:
Protect people from tobacco smoke“, the 9th report in the series that tracks the status of the tobacco epidemic
and interventions to combat it. The report monitors countries’ progress in tobacco control since 2008 and also
marks 15 years since the introduction of MPOWER,WHO’s technical package which is designed to assist
countries in implementing demand-reduction measures of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (WHO FCTC).
• The report state that around 5.6 billion people (71% of the world’s population or 7 in 10 people
globally) are protected with at least one best practice of tobacco control measure, a 5 times increase
from 2007.
• The report showed that 2 new countries, Mauritius and the Netherlands, have achieved best-
practice level in all MPOWER measures. Until now, this was achieved by only Brazil and Türkiye.
• Mauritius has become the first African country to fully implement the entire MPOWER
Measures. It has recorded a 25% decline in the prevalence of smoking among adults between 1992
and 2021.
What is WHO’s MPOWER Package?
WHO introduced the MPOWER measures in 2008.MPOWER are a set of six cost-effective and high impact
measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco. These measures include:
• M- Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
• P- Protect people from tobacco smoke
• O- Offer help to quit tobacco use
• W- Warn about the dangers of tobacco
• E-Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
• R- Raise taxes on tobacco
About the Report:
It focuses on the ‘P’ in the MPOWER measures i.e. protecting the public from second-hand smoke.It also
highlights that almost 40% of countries now have completely smoke-free indoor public places.
Note: The Global Tobacco Epidemic Report initiated in 2008, is a biennial report by WHO.
Highlights from the Report:
Global Tobacco Control:
i.2.1 billion people in 74 countries are covered by complete smoke-free indoor public places, workplaces, and
public transport, a seven-fold increase since 2007.
ii.Global smoking prevalence decreased from 22.8% in 2007 to 17% in 2021, preventing 300 million additional
smokers.
iii.151 countries have adopted one or more WHO MPOWER measures, a significant rise since 2007.

iv.Eight countries only need one more MPOWER policy to join tobacco control leaders.
• These 8 nations are Ethiopia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, and Spain.
Global Tobacco Control: Challenges and Progress
• Second-hand smoke kills 1.3 million non-smokers yearly, exposing them to various health risks.
• 8.7 million people die annually from tobacco-related diseases.
• 44 countries lack any WHO MPOWER measures, and 53 countries lack complete smoking bans in
healthcare facilities.
• Banning Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) saw significant progress in
2022, covering 2 billion people in 66 countries.However, it is still under-adopted.
• 74 countries have no regulations addressing tobacco-related products.
• 88 countries, covering 2.3 billion people, have no minimum age for buying e-cigarettes.
Indian Scenario:
i.India has banned e-cigarettes, nicotine products, and tobacco advertising, but tobacco company messaging
and e-cigarette branding are still seen during F1 (Formula 1) events and races.
• India, home to an estimated 31 million F1 fans.
ii.The Indian state of Bengaluru in Karnataka has made significant progress in complying with state and
national smoke-free laws i.e. Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA).
• This resulted in a 27% reduction of smoking in public places from a rate of 18% in 2017 to 13% in
2021.
iii.Bengaluru received an international award for its efforts to reduce smoking in public places and aims to
become 100% smoke-free by 2025.
iv.India is one of the 32 countries with comprehensive cessation services.
v.India is part of the Tobacco Enforcement and Reporting Movement (TERM), a real-time digital monitoring
system to detect online tobacco marketing.It was launched by Vital Strategies
vi.India is also among the 121 countries globally that have adopted measures to address electronic nicotine
delivery systems (ENDS).
i.According to the ‘Hunger Hotspots: FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity, June to November
2023 Outlook’ report released on May 29, 2023, by the United Nation (UN) agencies of Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), globally Hunger is set to worsen in 18
‘hotspots’ comprising a total of 22 countries including the regions in India’s neighbours countries of Pakistan,
Afghanistan and Myanmar.
ii.According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s 11th edition ‘World of Work’, the global
unemployment is projected to fall below pre pandemic levels to 191 million, corresponding to
an unemployment rate of 5.3% in 2023.
About World Health Organization (WHO):
Director-General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
FICCI-EY Report:India Loses 1.5 Million lives in Road Crashes

According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) -EY a report titled ‘Road
Safety in India – Navigating through nuances‘, Road accidents claim around 1.5 million lives in India every
year. India accounts for 11% of all road crash deaths and tops the world in road crash deaths and injuries.
• The report was released by Tukuni Sahu, Minister for Transport, Water Resources & Commerce,
government of Odisha during the FICCI’s Conference on Role of Corporates in Road Safety and
Awards 2023 in New Delhi, Delhi on 18th July 2023.
Major finding of the report:
i.It states that in every 24 seconds, at least one person is lost due to a traffic accident worldwide.

• It also compares the lost lives of Indians with the size of the Estonian population.
ii.The report highlighted the World Health Organisation (WHO) finding, road crashes are the 8th leading cause
of death with more than 1.3 million deaths and 50 million serious injuries. It is the leading cause of death
amongst youth and kids aged 5 to 29 years.
iii.It suggested a 5 pillar approach to reduce road accidents – Road Safety Management, Safer Vehicles, Safer
Road Users, Post-Crash Response & Safer Driving Environment.
Brasilia Declaration:
i.India has signed the Brasilia Declaration in 2015, which seeks to reduce global road traffic fatalities and
injuries by half by 2030.
• This target was set under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
ii.The declaration was finalised at the Second Global High Level Conference on Road Safety, which took place in
Brazil on November 18th and 19th, 2015.
iii.It recommends the establishment and enforcement of regulations and measures that actively protect and
promote pedestrian safety and cycling mobility, such as sidewalks, bike paths and bike lanes, adequate lighting,
radars with cameras, signalling and road marking.
About EY:
EY, (formerly known as Ernst & Young) founded in 1989, is a multinational firm of professional services. It
provides audit, consulting, tax, business risk, technology and security risk services, and human capital services
worldwide.
Head Quarters – London, United Kingdom.
Global Chairman and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Carmine Di Sibio
About Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI):
President – Subhrakant Panda
Establishment – 1927
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan releases ‘State of School Education in Rural India’ report
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education released India’s first “State of School
(Elementary) Education in Rural India” report during the Transforming Rural India (TRI)’s India Rural
Colloquy 2023 (IRC) held in India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.
• The report revealed that a total of 78% of parents of girls and 82% of parents of boys wanted to
educate their children to graduation and above.
• The report aims to provide data along with the right analytics and insights to stimulate the
development of rural India.
About the Report:
i.The report is based on an analysis of survey of 6229 parents across 21 States/Union territories (UTs) of India.
The study focused on children in rural communities between the age group of 6-to-16-year-old.
• Out of the 6,229 rural households surveyed, 6,135 had school-going students, 56 had students who
dropped out of school, and 38 had children who had never enrolled in school.
ii.The pan-India survey was spearheaded by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU) in collaboration with
the Transforming Rural India Foundation (TRI) and Sambodhi Research and Communications Pvt. Ltd.,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
iii.The report examines various aspects of learning environments and parental engagements and also
illuminates the evolving parental attitudes toward girls’ education in rural India.
Report Analysis:
i.School Drop-out Rate: The data reveals that one-fourth of male children dropped out of school during
primary schooling and the female primary school dropout rates were higher, with around 35%.
• Around 75% boys and 65% girls dropped out of school after completing primary school education.

• One of the main reason for dropout can be non-availability of schools with higher classes within the
village or nearby villages.
ii.Smart Phone Usage: The survey indicated that 49.3% of children aged between 6 to 16 years have access to
smartphones in rural India.
• Out of these, only 34% use it for study downloads and 18% of students access online learning via
tutorials.
• 58.32% of students belonging to Class 8 or above have access to smartphones and 42.1% between
classes 1 and 3 have access to it.
iii.Parents‘ Engagement: Among parents who never went to school, 28.7% regularly inquire about school
education, while 25.1% rarely or never do so.
• In contrast, 46.3% of parents with education above higher secondary actively follow up on their
child’s education regularly, with only 4% rarely engaging in their child’s education.
Key Points:
i.The report stated, 63% of the households have a designated place for study and 83% of households provide
uninterrupted study time at home.
ii.Only 40% of parents have conversations with their kids every day about learning in school while 32% have
these conversations a few days in a week.
iii.A total of 55.7% of respondents felt that higher education is affordable while 31.3% believed otherwise.
Ministry of Jal Shakti Releases Report on 6th Census on Minor Irrigation Schemes
On 26th August 2023, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), Department of Water Resources (WR), River
Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) released the All India (volume-I) and State-wise
(Volume-II) report on 6th census on Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes.
• This report will be useful for planners, researcher scholars, agricultural and groundwater scientists,
and all concerned with the development of irrigation and the agricultural economy of India.
Key Points:
i.As per the report, 23.14 million MI schemes have been reported in India, out of which 21.93 million are
Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million are Surface Water (SW) schemes.
ii.The report reveals that, for the first time, information regarding the gender of individual owners of MI
schemes has been systematically collected. Among individually owned MI schemes, 18.1% are owned by
women.
iii.Uttar Pradesh holds the largest number of MI schemes in India followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
and Tamil Nadu.
Ground and Surface Water Schemes:
i.Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
• GW schemes comprise dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and deep tube wells.
ii.In SW schemes Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand have the highest share.
• The SW schemes comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.
iii.There has been increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes during 6th MI census as compared to 5th
Census. At National level, Both GW and SW schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, respectively.
iv.Dug wells have the highest share in MI schemes followed by shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and
deep tube wells.
• Maharashtra is the leading State in dug wells, surface flow, and surface lift schemes.
• Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab are the leading States in shallow tube wells, medium tube
wells, and deep tube wells, respectively.
v.In GW schemes, the share of private entities in the ownership is 98.3% whereas in SW schemes the respective
share is 64.2%.

Category-wise Analysis:
i.Out of all MI schemes, 97.0% are ‘in use’, 2.1% are ‘temporarily not in use’ and 0.9% are ‘permanently not in
use’.
ii.Shallow tube wells and medium tube wells lead in the category of ‘in use’ schemes. A majority of MI schemes
(96.6%) are under private ownership.
Source of Finance:
i.Around 60.2% of schemes have a single source of finance whereas 39.8% of schemes have more than one
source of finance.
ii.In a single source of finance, the majority of schemes (79.5%) are being financed by own savings of individual
farmers.
About the Census of MI Schemes:
i.A reliable database for MI schemes is essential for effective planning and policy-making in the MI sector.
ii.With this objective, the Government of India (GoI) has been conducting a census of MI schemes.
iii.So far, 5 censuses have been conducted with the reference year 1986-87, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2006-07 and
2013-14 respectively.
iv.The 6th minor irrigation census with reference year 2017-18 was completed in 32 States/ Union Territories
(UTs), and the 6th MI census work was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parameters of the Census:
i.The census was conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”, a parent component
of Rationalisation of Minor Irrigation Statistics (RMIS) scheme.
• The scope of the “Irrigation Census” scheme has been enlarged by the launch of the First Census of
Water Bodies in convergence with the 6th minor irrigation Census with the objective of developing a
national database for all water bodies.
ii.Detailed information on various critical parameters like irrigation sources such as dug wells, shallow tube
wells, medium tube wells, deep tube wells, surface flow, and surface lift schemes was gathered.
iii.Other parameters like irrigation potential created (IPC), potential utilized, ownership, holding size of land by
owner, devices used for lifting water, sources of energy, energy conserving devices such as sprinkler and drip
irrigation, use of non-conventional energy sources such as solar pumps, windmills, etc were also collected.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, launched the Unified Registration Portal for Biogas/
Compressed Bio Gas (CBG)/ Bio CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) plants under Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro
Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme.
About Ministry of Jal Shakti:
Union Minister- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Constituency- Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
Ministers of State (MoS)- Prahlad Singh Patel (Constituency- Damoh, Madhya Pradesh); Bishweswar Tudu
(Constituency- Mayurbhanj, Odisha)
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

PFC Becomes First Member From India To Join Japan’s ATFSG
Power Finance Corporation Limited(PFC), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the
Ministry of Power & a leading Non-Banking Financial Corporation(NBFC) in India, became the first member
from India to join the Asia Transition Finance Study Group(ATFSG), an initiative by Japanese Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) for promoting sustainable transition finance for Asian Countries.
• This was announced during the Bilateral Ministerial Meeting between Raj Kumar Singh, Union
Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy and Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy,
Trade and Industry, Government of Japan on the side lines of G20(Group of 20) summit held at Goa.

Key Points:
i.As a member of ATFSG, PLC will play a major role in representing India’s interests and point of view while
contributing to the development of the policy considerations for effective energy transition financing.
ii.Joining ATFSG, Asian countires will promote financing for energy transition and net zero targets.
About Asia Transition Finance Study Group(ATFSG)
i.Founded in 2021, the ATFSG was established with the understanding that transition finance will be a critical
factor in enabling Asian economies to achieve carbon neutrality.
ii.This consortium brings together numerous global financial institutions under its banner, aiming to develop
guidelines to assist companies considering transition finance.
iii.Additionally, the group provides supplementary advice that complements the existing global frameworks for
sustainable finance.
iv.The members and observers of the ATFSG include Japanese banks, major Asian and global financial
institutions, development banks, export credit agencies, and government agencies.
v.Mizuho Financial Group(MUFG) is a core member of the ATFSG.
About Power Finance Corporation Ltd(PFC):
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)- Parminder Chopra (additional charge)
Incorporated on 16th July 1986
2022/2023 NSTF-South32 Awards : Mohamed Reza Mia, Indian-origin South

African Won Innovation Award for Aircraft Project
Team of Johannesburg(South Africa) based Pegasus Universal Aerospace (PUA) Company, led by its
Chairman Mohamed Reza Mia, an Indian-origin South African, won the 2022/2023 National Science and
Technology Forum (NSTF)-South32 Awards under the category “Innovation Award: Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprise (SMME)” for outstanding contributions to Science, Engineering, Technology (SET) and
innovation in South Africa.
• The Innovation Award was won by the Pegasus Universal
Aerospace team, recognised for the design and
development of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
aircraft.
• The design and development of VTOL aircraft is expected
to create between 7 000 and 11 000 new jobs.
About Mohamed Reza Mia:
i.He is a healthcare practitioner, specialising as a General
Practitioner, (GP), in Johannesburg,founded the Pegasus Universal
Aerospace (PUA) company in 2012 to make a small private jet with (VTOL) capability.
ii.By combining the best features of a helicopter and a business jet, that could be used for tricky rescue airlifts
and emergency air transportation.
About the Pegasus Aircraft:
i.The ‘Pegasus’ aircraft, a compact jet, excels in speed, range, payload, and passenger capacity, outperforming
traditional business jets without needing a runway.
ii.PUA, primarily self-funded is currently testing quarter-scale models that have a wing-span of 4 metres. PUA
also partnered with an automation and robotics company to further reach greater heights.
Note: The Pegasus Vertical Business Jet (VBJ) prototype was featured in the Hollywood movie “The Lost City”
released by Paramount Pictures in 2022.
Another Innovation Category Award:
i.LignOrganics, a bio-manufacturing company in SA also won the award for the category, Innovation Award:
SMME.

ii.LignOrganics is the first on the African continent to produce sulphur-free lignin and the first in the world to
achieve ‘total biomass valorisation’.
About NSTF Awards 2023:
25th edition of 2023 NSTF Awards held on 13th July 2023 and took place simultaneously in Cape Town and
Johannesburg, SA .It was sponsored by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) under
the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of SA.
• The NSTF’s theme for 2023 is “Ocean Science for sustainable development”.
• This theme was selected in response to the United Nations (UN) proclamation of the decadal theme
of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development for 2021-2030.
In 2023, NSTF introduced a “Special Annual Theme Award” for exceptional contributions to Ocean Science
for Sustainable Development through SET research and innovation.
Winners of India Smart Cities Awards Contest 2022

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has announced the winners of the India Smart Cities
Award Contest (ISAC) organised under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), MoHUA.
• Indore topped the National Smart City Award,
followed by Surat and Agra in second and third
place respectively.
• Madhya Pradesh topped the state award, followed
by Tamil Nadu in second place, and Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh in third place.
• Chandigarh has awarded best Union Territory
award.
Note: President of India, Droupadi Murmu, will felicitate the
winners of ISAC 2022 awards on 27th September 2023 in
Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Key Points:
i.In the Project Awards category, Coimbatore took the top spot for built environment, Ahmedabad for the
culture and Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) themes, Jabalpur for economy, Chandigarh for
governance and mobility, Indore for sanitation, water and urban environment, Vadodara for social aspects.
ii.Hubbali Dharwad for the innovative idea theme and Surat for Covid innovation theme.
About ISAC Awards:
i.The 4th edition of the ISAC was launched in April 2022 during the ‘Smart Cities-Smart Urbanization’
event in Surat, Gujarat.
• Previous ISAC editions were held in 2018, 2019, and 2020, with the exception of the 2021
edition, which was cancelled due to COVID-19.
ii.The ISAC recognizes and reward the cities, projects and innovative ideas that are promoting sustainable
development across the 100 smart cities, as well as stimulating inclusive, equitable, safe, healthy and
collaborative cities, thus enhancing quality of life for all.
Selection Procedure:
i.The ISAC 2022 award had a two-stage submission process consisting of ‘Qualifying Stage’, which involved
overall assessment of the city’s performance, and the ‘Proposal Stage’
• A total of 64 awards were given in six categories including National and Zonal City Awards,
State Awards, UT Award, Partners Awards(3 different themes), Innovation Award(2 different
themes) and Project Awards(10 different themes).
ii.ISAC 2022 were received 845 nominations from 80 qualifying smart cities.These nominations were
evaluated in 5 stages.

iii.During the five stages of the evaluation, the top 12 proposals from each award category were identified
by a jury of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• The final top 3 proposals have been identified for each award category by the Apex Committee
of the Smart Cities Mission from the top 6 proposals.
List of ISAC 2022 Award Winners:
Category 1st 2nd 3rd
National
Indore Surat Agra
Smart City
(Madhya Pradesh) (Gujarat) (Uttar Pradesh)
Award
Rajasthan
State Award Madhya Pradesh Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
UT Award Chandigarh
Zonal Smart City Award
Eastern
Ranchi(Jharkhand), Bhubaneswar(Odisha)
Zone
Northeast Kohima(Nagaland),Namchi(Sikkim), Varanasi(Uttar

Zone Pradesh),Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Southern
Coimbatore(Tamil Nadu), Belagavi(Karnataka)
Zone
Western
Ahmedabad(Gujarat),Solapur(Maharashtra)
Zone
Partner Awards
Industry
Larsen & Toubro LC Infra Projects
(Infrastruct Enviro Control Private
(L&T) Pvt. Ltd.
ure)
Honeywell
Industry L&T Construction- Nippon Electric Company
Automation India
(MSI) Smart World Division (NEC) India
Limited
Partner
Recognition: PwC India
PMC
Innovation Awards

Hubbali- Dharwad(Kar Raipur(Chhattisg
Surat(Gujarat): Self
nataka): Open Space arh):
Innovative Sustaining of Public
Upgradation 2 – Nalla NalandaParisar
Idea Award gardening Canal Pathway
Renovation and Green (Oxy Reading
(Corridor)
Corridor Zone Library)
Agra(UttarPrades
Indore(Madhya h): Covid 19
Covid Surat(Gujarat) Covid 19
Pradesh): Covid 19 Response
Innovation Response Category –
Response Category – Category –
Award Multiple Initiatives
Multiple Initiatives Multiple
Initiatives
Project Awards
New
Town Kolkata(W
est Bengal):
Landscape
Redevelopment of
Indore(Madhya NeemBanani Park
Coimbatore(Tamil
Built Pradesh): Riverfront and other Green
Nadu): Model Roads,
Environmen Development (Stretch 1 Open Spaces
Restoration and
t from Rambagh bridge to
Rejuvenation of Lakes
KrishnapuraChhatri) Kanpur(UttarPra
desh):
Modernisation
and Development
of Palika Sports
Stadium
Ahmedabad(Gujarat): Bhopal(Madhya
Thanjavur(Tamil
Revamping and up keep Pradesh): Restoration of
Nadu):
of heritage structure heritage buildings near
Culture Conservation of
and development of the SadarManzil precinct
Ponds –
heritage tourism using under Heritage Walk
Ayyankulam
technology Project
Jabalpur(Madhya Indore(Madhya
Lucknow: Rojgar
Economy Pradesh): Incubation Pradesh): Value Capture
Training Centre
Centre Financing (VCF)
Chandigarh: E- PimpriChinchwad(Maha Udaipur(Rajasth

Governance Governance Services for rashtra): Smart Sarathi an): Smart City
Chandigarh Smart City app Application

Agra(Uttar
Pradesh):
Revenue
generation
through ICCC and
ICCC Ahmedabad(Gujarat): Surat(Gujarat): Revenue Carbon emission
Business Traffic Management Generation from different reduction
Model through ICCC sources through ICCC
Gwalior(Madhya
Pradesh):
Intelligent traffic
management
system
Sagar(Madhya
Pradesh):
Chandigarh: Public New Town Kolkata(West
Intelligent Traffic
Mobility Bike Sharing (PPP) Bengal): Promoting Non-
Management
along with cycle tracks Motorized Transpor
System improving
road safety
Ahmedabad(Guj
arat): Door-to-
door waste
collection
Indore(Madhya Kakinada(Andhra monitoring
Sanitation Pradesh): Gobardhan Pradesh): Solid Waste
Bio-CNG Plant Management System Chandigarh:
Provision of
SCADA for Solid
Waste
Management
Raipur(Chhattisg
arh): B.P Pujari
School –
Vadodara(Gujarat): Upgradation of
Agra(UttarPradesh):
Implementation of Hindi Medium
Social Smart Health Centers
Hospital Management Schools to School
Aspects (PPP) and Upgradation of
Information System of Excellence in
municipal schools
(HMIS) English Medium
Thoothukudi(Ta
mil Nadu): Smart

Classroom and E-
Monitoring
Indore(Madhya
Shivamogga(Karnatka):
Urban Pradesh): Air quality Jammu(Jammu
Development of
Environmen improvement and and Kashmir): E-
Conservancies in
t Ahilya Van along with auto for old city
Package-2
Vertical Garden
Indore(Madhya
Pradesh): Saraswati and
Kahn Lifeline Project Agra(UttarPradesh):
(SANKALP), Rainwater Proving 24/7 water Rajkot(Gujarat):
Water Harvesting – “WATER supply to ABD area along Rejuvenation of
PLUS TO WATER with smart water meters Atal Sarovar
SURPLUS” and and SCADA systems
Rejuvenation of Lakes,
Wells and Stepwells
About Smart Cities Mission(SCM):
i.The Smart Cities Mission was launched on June 25, 2015, aims to provide basic infrastructure, a clean and
sustainable environment, and a good quality of life to their residents through the use of’smart solutions’.
ii.The 100 Smart Cities have taken up projects across diverse sectors including mobility, energy, water,
sanitation, solid waste management, vibrant public spaces, social infrastructure, smart governance.
• Under the SCM, the Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCC) is operating in all 100
Smart Cities.
iii.6,041(76%) of the total proposed projects under SCM have been completed, and the remaining 1,894
projects worth 60,095 crore will be finished by 30 June 2024.
In June 2023, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Field Assessment for the
8th edition Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2023 – Mera Shehar, Meri Pehchan.
About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs(MoHUA):
Union Minister– Hardeep Singh Puri(Rajya Sabha- Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State– Kaushal Kishore (Constituency- Mohanlalganj, Uttar Pradesh)
Sashidhar Jagdishan of HDFC Bank Becomes Highest-Paid Bank CEO in FY23

HDFC Bank’s Sashidhar Jagdishan emerged as the highest-paid bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the
financial year 2022-2023(FY23) with over Rs 10.55 crore in total pay.
i.Kaizad Bharucha, deputy managing director, HDFC Bank, drew Rs 10 crore for FY23 and is likely to be the
second-highest-grossing banker in India
ii.Among bank CEOs, Amitabh Chaudhry, the CEO of Axis Bank, received a payout of Rs 9.75 crore in FY23
making it the second-highest in terms of overall pay among bank chief executives.
iii.Sandeep Bakhshi ,CEO of ICICI Bank got paid Rs 9.60 crore for the fiscal year.
Note: The details were made public in disclosures made in annual reports.

Myra Grover honoured with ‘Empowered Women Icon Award’ by House of Lords, UK
Parliament
Myra Grover, a distinguished author and Secretary of the New Delhi Social Workers Association (NDSWA) has
been awarded the Prestigious ‘Women Icon Award‘, an international recognition and award from the House of
Lords, the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament, for her contributions to the society in the domain of Mental
Wellness.
• Dr. Gaurav Grover, Chairman of NDSWA, a Delhi
based Non-Profit Organisation(NGO) has been honored
with the Bharat Gaurav Samman by the House of Lords,
UK Parliament.
• The ‘Women Icon Award’ by the House of Lords, UK’s
upper house, honors exceptional women for impactful
contributions in their fields, inspiring communities
globally.
About Myra Grover:
i.She is one of the youngest members of NDSWA, as well as the
India Luxury Foundation.
ii.She has actively campaigned for the growth of sustainable practices in fashion and the environment as well as
for the elimination of single-use plastic.
iii.In 2022, she launched the cover of her book, ‘The Evolving Mindset – A Psychological Lens into 21st-
Century Youth Culture’ at the biggest wellness event in New Delhi, Delhi.
Award Ceremony:
i.The award ceremony took place at an event, Bharat Mahotsav – Festival of One India in the UK at the House
of Lords, the second chamber of the UK Parliament.
ii.Confluence NGO has been organising the event, which is renowned for its efforts in promoting Indian Craft &
Culture and facilitating Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings to felicitate people with excellence in their
respective fields.
• The event was supported by Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs,
and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI), as the Chief Guest.
iii.Confluence NGO, celebrated the theme of ‘Amrit Kaal’ – Transforming India to New India. Through various
events, the organisation commemorated 75 years of Indian Independence.
Note: The Confluence NGO was established on August 21, 2017 as a ‘Make In India’ Entrepreneur is in-line
with the GoI’s vision of promoting Khadi and the Handloom Industry to Empower Women from rural villages.
About United Kingdom:
Capital– London
Prime Minister– Rishi Sunak
Currency– Pound sterling (GBP)
“Champaran Mutton”: 1st Indian Movie to enter semifinals of Oscar’s Student Academy Awards
Indian film “Champaran Mutton” directed by Ranjan Kumar(Bihar), from the Film and Television Institute of
India(FTII) in Pune, Maharashtra, has made it to the semifinals of the Oscar’s Student Academy Awards (SAA)
2023, 49th edition of SAA, an international student film competition.
• The film is being judged in the Narrative category of the Student Academy Awards 2023.
• This is the first Indian film to enter the semifinals of the SAA, which was established in 1972.
• The film beautifully embodies the unyielding spirit of Bihar’s people. Bajjika dialect,’ primarily
spoken in regions encompassing Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, and Begusarai, serves as the linguistic
foundation for ‘Champaran Mutton’.
Categories of SAA: Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative and Alternative/Experimental.

Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation, 2023
On 12th August 2023, the “Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation, 2023” has been
awarded to 140 Police Personnel, in recognition of their outstanding service in the investigation.
• Among the 140 personnel, 15 are from the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI), 12 are from the National
Investigation Agency (NIA), and 2 are from Narcotics
Control Bureau (NCB), and so on.
• This medal was constituted in 2018, with the objective
to promote high professional standards of investigation
of crime and recognize such Excellence in Investigation.
About Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in
Investigation:
i.It is an annual medal, instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs
(Government of India) to the members of Central Investigating Agencies and State/UT Police Investigating
Agencies for excellence in investigation.
ii.The objective of the medal is to, promote high professional standards of investigation of crime in the state
police and Central investigating agencies in India, and to recognise such excellence in an investigation by
investigating officers of police organisations.
iii.It has been announced on the 12th of August every year.
Key Highlights:
i.The officers chosen for the coveted medal are the Superintendent of Police (SP), Assistant Superintendent of
Police (ASP), Deputy Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Inspector, Sub-Inspector, and so
on.
ii.Among them, 10 are from Uttar Pradesh, 09 each from Kerala & Rajasthan, 08 from Tamil Nadu, 07 from
Madhya Pradesh and 06 are from Gujarat, and the remaining are from other States/Union Territories
(UTs)/Organizations
iii.These also include 22 Women Police Officers. A total 954 police personnel has been awarded
Police Medals on the occasion of 15th Aug
NAFIS of NCRB gets DARPG’s Gold Award for Excellence in Category-1
The National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) team of the National Crime Records Bureau
(NCRB) won the Gold Award under the Excellence in Government Process Reengineering for Digital
Transformation Category-1 of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG),
Ministry of Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions. The award recognised the dedication of the NAFIS team
in creating a fool-proof fingerprint identification system.
• MoHA provided NAFIS devices to all Districts, Police Commissionerates, Central and State
Fingerprint Bureaus, and Central agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
• According to the MoHA, NAFIS, which was developed by the NCRB, is a centralised database of
criminal fingerprints, that would help in the quick and easy disposal of cases and the database is a
collaborative effort, granting access to authorized personnel from all States, Union Territories, and
Central Agencies.
Note:
• Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the NAFIS on August 17, 2022, at the 2-day National
Securities Strategies (NSS) Conference held in Delhi.
• In April 2022, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to identify a deceased person through
NAFIS.

1st Maharashtra Industry Awards 2023: Padma Awardee Ratan Tata honoured with first-ever
‘Udyog Ratna‘ Award
Padma Awardee and former Chairman of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata was honoured with the first-
ever ‘Udyog Ratna Award’ for his outstanding contribution to Maharashtra’s industrial development. The
Udyog Ratna Award is one of the category awards presented in the 1st Maharashtra Industry Awards 2023,
instituted by the Maharashtra government.
• The award was presented to Ratan Tata by
Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister (CM) of Maharashtra, and
Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Deputy CMs at
Ratan Tata’s home in Colaba in south
Mumbai,Maharashtra.
• During the award ceremony, on behalf of Ratan Tata,
the Chairman of Tata Sons N. Chandrasekharan was
presented with a memento of the Udyog Ratna award
by the Governor.
• The honour comprised a shawl, a citation, and a
commemorative memento along with a cheque of Rs. 25 lakhs from the Maharashtra Industrial
Development Corporation (MIDC).
Note: The contribution of Tata Group in all sectors, from salt to steel, operates in over 100 countries across 6
continents. In the fiscal year 2021-22, the combined revenue of Tata Companies amounted to USD 128 billion.
Other Awards:
Apart from Udyog Ratna Award, there were other 3 awards presented in the ceremony namely
• Udyog Mitra Award (Young Entrepreneur Award) – Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of
India was honoured with the Udyog Mitra Award
• Udyogini Award (Best Women Entrepreneur) – Gauri Kirloskar of Kirloskar Group was honoured
with this award
• Utkrusht Marathi Udyojak Award (Outstanding Marathi Entrepreneur) -Vilas Shinde, Chairman
and MD (CMD) of Sahyadri Farms was honoured with this award
Maharashtra Industry Awards 2023:
i.It is an annual award instituted by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) of the
Government of Maharashtra in 2023 to to acknowledgethe entrepreneurs who have contributed substantially
to the industrial sector of Maharashtra on the lines of Maharashtra Bhushan from 2023.
ii.The Maharashtra government has decided to start the awards Maharashtra Bhushan Award instituted in
1995 is the highest award given by the Maharashtra government to people who have contributed to the social
life of Maharashtra in the disciplines of literature, art, sport, science, public administration, journalism, social
work, and healthcare.
iii.The ‘Udyog Rozgar Mitra’ (U R Mitra) initiative was also launched on the occasion.
About Ratan Tata:
i.Ratan N Tata was the chairman of major Tata companies, including Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy
Services, Tata Power and so on.
ii.He is also associated with various organisations both inside and outside India and he is on the international
advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corporation and JP Morgan Chase.
iii.The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008 for
Trade and Industry.
About Maharashtra:
Chief Minister– Eknath Shinde
Governor– Ramesh Bais
Zoological Parks– Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park and Rajiv Gandhi Zoological
Park (Peshwa Park)

Swachh Vayu Survekshan– 2023; 2 cities of Madhya Pradesh Among Top 5
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released ‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan- 2023’, an initiative by the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to rank cities on the basis of air quality.
• The Information Technology (IT) hub of Indore, Madhya Pradesh stood first among 47 cities in
Category 1 cities.
• This recognition is a part of the National Mission for
Clean Air and takes place annually on the 7th of
September, observed as the “International Day of
Clean Air for Blue Skies.”
Criteria for Ranking
The Criteria for Ranking of cities is based on population of 2011
census. 131 cities are divided into 3 categories mentioned below:
• Category 1- covers 47 cities with a population of above
10 Lakh.
• Category 2- covers 44 cities with a population between
3 to 10 lakh.
• Category 3- covers 40 cities with a population of below 3 Lakh.
Rank City State
1 Indore Madhya Pradesh
2 Agra Uttar Pradesh
3 Thane Maharashtra
4 Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
5 Bhopal Madhya Pradesh
• In Category 2, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh stands at 10th place in the country.
• In Category 3, Dewas in Madhya Pradesh has secured 6th position in the country.
Note: The two of the top five positions have been secured by Madhya Pradesh.
Swachh Vayu Survekshan:
i.The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has introduced “Swachh Vayu
Survekshan,” a novel initiative aimed to rank cities on the basis of air quality and also on implementation of
activities approved under city action plan in 131 non-attainment cities.
• Non-attainment cities are areas where air quality does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) set by regulatory authorities.
ii.One of the objectives of Swachh Vayu Survekshan is to achieve the goal of National Clean Air Programme
(NCAP)’s “Clean air for all”.NCAP aims to reduce air pollution up to 40% by 2025-26.
• National Clean Air Programme was launched in 2019 with an aim to improve air quality in 131 cities
(non-attainment cities and Million Plus Cities) in 24 States/Union Territories.
iii.The guidelines for ranking of cities under NCAP will be for four years from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26.
iv.Cities also conduct self-assessment for pollution control through the online portal ” PRANA” – Portal for
Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities, a portal for monitoring of implementation of National
Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Highlights of 69th National Film Award

On 24th August 2023, the winners of the 69th National Film Awards (2023) were announced by the jury
panel during the event held at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, Delhi. Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister
for Information and Broadcasting, was presented with the list of the winners.
• 69th National Film Awards honoured the best films of 2021 in Indian cinema.

• The National Film Awards are organized by the Directorate of Film Festivals(DFF), under Ministry for
Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
• The awards are categorised into five categories. They are Dadasaheb Phalke Award(Lifetime
Achievement Award), Feature films, Non Features films, Best writing on cinema and Most film friendly
state.
Note – The Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) was set up under
this Ministry in 1973 with the objective of promotion of Indian films
and cultural exchange through organization of various events in the
country and participation in various International film festivals in
abroad.
Who announced the award?
The awards were announced by Ketan Mehta (Chairperson of the
Feature Films Jury), Vasanth S Sai (Chairperson of the Non-Feature
Films Jury) and Yatindra Mishra (Chairperson of the Best Writing on
Cinema Jury).
• The awards were announced in the presence of Ms. Neerja Sekhar, Additional Secretary of the Ministry
of Information and Broadcasting.
Note: Currently the award is announced only for three categories ie., Feature films, Non Features films, Best
writing on cinema.
Highlights:
i.RRR(Rise Roar Revolt), a Telugu film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, has won the most number of
awards i.e. 6 at the 69th National Film Awards.
• The Hindi movie ‘Gangubai’ Kathiawadi and Sardar Udham received five awards each.
ii.Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, directed by R Madhavan won the Best Feature Film award.
• Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a biographical drama based on the life story of Indian Space Research
Organization(ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was accused in the ISRO espionage case and later
exonerated.
iii.Ek Tha Gaon directed by Srishti Lakhera won the Best Non-Feature Film award.
• Ek Tha Gaon is a documentary film on a Ghost Village made in Garhwali and Hindi language.
iv.The Kashmir Files directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on
National Integration.
Best Actor and Actress:
i.Telugu Actor Allu Arjun won the Best Actor award for the film Pushpa (The Rise Part I). With this, he
became the first Telugu actor to win the National Award under Best Actor category.
ii.The Best Actress award was shared by Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon for Mimi.

Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) Award:
All the awardees under this section will be awarded with a certificate and a cash prize.
Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus)Award for Feature Film
Category Film Language Awardee Cash Prize
Producer:
Rocketry
Entertainment
LLP
Best Feature Rocketry: The Director: R Rs. 2,50,000
Film Nambi Effect Hindi Madhavan (each)
Producer: Unni
Indira Gandhi Mukundan Films
Award for Best Meppadiyan Private Ltd.
Debut Film of a (Person above Director: Vishnu Rs.1,25,000
Director mentioned) Malayalam Mohan (each)
Award for Best Producer: DVV
Popular Film Entertainments
Providing LLP
Wholesome Director: S S Rs.2,00,000/-
Entertainment RRR Telugu Rajamouli (each)
Producer: MD
Media Corp
Best Children’s Director: Manish Rs.1,50,000/-
Film Gandhi&Co. Gujarati Saini (each)
Godavari (The Director: Nikhil Rs.
Best Direction Holy Water) Marathi Mahajan 2,50,000/-
Swarna Kamal Award for Non-Feature Film
Producer & Rs.
Best Non- Director: Srishti 1,50,000/-
Feature Film Ek Tha Gaon Hindi Lakhera each
Director: Bakul Rs.
Best Direction Smile Please Marathi Matiyani 1,50,000/-
Swarna Kamal Award for Best Writing on Cinema
Category Book Language Author Publisher Cash prize
Music by
Laxmikant
Pyarelal: The
Incredibly Rupa
Award for Best Melodious Rajiv Publications
Book on Cinema Journey English Vijayakar India Pvt. Ltd. Rs.75,000/-
Note: Purushothama Charyulu, Telugu Film also received the Swarna Kamal Award for Best Film Critic with an
entitled cash prize of Rs.75,000/-

Rajat Kamal(Silver Lotus):
The best Film on Social Issues award of Rajat Kamal was received by Anunaad-The Resonance (Assamese)
under the Feature Film Category.
Rajat Kamal(Silver Lotus) for feature films
Producer:Zee
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Studios Limited Rs.
Feature Film on National The Kashmir Director: Vivek 1,50,000/-
Integration Files Hindi Ranjan Agnihotri (each)
Producer: Krishand
Films
Rs.
Best Film on Environment 1,50,000/-
Conservation/Preservation Aavasavyuham Malayalam Director: Krishand (each)
Pushpa (The Lead Actor: Allu Rs.
Best Actor Rise Part I) Telugu Arjun 50,000/-
Gangubai Lead Actress: Alia
Kathiawadi Hindi Bhatt
Lead Actress: Kriti Rs.
Best Actress Mimi (Hindi) Hindi Sanon 50,000/-
Supporting Actor: Rs.
Best Supporting Actor Mimi Hindi Pankaj Tripathi 50,000/-
The Kashmir Supporting Actress: Rs.
Best Supporting Actress Files Hindi Pallavi Joshi 50,000/-
Last Film Show Child Artist : Bhavin Rs.
Best Child Artist (Chhello Show) Gujarati Rabari 50,000/-
Singer : Kaala
Bhairava
(Song : Komuram Rs.

Best Male Playback Singer RRR Telugu Bheemudo) 50,000/-
Singer : Shreya
Ghoshal
Iravin Nizhal
(Shadow of the (Song : Maayava Rs.
Best Female Playback Singer Night) Tamil Chaayavaa) 50,000/-
Cameraman: Avik Rs.
Best Cinematography Sardar Udham Hindi Mukhopadhayay 50,000/-
Screenplay writer
Nayattu (The (original): Shahi
Hunt) Malayalam Kabir
Screenplay Rs.
Gangubai writer(Adapted): 50,000/-
Best Screenplay Kathiawadi Hindi (each)

Sanjay Leela
Bhansali &
Utkarshini
Vashishtha
Dialogue Writer:
Utkarshini
Gangubai Vashishtha &
Kathiawadi Hindi Prakash Kapadia
Best Production
Sound Recordist
(Location / sync
sound) :
Arun Asok & Sonu K
Chavittu Malayalam P
Sound Designer:
Jhilli (Discards) Bengali Aneesh Basu
Re- Recording (Final Rs.
Mixing): Sinoy 50,000/-
Best Audiography Sardar Udham Hindi Joseph (each)
Gangubai Editor: Sanjay Leela Rs.
Best Editing Kathiawadi Hindi Bhansali 50,000/-
Production
Designer: Dmitrii Rs.
Malich & Mansi 50,000/-
Best Production Design Sardar Udham Hindi Dhruv Mehta (Shared)
Costume Designer: 50,000/-
Best Costume Designer Sardar Udham Hindi Veera Kapur Ee (Shared)
Rajat
Make-up Artist: Kamal and
Gangubai Preetisheel Singh Rs.
Best Make-up Artist Kathiawadi Hindi D’souza 50,000/-
Music Director
(Songs):
Pushpa (The
Rise Part I) Telugu Devi Sri Prasad
Music Director
(Background Score) :
Rs.
50,000/-
Best Music Direction RRR Telugu M.M. Keeravaani (each)
Lyricist:
Chandrabose
(Song: Dham Dham Rs.

Best Lyrics Konda Polam Telugu Dham) 50,000/-

Director: Vishnu Rs.
Special Jury Award Shershaah Hindi Varadhan 2,00,000/-
Special Effects
Creator: V Srinivas Rs.
Best Special Effects RRR Telugu Mohan 50,000/-
Choreographer: Rs.
Best Choreography RRR Telugu Prem Rakshith 50,000/-
Stunt
Best Action Direction Award Choreographer: King Rs.
(Stunt Choreography) RRR Telugu Soloman 50,000/-
Rajat Kamal Award for Non–Feature Film
Producer: Shreya
Kapadiya Rs.
Best Debut Non-Feature Film Director: Ankit 75,000/-
of a Director Paanchika Gujarathi Kothari each
Producer: Risen
North East. Non
Govt. Organization Rs.
Tiwa Director: Pranab 50,000/-
Best Anthropological Film Fire on Edge Language Jyoti Deka each
Rukhu Matir Producer & Director:
Dukhu Majhi Bengali Somnath Mondal
Best Biographical Producer: Luwang Rs.
Film/Historical Apokpa Mamikon 50,000/-
Reconstruction/Compilation Director: Saikhom each
Film Beyond Blast Manipuri Ratan (Shared)
T.N. Krishnan Producer: NFDC Rs.

Bow Strings to Director: V. 50,000/-
Best Arts Film Divine English Packirisamy each
Producer: Sri Ganesh
(English- Productions Rs.
Best Science & Technology Ethos of Hindi- Director: Avijit 50,000/-
Film Darkness Bengali) Banerjee each
Endangered Producer: Baba
Best Promotional Film (To Heritage Cinemas Rs.
Cover Tourism, Exports, Crafts, Director: Hemant 50,000/-
Industry, etc.) ‘Warli Art’ English Verma each
Producer: Sree
Gokulam Movies Rs.
Best Environment Film Director: R S 50,000/-
Including Agriculture Munnam Valavu Malayalam Pradeep each
Producer & Director: Rs.
Best Film on Social Issues Mithu Di Hindi Asim Kumar Sinha 50,000/-

Producer: FTII each
Director: Himanshu (Shared)
Three Two One Hindi Prajapati
Producer: KKV Rs.
Sirpigalin Media Venture 50,000/-
Best Educational Film Sirpangal Tamil Director: B Lenin each
Producer: Mathew
Varghese, Dinesh
Rajkumar N, Naveen
Francis Rs.
Best Exploration / Adventure English, Director: Jacob 50,000/-
Film (To Include Sports) Ayushman Kannada Varghese each
Producer: IGNCA Rs.
Looking For 50,000/-
Best Investigative Film Challan English Director: Bappa Ray each
Producer: Studio
Eeksaurus
Productions Pvt.Ltd Rs.
Director: Adithi 50,000/-
Best Animation Film Kandittundu Malayalam Krishnadas each
Rs.
Marathi Director: Shekhar 1,00,000/-
Special Jury Award Rekha Film Bapu Rankhambe each
Producer: Nemil Rs.
Shah 50,000/-
Best Short Fiction Film Dal Bhat Gujarati Director: Nemil Shah each
Producer:
Chandrakant
Kulkarni Rs.
Director: Pratima 50,000/-
Best Film on Family Values Chand Saanse Hindi Joshi each
Rs.
Cinematographer: 50,000/-
Best Cinematography Pataal – Tee Bhotiya Bittu Rawat each
Best Audiography (Re- Re-recordist (final
recordist of the Final Mixed (Garhwali mixed track): Unni Rs.
Track) Ek Tha Gaon & Hindi) krishnan 50,000/-
Best Production Sound Production sound
Recordist (Location/Sync recordist: Suruchi Rs.
Sound) Meen Raag Rajasthani Sharma 50,000/-
If Memory Editor: Abhro Rs.
Best Editing Serves Me Right English Banerjee 50,000/-

Hindi,
English, Music Director: Rs.
Best Music Direction Succelent Marathi Ishaan Divecha 50,000/-
(English Voice Over: Kulada
Partly Kumar Rs.
Best Narration/Voice Over Hathibondhu Assamese) Bhattacharjee 50,000/-
Best Feature Film in each of the language specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution:
All the awards below are given under Rajat Kamal category.
Category of Medal
Title Of The Film Awardee
Award & Cash Prize
Best Assamese Anur (Eyes on the Producer: Gopendra Mohan Das Rs. 1,00,000/-
Film Sunshine) Director: Monjul Baruah (each)
Producer: Aurora Film

Best Bengali Kalkokkho – House of Corporation Pvt.Ltd Rs. 1,00,000/-
Film Time Director: Rajdeep Paul & (each)
Sarmistha Maiti
Sardar Udham Producer: Kino works LLP Rs. 1,00,000/-

Best Hindi Film
(Hindi) Director: Sujit Sircar (each)
Best Gujarati Last Film Show Producer: Jugaad Motion Pictures Rs. 1,00,000/-
Film (Chhello Show) Director: Pan Nalin (each)
Producer: Parmvah Studios

Best Kannada Rs. 1,00,000/-
777 Charlie Pvt.Ltd
Film (each)
Director: Kiranraj K
Best Maithili Samanantar (The Producer : Anirati Films Rs. 1,00,000/-

Film Parallel) Director: Niraj Kumar Mishra (each)
Producer : Gajavadana Showbox

Best Marathi LLP Rs. 1,00,000/-
Ekda Kay Zala
Film Director: Saleel Shrinivas (each)
Kulkarni
Producer: Friday Film House

Best Malayalam Rs. 1,00,000/-
Home Pvt.Ltd.
Film (each)
Director: Rojin.P.Thomas
Producer: Chingsubam Sheetal

Best Meiteilon Eikhoigi Yum Rs. 1,00,000/-
Director: Mayanglambam Romi
Film (Our Home) (each)
Meitei
Producer: Amiya Patnaik

Pratikshya Rs. 1,00,000/-
Best Odia Film Procutions
(The Wait) (each)
Director: Anupam Patnaik

Kadaisi Vivasayi Producer : Tribal Arts Rs. 1,00,000/-
Best Tamil Film
(The Last Farmer) Director: M. Manikandan (each)
Producer: Mythri Movie Makers Rs. 1,00,000/-

Best Telugu Film Uppena (Wave)
Director: Sana Buchibabu (each)
Best Feature Film in each of the languages other than those specified in Schedule VIII of the Constitution
Best Mishing Film: Boomba Ride (Assamese) .This movie Producer is Quarter Moon and productions Director
is Biswajit Bora.
• It received Rajat Kamal award with Rs. 1,00,000/- (each).
Special Jury Mention Award – Feature Film:
All the awardee under this section will be awarded only with a certificate.
Film Language Awardee
Kadaisi Vivasayi (The Last Farmer) Tamil Actor: Late shri Nallandi
Jhilli (Discards) Bengali Actors: Aranya Gupta & Bithan Biswas
Home Malayalam Actor: Indrans
Anur – Eyes on the Sunshine Assamese Actress: Jahanara Begum

Special Mention – Non-Feature Film:
Film Language Awardee
Baale Bangara Kannada Actor: Aniruddha Jatkar
Karuvarai Tamil Music Director: Srikanth Deva
The Healing Touch English Sweta Kumar Das
Ek Duaa Hindi Filmmaker: Ram Kamal Mukherjee

Note: ‘Special Mention – Critic’ award under ‘Best Writing on Cinema’ category is given to Subramanya
Badoor(Kannada language). He will be provided only with a certificate.
About National Film Award:
Established in 1954. Nargis Dutt and Uttam Kumar are the first actress and actor to get the Best Actress (then
called Urvashi) and Best Actor (then called Bharat) respectively.
• These awards encourage the production of films of aesthetic & technical excellence and social relevance
contributing to the understanding of cultures of different regions in cinematic form.
The juries are appointed by The Directorate of Film Festivals in India under the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi Elected as BoD and Constituency Director of BRICS’ NDB
BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) has elected Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International
Financial Relations and Organisations Department at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Finance, as a
member of its Board of Directors and a Constituency Director.
• Alhashmi will become the first Emirati and Arab woman to assume a Director’s position at the NDB
bank, established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in July 2015 to support
infrastructure projects in BRICS countries and other emerging economies
• She was appointed following an internal voting process during NDB’s 8th annual meeting held in
Shanghai, China.
Alhashmi was involved in managing the UAE’s relationship with international financial organizations, including
the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD), NDB, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for
International Development, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the G20 (Group of Twenty) Finance
Track
BSNL’s Shivendra Nath Appointed as CMD of EPI

On 27th July 2023, the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) panel selected Shivendra Nath for the post of
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Engineering Projects (India) Ltd (EPI), a Public Sector Undertaking
(PSU) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
• He is currently serving as the Senior General Manager of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a
PSU under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications.
• He will replace Dhirendra Singh Rana, the incumbent CMD of EPI, who took charge in 2019 and is
scheduled to retire on September 30, 2023.
• As CMD of EPI, Shivendra Nath will be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company and will be
accountable to its board and directors.
About Shivendra Nath:
i.Shivendra Nath, a distinguished 1994-batch Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) officer, started his
engineering career in 1994 as the Engineering Project Manager of the Personnel & Training (P&T) Department,
Indian Engineering Services through UPSC.
ii.He served as the Chief Engineer at BSNL till September 2020.
iii.He assumed the role of Superintending Engineer at Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) until
January 2021.
About Engineering Projects (India) Ltd (EPI):
EPI was incorporated in April 1970 as the Indian Consortium for Industrial Projects Ltd. consortium of 7
PSUs.
It was renamed Engineering Projects (India) Ltd. in December 1970.
CMD– Dhirendra Singh Rana
MFIN Elects Udaya Kumar Hebbar as Its Chairperson

On 31st July 2023, Microfinance Industry Network (MFIN) elected Udaya Kumar Hebbar as Chairperson
and Manoj Kumar Nambiar as the Vice Chairperson in its 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Delhi.
Udaya Kumar Hebbar
i.Udaya Kumar Hebbar assumed the position from Devesh Sachdev, MD & CEO of Fusion Micro Finance Ltd. on

completion of his respective term.
ii.Hebbar is the Managing Director (MD)of CreditAccess Grameen
Ltd.
Manoj Kumar Nambiar
i.Manoj Kumar Nambiar assumed the position from Vivek Tiwari, MD
& CEO of Satya MicroCapital Ltd. on completion of his respective
term.
• Previously Manoj Kumar Nambiar was elected as a
Chairperson of MFIN in 2019 and was re-elected in 2020.
ii.Nambiar is the MD of Arohan Financial Services Ltd.(an Aavishkaar
Group company).
About Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN):
i.MFIN was established in 2009 as an Industry Association for Non-Banking Financial Companies –
Microfinance Institutions (NBFC-MFI).
ii.In 2014, MFIN was recognized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as India’s first Self-Regulatory Organization
(SRO) for the NBFC-MFIs.
Chairman- Udaya Kumar Hebbar
Headquarters- Gurugram, Haryana
Established- 2009
Prof Ganesan Kannabiran takes over as new NAAC Director

On 28th July 2023, Professor Ganesan Kannabiran, a former Dean of Research & Consultancy and Director in
charge of the National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Trichy (Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu) assumed charge as
the new Director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and
his tenure will be for 5 years.
• He replaced Prof. S. C. Sharma, who served as the Director of NAAC from May 2018 to May 2023.
About Ganesan Kannabiran:
i.He established the Center for Subject Matter Expert (SME) Research Development and led the institutional-
level ‘Strategic Planning Group’ assisting in a major goal-oriented transformation at NIT-Tiruchirappalli.
ii.He also served as Director in charge of NIT Puducherry (Karaikal, Puducherry).
iii.He was the founding Director of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Sri City, Chittoor,
Andhra Pradesh (An Institute of National Importance) and led the institution from 2018 to 2023.
iv.He founded 2 Section 8 Companies (Center for Entrepreneurship Development and Incubation (CEDI) at NIT
Trichy and Gyan Circle Ventures at IIIT Sri City, Andhra Pradesh).
v.He serves as a member of the Academic Advisory Committee of Project Management Institute India.
vi.He is also a member of the Computer Society of India and the Indian Society for Training and Development.
About National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC):
It is an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Established in 1994.
It conducts assessment and accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).
Chairman of Executive Committee– Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe
Director– Prof. Ganesan Kannabiran
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba Granted 1-Year Extension

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a one-year extension to Cabinet
Secretary Rajiv Gauba, by making him the longest-serving cabinet secretary in India’s history. This marks his
third extension in the position.

• The extension for a further period of one year goes beyond August 30th, 2023 in relaxation of All
India Services (AIS) (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits or DCRB) Rules, 1958 and Rule 56 (d) of the
Fundamental Rules.
About Rajiv Gauba:
i.Rajiv Gauba, born on 15th August 1959 in Punjab, India, is a 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
officer of the Jharkhand cadre.
ii.He was appointed as India’s cabinet secretary in 2019 for a two-year term. Subsequently, he received one-
year extensions in 2021 and in August 2022.
Note:
i.Prior to Gauba, B D Pande held the record for being the longest-serving cabinet secretary, serving from
November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977.
ii.The administrative head of the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the
Civil Services Board.
Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Gets 1-year Extension Up To 22 August 2024

On 4th August 2023, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved a further one-year extension
for Ajay Kumar Bhalla as Union Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs beyond August 22, 2023, up
to August 22, 2024. This is his 4th extension in the post.
• This has been done in relaxation of FR 56(d) and Rule
16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement
Benefits) Rules, 19.
About Ajay Kumar Bhalla:
i.Bhalla born on 26th November 1960, a 1984-batch Indian
Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre,
was first appointed as the Home Secretary on August 22nd 2019,
succeeding Rajiv Gauba for a fixed two-year tenure till August 2021.
ii.Subsequently, his term was extended for one year each in 2021 and
in 2022.
iii.Prior to joining Home Ministry, Bhalla held secretarial positions in the Ministry of Power, Ministry of Coal,
Department of Commerce, and Department of Shipping (ports) and also handled various assignments in the
cadre in Assam and Meghalaya.
Roles & Responsibilities of Home Secretary:
Home Secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and is the principal adviser to the
Home Minister on all matters of policy and administration within the Home Ministry.All Central Forces
including the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), CISF (Central
Industrial Security Force), and BSF (Border Security Force) is under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The Home Secretary serves as the sole and highest administrative authority in the Ministry of
Home Affairs.The responsibility in this regard is complete and undivided.
• The Home Secretary acts as the primary adviser to the Home Minister on all aspects of policy and
administrative affairs.
• The Home Secretary represents the Ministry of Home Affairs in front of the Public Accounts
Committee of the Parliament of India.
• Among the secretaries in the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Home Secretary holds the highest
position and is considered the foremost in terms of authority and influence.
GoI appointed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as CBIC Chairman & Surjit Bhujabal as CBIC Member
On 5th August 2023, the Government of India (GoI) appointed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as the Chairman of the
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), an apex policy-making body for indirect taxes under the
Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.

• He succeeds Vivek Johri, who superannuated on 31st July 2023.
• Prior to this appointment, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal was
serving as the CBIC Member (Compliance Management)
from March 1, 2022, to August 4, 2023.
Note: Sanjay Kumar Agarwal is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS)
Custom and Indirect Taxes (C&IT) Officer of the 1988 batch.
Other appointmnet:
Surjit Bhujbal has been appointed as the Member (Compliance
Management) of CBIC board succeeding Sanjay Kumar Agarwal.
• Surjit Bhujbal is an IRS (C&IT) officer of the 1989 batch.
• Prior to his appointment, Surjit Bhujbal was serving as the Principal Director General of the
Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), an apex intelligence organization functioning under
CBIC.
Board of CBIC:
i.The CBIC board is headed by a chairman who is assisted by 6 members who look into Tax Policy, Customs,
Information technology (IT) & Taxpayer Services, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Compliance management, and
Vigilance.
ii.The present 6 members are:
Rajiv Talwar; Alok Shukla; V. Rama Mathew; Shashank Priya; Vivek Ranjan and Surjit Bhujbal.
About Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC):
It is formerly known as the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), is one of the
Boards constituted under the statute the Central Boards of Revenue Act, 1963.
Chairman– Sanjay Kumar Agarwal
Scientist and Defense Expert Vijay Kumar Saraswat Appointed As The Chairman of QETCI
Quantum Ecosystems Technology Council of India (QETCI) has announced the appointment of scientist and
defense expert Dr. Vijay Kumar Saraswat as Chairman of the Governing Board.
About Vijay Kumar Saraswat:
i.Saraswat who was born on 25th May 1949, at Gwalior, Madhya
Pradesh was formerly the Secretary of the Defence Research &
Development Organization (DRDO) and the Chief Scientific Advisor
to the Indian Minister of Defence.
ii.His areas of specialization include defense research in both basic
and applied sciences as well as national supercomputing systems.
iii.He has been credited with the development of Liquid Propulsion
Rocket Engines and missiles namely PRITHVI, DHANUSH, and
PRAHAAR.
iv.He is a member of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) and Co-Chair for the Prime
Minister’s Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee (PMSTIAC).
v.He played a key role in setting up the Photonics Valley Corporation at Telangana and initiated a program for
the development of Silicon-Photonics Technology.
Awards
He has been conferred with many prestigious awards including the highest civilian awards like the Padma
Shri (1998) and Padma Bhushan (2013) in the field of Science and Engineering.
Note: QETCI a not-for-profit-Section 8 company. It is a think tank and an ecosystem entity dedicated to
enabling and accelerating the Quantum Ecosystem in India. It is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Cambodian king appoints Hun Manet as new PM of Cambodia
On 7th August 2023, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree appointing Hun Manet as the
new Prime Minister (PM) of Cambodia for a 5 year-term. Hun Manet is the son of Hun Sen, the former PM of
Cambodia and one of Asia’s longest-serving PMs. Hun Manet will succeed Hun Sen, who has ruled for about 38
years.
• Hun Manet has been appointed as the new PM of the
Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th mandate of the
parliament, through a royal decree, with effective from
the day of signature.
• The designated PM of the Kingdom of Cambodia has
duties to prepare the members of the government for
seeking confidence adoption from the National
Assembly.
Note: A member of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP)’s
Standing Committee, Lieutenant General Hun Manet is currently
serving as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of
Royal Cambodian.
General Election:
i.Hun Sen’s party, CPP won the Cambodian general elections held in July 2023, gaining 120 out of 125 seats in
the National Assembly.
ii.Following the elections results, former PM Hun Sen announced that he will be stepping down as the PM, and
hand over the power to Hun Manet.
iii.To officially become the new PM of Cambodia, Hun Manet and his new cabinet must win a confidence vote in
parliament set for August 22, 2023. He is expected to be sworn in on the same day.
iv.After stepping down, Hun Sen will become president of the Senate early next year and acting head of state
when the king is overseas.
About Hun Manet:
i.He is the eldest of Hun Sen’s 5 children and was born on October 20, 1977. He grew up in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, and joined the Cambodian military in 1995.
ii.He was the first Cambodian to graduate from the United States of America (US) Military Academy at West
Point, New York in 1999.
iii.Hun Manet has served the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces at various capacities,
• Deputy of Hun Sen’s (his father’s) bodyguards;
• Appointed as the commander of counter-terrorism;
• Took on the role of commander of the army;
• Appointment as the deputy commander-in-chief.
iv.He also became head of the youth wing of the ruling CPP.
About Cambodia:
King of Cambodia– Norodom Sihamoni
Capital– Phnom Penh
Currency– Cambodian Riel (KHR)
Indian Oil Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya Gets 1 Year Post-Retirement Extension
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal of the Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Gas (MoP&NG) and extended the tenure of Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd (IOCL), for a period of 1 year beyond the date of his superannuation i.e with effect from
September 1, 2023, till August 31, 2024, or till the time of appointment of the regular incumbent to the post on
contract basis.

• Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, who took charge as chairman of IOC on July 1, 2020, turned 60 on 7th
August 2023, and as per the rules, he was to
superannuate from service on August 31, 2023.
• It’s rare for anyone on the board of a Publis Sector
Undertaking (PSU) to get an extension, post-retirement.
Note: IOCL ranked 94 in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2023.
About Shrikant Madhav Vaidya:
i.He was appointed as the President of the World LPG Association
(WLPGA) during the World LPG Forum in Dubai, the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) in 2021.
ii.He also serves as the Non-Executive Chairman on the Boards of:
• Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (a subsidiary of IndianOil),
• Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) (a Joint Venture of IndianOil).
• Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council under MoP&NG,
• Non-Executive Director on the Board of JV company Petronet LNG Ltd. (PLL)
• President of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB)
• Chairman, Governing Council- Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) and so on.
iii.In March 2023, he was named as the top Indian Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and ranked no. 81 globally in
the CEOWORLD Magazine’s list of Most Influential global CEOs.
About Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL):
Chairman– Srikant Madhav Vaidya
Established in 1959 as Indian Oil Company Ltd. IOCL is formed in 1964 by the merger of Indian Oil Company
Limited with Indian Refineries Limited
Indian Ecologist Raman Sukumar Elected as Vice-Chair of Working Group II of IPCC

Indian Ecologist, Scientist and Asian elephant expert Raman Sukumar has been elected as Vice Chair of
Working Group II (WGII) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) bureau for
the 7th Assessment Report (AR7) cycle.
• The elections for the new IPCC Bureau were held during the 59th Session of the IPCC held at the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, from 25th-28th
July 2023.
• The panel elected the new IPCC Bureau comprising 34
members, including the new IPCC Chair James
Ferguson ‘Jim’ Skea of the United Kingdom(UK) and 3
Vice-Chairs.
• The panel also elected the 12 members of the Task Force
Bureau on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (TFI).
About IPCC WGII:
i.The IPCC WGII assesses the impacts of climate change, from a
world-wide to a regional view of ecosystems and biodiversity, and
of humans and their diverse societies, cultures and settlements.
ii.WGII is led by two Co-Chairs and eight Vice-Chairs which form the WGII Bureau.
iii.WGII is supported by a Technical Support Unit (TSU) located in Bremen, Germany, and Durban, South Africa.
About Raman Sukumar:
i.Raman Sukumar, hailing from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is best known for his work on the behavior of Asian
elephants and how their presence has affected both human and natural environments.
ii.In 1993, he became a member of the Project Elephant Steering Committee, which provided technical
support and advice on matters of elephant conservation to the Indian government.

iii.Sukumar chaired the Asian Elephant Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union from 1997 to
2004.
iv.He also served as director of the Asian Elephant Research and Conservation Centre, a special division of
the Asian Nature Conservation Foundation, an independent organization that he had helped to establish in
1997.
Publications: Elephant Days and Nights: Ten Years with the Indian Elephant (1994), The Living Elephants:
Evolutionary Ecology, Behavior and Conservation (2003), and The Story of Asia’s Elephants (2011).
Awards: Presidential Award of the Chicago Zoological Society in 1989, the Order of the Golden Ark in 1997, the
Whitley Gold Award in 2003 and the International Cosmos Prize in 2006.
Sukumar & IPCC:
He has also contributed since the early 1990s to the work of IPCC in various capacities including Coordinating
Lead Author (IPCC special report on Land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)), Lead Author (AR2, AR6
and special report on land and climate) and Review editor (AR4).
IPCC:
i.The IPCC is the United Nations(UN) body for assessing the science related to climate change.
ii.It was established by the UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
3 working groups:
• Working Group I, deals with the physical science basis of climate change;
• Working Group II, deals with impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; and
• Working Group III, deals with the mitigation of climate change.
It also has a TFI that develops methodologies for measuring emissions and removals.
About Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC):
Chairman- Jim Skea
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established- 1988
Members- 195 member states
Niger Military Junta Appoints Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine as Transitional PM of Niger
On 7th August 2023, the Military Junta of the Republic of Niger appointed Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, an
economist and former Minister of finance of Niger Republic, as a transitional Prime Minister (PM) of Niger,
according to a decree by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who is the self-declared Head of State of the
Transitional Government of Niger.
• The appointment comes nearly 2 weeks after the
military coup dismissed President Mohamed Bazoum,
who was democratically elected in 2021.
• Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine is the current Country
Manager of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in
Chad (Africa).
Note:
• Abdourahmane Tchiani, who also assumed head of the
National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland
(CNSP) in Niger.
• He is the former Commander of Niger’s presidential guard, who dismissed President Mohamed
Bazoum and suspended the constitution on July 26, 2023.
About Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine:
i.From 2001 to 2010, he served as Cabinet Director and Finance Minister in the cabinet of President
Mamadou Tandja, who led the country from 1999 to 2010 and was overthrown in 2010 by Major Salou Djibo.
ii.He also served as the AfDB’s Country Manager in Côte d’Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast) and Gabon of
Africa.

Other Appointments:
i.The junta also appointed Amadou Didilli as the head of Niger’s High Authority for Peace Consolidation (HACP).
ii.Abou Tague Mahamadou appointed as the inspector-general of the army and the national gendarmerie.
iii.Ibro Amadou Bachirou was appointed as the private chief of staff of the junta leader.
iv.Lieutenant-Colonel Habibou Assoumane was named the Commander of the Presidential Guard.
• These appointments follow closely after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
issued an ultimatum to the ruling military, demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed
Bazoum.
About Niger:
Capital– Niamey
Prime Minister (interim)- Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine
Currency– West African CFA franc, XOF
Supreme Court Forms All Women Team led by former J&K CJ Gita Mittal to Oversee Relief in
Manipur
Supreme Court of India(SC) is set to constitute an all-women committee of 3 former High Court judges led by
former Chief Justice(CJ) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) High Court (HC) Gita Mittal to oversee the relief
rehabilitation and rebuilding measures in Manipur.
• The other members of the team include
Justices Shalini Shashank Phansalkar Joshi, former
Judge of Bombay HC and Justice Asha Menon, former
Judge of Delhi HC.
• The committee was constituted by the SC bench
comprising Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, Chief
Justice of India(CJI); Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala
and Justice Manoj Misra.
Note: Gita Mittal was the 1st woman CJ of the J&K and Ladakh
High court (2018-2020).
Responsibilities of the All women’s team:
This will be a broad-based committee that will supervise, intervene and monitor relief and rehabilitation,
restoration of homesteads, religious places of worship, better relief work, and others.
Other Appointment:
The Supreme Court has also appointed Dattatray Padsalgikar, retired IPS officer of Maharashtra Cadre & former
Director General of Police(DGP) of Maharashtra, to monitor the overall investigation of criminal
cases(excluding 12 cases referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI)) from 42 state police Special
Investigation Teams (SITs).
Key Points:
i.The supreme court has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) from 6 different states to nominate 6
officers of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank to supervise the SITs formed for these cases.
ii.They will be deputed to the CBI and carry out the investigation under the supervision of the joint Director of
the CBI.
iii.This aims to enforce multiple layers of monitoring to ensure a fair and thorough investigation.
Note:
Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, representing the government of Manipur, stated that 11 cases related to sexual
violence against women, including the Thoubal sexual violence incident were transferred to CBI.
Violence in Manipur:
i.On 3 May 2023, ethnic violence erupted in Manipur between the Meitei people, a majority that lives in the
Imphal Valley, and the Kuki tribal community from the surrounding hills.

ii.According to a recent status report by Manipur Government, more than 150 have died between May and June
2023.
iii.Around 252 people were arrested and another 12,740 were arrested as preventive measures.
IRDAI Approved Appointment of Amit Jhingran as MD & CEO of SBI Life

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the appointment of Amit
Jhingran as the Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBI Life Insurance Company Limited
(SBI Life).
• Amit Jhingran is set to succeed Mahesh Kumar Sharma,
the incumbent MD & CEO of SBI Life.
• Amit Jhingran is currently serving as the Chief General
Manager(CGM), in State Bank of India (SBI), Hyderabad
Circle, Telangana.
About Amit Jhingran:
i.Amit Jhingran joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1991 in
Lucknow Circle, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
ii.He has also served as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of SBI,
Chicago (Illinois), United States Of America(USA).
iii.During his career spanning over 3 decades he has held various assignments across international banking,
retail banking, and branch management.
About Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI):
Chairman- Debasish Panda
Established under – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act(IRDAI), 1999
About SBI Life Insurance Company limited(SBI Life):
SBI life was started as a joint venture (JV) between State Bank of India (SBI) and French financial institution
BNP Paribas Cardif.
Incorporated in – 2000
Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Appointed as Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan

On 14th August 2023, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar(52 year-old) became the 8th Caretaker Prime Minister(PM) of
Pakistan following the dissolvement of Former PM Shehbaz Sharif
government.
• He was administered oath of the office by President
Arif Alvi in a ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr (the
President House) in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• He will lead the Pakistan government until the formation
of the next elected government.
About Anwarul Haq Kakar:
i.Kakar was Born in 1971 from an ethnic Pushtun community in the
Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah district of Balochistan, Pakistan.
ii.He was elected as a senator for the first time in 2018 from the Balochistan province.
iii.Upon his election as PM, he resigned his current post of senator and from a member of Balochistan Awami
Party (BAP).
Background:
i.Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formed the government after the last general election for the
pakistan parliament was held in 2018.

• In April 2022, Imran Khan was removed from PM after he lost a no-confidence motion in
parliament.
ii.Following Imran Khan removal,Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
became the 23rd PM.
• Shehbaz Sharif dissolved the parliament on 8th August before the end of the present tenure of the
parliament on 12th August 2023.
iii.According to the Pakistan Constitution, the general election for the parliament will be conducted within 90
days after the dissolvement of the parliament.
About Pakistan:
Caretaker Prime Minister(PM) – Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar
Capital – Islamabad
Currency – Pakistani Rupee (PKR)
R Doraiswamy Executive Director of LIC appointed as MD of LIC

The Government of India(GoI) have appointed R Doraiswamy as Managing Director (MD) of the Life Insurance
Corporation of India (LIC) with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the office on or after September
1, 2023, and upto the date of his superannuation (August 31, 2026) or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• R Doraiswamy is currently the Executive Director (Information Technology (IT)/Software
Development (SD)), at the LIC central office in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• He will replace Mini Ipe, one of the current MDs of LIC, who is set to retire at the end of August
2023.
• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), in June 2023, recommended the name of
Doraiswamy as MD of LIC.
• Currently, LIC has 4 MDs namely, Mini Ipe, M Jagannath, Tablesh Pandey, and Sat Pal Bhanoo.
Note: FSIB has been constituted effective from July 01, 2022, by Central Government for the purpose of
recommending persons for appointment as whole-time directors and non-executive chairpersons on the
Boards of financial services institutions. It is headed by Bhanu Pratap Sharma, former Secretary, Department of
Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai was Given Additional Charge as CEO of NRAA

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT),Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has
issued an order appointing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Rainfed
Area Authority (NRAA) on an additional charge basis. This appointment is effective for a period of 9 months
starting from June 5, 2023, until the appointment of a new CEO or until further orders.
• He is currently serving as the Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare(DA&FW), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW).
• Faiz Ahmed Kidwai succeeds Dr. Ashok Dalwai, who was serving as CEO of NRAA since July 2017.
Note: The additional charge for Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, 1996-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, was
approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) headed by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi.
About National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA):
• NRAA was established as an attached office of the then Department of Agriculture & Cooperation
(now DA&FW) on 3rd November 2006.
• NRAA is an expert body that offers the much-needed information inputs about the systematic
management and improvement of the India’s dryland and rainfed agriculture.
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi.
Anuradha Thakur was Given Additional Charge as Director of SFIO
Anuradha Thakur has been given additional charge as the Director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office

(SFIO), a statutory corporate fraud investigating agency in India, for a period of 6 months with effect from 31st
July 2023, till the appointment of regular incumbent or until further orders.
• Anuradha Thakur is a 1994 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh Cadre.
About Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO):
SFIO is a multi-disciplinary organization under Ministry of Corporate Affairs(MCA).
It includes experts from the field of accountancy, forensic auditing, law, information technology, investigation,
company law, capital market and taxation for detecting and prosecuting or recommending for prosecution
white-collar crimes/frauds.
• SFIO was established through the Government of India vide Notification dated 21st July 2015.
• Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi.
Mahmood Ahmed was given Additional Charge as MD of NHIDCL
Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways(MoRTH), has been given
additional charge as the Managing Director(MD) of National Highways and Infrastructure Development
Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) under the MoRTH.
• Mahmood Ahmed is a 1993 batch Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service
(IP&T AFS) officer.
• He will hold the post till the appointment of the regular incumbent or until further orders.
• The post has been vacant since Chanchal Kumar, MD of NHIDCL, was moved to the Ministry of Civil
Aviation(MCA) as Officer On Special Duty(OSD).
About National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL):
Established in 2014
Parminder Chopra Becomes Full-Time CMD of Power Finance Corp. Ltd

With the approval of Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), the Power Finance Corporation
Limited (PFC) has appointed Parminder Chopra as its first woman full-time Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD) with effective from (w.e.f) 14th August, 2023. The Ministry of Power has approved Chopra’s
appointment “till the date of her superannuation (April 30, 2027) or until further orders.
• Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) is the India’s largest non-banking financial company
(NBFC) and a Maharatna, Central Public Sector Undertaking(CPSU) under the Ministry of Power.
Responsiblities of Parminder Chopra:
i.Previously, she was holding the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of PFC,
w.e.f 01.06.2023 and was Director (Finance), PFC since 01.07.2020.
ii.She succeeded Ravinder Singh Dhillon as CMD(additional charge) of PFC, who retired on 31st May 2023.
iii. As Director of Finance, she led the Finance Division, achieving record-high Net Profit, Net Worth. This
exceptional financial performance played a key role in PFC attaining “Maharatna” status.
iv.She had done major role in the successful execution of INR 1.12 trillion Liquidity Infusion Scheme (LIS) for
the power distribution sector. This initiative was a crucial component of the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign
launched by the Government of India.
v.She will remain actively involved in supporting the implementation of important power sector initiatives by
the Government of India, including the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and the Late
Payment Surcharge (LPS) rules.
vi.She had a previous experience including service in prominent power sector majors like NHPC
Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation), and Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited(POWERGRID), a Schedule ‘A’, ‘Maharatna’ Public Sector Enterprise of Govt. of India.
Awards –
• In the year 2023, Smt. Parminder Chopra has been honored with the esteemed ‘Icon of the Year’
award by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

She has also been conferred with the “Finance Leader of the Year” Award for her outstanding contributions to
the finance industry.
RBI Approves P R Seshadri as Next MD & CEO of South Indian Bank

On 17th August 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of P R Seshadri as the
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South Indian Bank for a period of 3 years with
effect from 1st October 2023.
• He is currently mentoring businesses both at an operating level as well as at the board level at various
companies.
• He will replace Murali Ramakrishnan, whose tenure as MD & CEO of South Indian Bank is set to end
by 30th September 2023. He has been serving in the post since 2020.
About P R Seshadri:
i.He started his banking career with Citibank in early 1992 and
served in various capacities including MD of CitiFinancial Consumer
Finance India Ltd (CCFIL) and Citi Financial Retail Services India Ltd
till 2005.
ii.In 2005, he served as the MDr and regional head of Citibank’s retail
banking and lending businesses for the Asia Pacific region in
Singapore.
iii.He also held the post of CEO of BFC Bank Limited, London, the
United Kingdom (UK).
iv.From 2017 to 2020, he served as MD and CEO of Karur Vysya Bank (KVB).
About South Indian Bank:
MD & CEO– Murali Ramakrishnan
Headquarters– Thrissur, Kerala
Established on– 25 January 1929
Tagline– Experience Next Generation Banking
SBI Appoints Four Directors To The Board

The State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed four directors namely Ketan Shivji Vikamsey, Mrugank Madhukar
Paranjape, Rajesh Kumar Dubey and Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat to the central board of the bank.
• They were appointed for a period of 3 years with effect from 26th June 2023 to 25th June 2026.
Details of the Appointment:
i.Ketan Shivji Vikamsey and Mrugank Madhukar Paranjape have been reappointed as the director (elected
under Section 19(c) of SBI Act 1955) at SBI’s Central board.
• They have been holding this position since June 2020.
ii.Rajesh Kumar Dubey and Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat have been appointed as the Directors (elected
under section 19 (c) of the SBI Act, 1955) at SBI’s Central Board.
Note:
• Rajesh Kumar Dubey and Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat have replaced B Venugopal and Ganesh
Natarajan, whose tenure as Director ended on 25th June 2023.
About Ketan Shivji Vikamsey:
i.He is a is a senior partner at KKC & Associates LLP (formerly Khimji Kunverji & Co LLP), Chartered
Accountants, established in 1936.
ii.He is registered as an Independent Director with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs(IICA) under the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs(MCA).
About Mrugank Madhukar Paranjape:
He is currently the Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEEO) of NCDEX e-Markets Limited.
Previously, he has served as the MD & CEO of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited.

About Rajesh Kumar Dubey:
He is presently holding the charge of Executive Director (Personnel) at Life Insurance Corporation of
India(LIC). He joined LIC of India as a Direct Recruit Officer in the year 1988.
About Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat:
i.Dharmendra Singh Shekhawat is a main Partner of M/s. D. S. Shekhawat & Associates, Chartered Accountants
since September 2002 and is also the Chairman of the Th. Jaswant Singh Memorial Trust.
ii.He has served as an Independent Director on the Board of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and was
also the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of IOCL.
About State Bank of India(SBI):
Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara
Tagline – The Banker to Every Indian
BPCL Announces Rahul Dravid as its Brand Ambassador

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG), has named Rahul Dravid, Former Indian Cricketer and the current
Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team, as its new brand ambassador.
• Rahul Dravid will represent BPCL’s ‘Pure for
Sure’ initiative and its range of MAK lubricants, and his
association with BPCL will serve to emphasise BPCL’s
promise of quality and dependability to consumers
across India.
• The introduction of Rahul Dravid as the face of BPCL
reflects its commitment to quality, excellence, integrity,
reliability, and authenticity.
MAK Lubricants:
i.MAK Lubricants from BPCL has been established as a trusted brand in lubricants and greases both in India
and international markets.
ii.In 2003, BPCL re-strategised all its three brands (MAK, GLIDE, AUTOMOL) and unified them into one
umbrella brand called ‘MAK’.
About Rahul Dravid:
i.Rahul Dravid, popularly referred as “The Wall”, represented Indian from 1996 to 2012. He has played 500
games and scored more than 24,000 runs with nearly 50 centuries across all formats.
• He is the 4th highest run scorer in Test cricket with 13,288 runs. The list is topped by Sachin
Tendulkar (India) follwed by Ricky Ponting (Australia) and Jacques Kallis (South Africa).
ii.He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2004 and Padma Bhushan in 2013 in Sports field.
iii.He was honoured with Arjuna Award in 1998 (Cricket)
About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):
It is India’s second-largest oil and gas company and also one of the world’s biggest corporations. BPCL ranks
number 233 in the Fortune Global 500 ranking list of 2023.
Chairman & MD (CMD) – G Krishnakumar
Founded in– 1952
Bernardo Arevalo Wins Guatemala’s Presidential Election

César Bernardo Arévalo de León, an anti-corruption candidate, won Guatemala’s presidential election. He
secured 58% of votes against his opponent, the former first lady (2008 to 2011) Sandra Torres, of the National
Unity of Hope who secured 37%.

• Arevalo will succeed the current President Alejandro Giammattei, a leader of the right-wing party
Vamos.
• He will be sworn in on 14th January 2024.
About Bernardo Arevalo:
i.Bernardo Arevalo is the son of Juan José Arévalo, the country’s
first democratically elected President(1945–51).
ii.He is the leader of the social
democratic Movimiento Semilla Party.
• Movimiento Semilla – a political party that emerged in
response to demonstrations against widespread
corruption uncovered by the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
iii. Bernardo was appointed as the Director of the Regional Office for Latin America, moving to Geneva in 2005
to become the Director of the Joint Programme Unit for United Nations/Interpeace Initiatives (JPU) – a unique
partnership Interpeace has with the UN.
Additional Info:
Guatemala ranked 150th out of 180 in Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International
in 2022.
About Guatemala:
Guatemala is a Central American country, south of Mexico.
Capital – Guatemala City
Currency – Guatemalan Quetzal
Neelkanth Mishra Appointed as Part-time Chairman of UIDAI

Neelkanth Mishra has been appointed the Part-time Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI). He has been serving as the Chief Economist at Axis Bank Limited and Head of Global Research at Axis
Capital Limited since May 2023.
• The Chairman post was vacant for almost 4 years. Previously, J. Satyanarayana served as the part-
time Chairman of UIDAI from July 12, 2016, to April 15, 2019.
• He will be the second non-bureaucrat after Nandan Nilekani (2009 to 2014) to chair UIDAI.
Other Appointments:
Nilesh Shah, Managing Director (MD), Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company (AMC) Limited, and
Prof Mausam, Associate Professor, Computer Science Department, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi,
were appointed as part-time members of UIDAI.
Note: The appointments of the Chairperson and the Members are for a period of 3 years or up to the age of 65
years whichever is earlier, from the date on which they assume office.
About Neelkanth Mishra:
i.Prior to joining Axis bank, Neelkanth Mishra served as the co-head of Asia-Pacific (APAC) Strategy, India
Equity Strategy Head, and Head of Research, in India at the Zürich (Switzerland)-based Credit Suisse, a
financial services company.
ii.Prior to joining Credit Suisse, he was a Senior Technical Architect with Infosys Technologies. He has also
worked with Hindustan Lever Limited and has been an entrepreneur.
iv.He is also a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister (PM-EAC).
v.He is part of the Advisory Council to the 15th Finance Commission and has been an advisor to committees
appointed by the Government of India (GoI) such as the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) Committee on Goods and
Services Tax (GST) and the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee.
vi.He is also one of the members of the advisory committee of the India Semiconductor Mission (Semicon
India).
Organisational Structure of UIDAI:
i.UIDAI board structure encompasses a Chairperson, 2 part-time Members, and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO),

who is also the Member-Secretary within the Authority.
ii.In June 2023, Amit Agrawal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), has been appointed as the CEO of UIDAI
About Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI):
UIDAI is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016 by the Government of
India under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
It was created to issue Unique Identification numbers (UID), named as “Aadhaar”, to all residents of India.
Chairman (Part time)– Neelkanth Mishra
Srettha Thavisin Elected as 30th PM of Thailand

On 22nd August 2023, Srettha Thavisin (61 years old) of Pheu Thai Party (PTP) was elected as the 30th
Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand after winning the joint vote of the bicameral parliament.
• He has also received the approval from the Thai King
Maha Vajiralongkorn to assume the office as PM of
Thailand.
• He succeeds Prayut Chan-o-cha, the 29th PM of Thailand
(2014 to 2023), who announced retirement from politics
in July 2023.
Overview of 2023 Elections:
i.General elections were held in Thailand on 14 May 2023 to elect
500 members of the House of Representatives.
• National Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand is a
bicameral legislature composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The assembly has a
total of 750 members of which 500 (members in the lower house) are elected through general
elections.
ii.Move Forward Party (MFP) won the May 2023 election with 151 constituency seats, while PTP secured the
2nd place with 141 seats.
iii.Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat fell short by more than 50 votes to win a majority in both the elected
house and the 250 member Senate.
iv.Srettha Thavisin of PTP was elected as the PM with 482 votes for, 165 votes against, with 81 abstentions.
About Srettha Thavisin:
i.He’s a former Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and President of Sansiri Public Company Limited, one of Thailand’s
largest property developers.
ii.Before joining Sansiri, he worked for Procter & Gamble (PG.N) and also served as a distributor of Fast-Moving
Consumer Products (FMCG).
iii.He joined the Pheu Thai Party in November 2022 and has been long associated with Thaksin Shinawatra,
former PM and founder of the populist Pheu Thai Party, who left Thailand 15 years ago, following a 2006 coup,
only to be imprisoned.
About Thailand:
Prime Minister– Srettha Thavisin
Capital– Bangkok
Currency– Thai baht (THB)
Sachin Tendulkar Named as ‘National Icon’ for Election Commission of India

Former Indian cricketer and Bharat Ratna awardee Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was named as the ‘National
Icon’ for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India(ECI).

• Sachin and ECI entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a period of 3 years at the
event held in New Delhi, Delhi, in the presence of the
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar, and
Election Commissioners Shri Anup Chandra Pandey and
Shri Arun Goel.
About this Partnership:
i.The EC intends to bridge the gap between citizens, particularly
youth and urban populations, and the electoral process through
this collaboration, thereby addressing the concerns of urban and
youth unawareness.
ii.This partnership will be a key step towards utilising Tendulkar’s exceptional influence with the youth in
order to increase voter participation in upcoming elections, particularly the 2024 Lok Sabha General Elections.
iii.To encourage voters to participate in the festival of democracy, ECI collaborates with eminent Indians from
many disciplines and identifies them as ECI’s national icons.
• Actor Pankaj Tripathi was named as the National Icon in 2022.
• Singer Jasbir Jassi and diversity and inclusion consultant Dr. Niru Kumar were named as the
National Icons in 2020.
• During the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Aamir Khan and Mary Kom were the
ECI National Icons.
About Sachin Tendulkar:
i.He represented India for 24 years, scoring 15,921 runs in Tests and 18,426 runs in one-day
internationals(ODI).He holds the record for most runs in international cricket with 34357 runs.
ii.He is the recipient of Bharat Ratna(2014), Padma Vibhushan(2008), Padma Shri(1999) for his
achievement in sports. He has also received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna(1997) and Arjuna Award(1994) for
cricket.
iii.‘Playing it my Way’ co-authored by Boria Majumdar and Sachin is the official autobiography of Sachin.
Shubman Gill Becomes the brand ambassador of Tata Capital
Indian cricketer Shubman Gill was named as the brand ambassador of Tata Capital Limited, a subsidiary
financial services company of Tata Sons Private Limited.
• He will feature in the multi-media campaign of Tata Capital Limited.
• According to the Tata Capital, Shubman style of play, which combines the qualities of determination,
reliability, and trustworthiness, aligns seamlessly with Tata Capital’s brand promise ‘Count on Us’.
• The other brands endorsed by Shubman Gill are BeatXP, Wings, ITC Engage,Fiama Men,
MuscleBlaze.
About Shubman Gill:
Indian batsman Shubman Gill made his international debut in December 2020 against Australia in a Test match.
• He also plays for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League(IPL) and Punjab in domestic cricket.
As of August 2023, he scored 2707 runs across all three formats(One Day International (ODI),
Twenty20 International(T20I) and Tests).
About Tata Capital Limited:
Tata Capital Limited (TCL) is registered with the Reserve Bank of India as a Systemically Important Non-
Deposit Accepting Core Investment Company (CIC).
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rajiv Sabharwal

Justice Prakash Shrivastava Appointed as the NGT Chairperson
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC), headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has appointed
Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Former Chief Justice(CJ) of Calcutta High Court(HC) as chairperson of the
National Green Tribunal(NGT).
• He took charge as chairperson of NGT on 23rd August
2023, succeeding Justice Sheo Kumar Singh-I, acting
chairperson of NGT(July 2023- August 2023).
Note:
i.NGT is a statutory body for the disposal of disputes relating to
environmental protection and conservation of natural resources.
ii.The last full-time chairperson of NGT was Justice Adarsh Kumar
Goel(July 2018- July 2023), who retired on July 3, 2023.
About Justice Prakash Shrivastava:
i.He enrolled as an advocate in 1987 and practiced in tax, civil,
and constitutional law at the Supreme Court of India at New Delhi, Delhi.
ii.He was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in January 2008 and he became a
permanent judge in January 2010.
iii.He served as the Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta from October 2021 to March 2023.
About National Green Tribunal(NGT):
i.Purpose: The National Green Tribunal was established under the National Green Tribunal Act (2010)
in 2010 as a specialised judicial body with expertise primarily for the purpose of mediating environmental
cases.
ii.Functions:The Tribunal is responsible for providing an effective and timely remedy in situations involving
environmental protection, conservation of forests and other natural resources, and enforcement of any
environmental legal right.
iii.Jurisdiction:The Tribunal’s orders are Court binding, and it has the authority to offer affected persons relief
in the form of compensation and damages.
• The Tribunal has powers to review its own decisions and its decision can be challenged before the
Supreme Court within 90 days.
Note:
The right to life is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution and it includes the right to the
enjoyment of pollution-free water and air for life.
About National Green Tribunal (NGT):
ChairPerson – Prakash Shrivastava
Emmerson Mnangagwa Re-Elected As President As The Second Term

Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, re-elected to the post for the second term of 5 years(ie., 2023-
28) and final term. He belongs to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–
PF) political party.
• He secured 52.6 percent of the vote against his opponent Nelson Chamisa of political party Citizens’
Coalition for Change (CCC) who secured 44 percent votes.
• He is known as ‘The Crocodile’ for his ruthlessness.
About the election:
i.This election occurs after six years (last in 2017) after the overthrow of longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in a
military coup.

ii.In the election ZANU-PF obtained 136 out of the available 210 seats through a first-past-the-post mechanism;
CCC secure 73 seats.
Additional info:
• The country is struggling with high unemployment and
poverty.
• Nearly 3.8 million individuals are projected to experience
food insecurity within the current year(2023-24).
About Zimbabwe:
Capital – Harare
Currency – Zimbabwe Dollar
Infosys Ropes in Tennis Icon Rafael Nadal as Brand Ambassador for Digital Innovation
Infosys Limited, an Indian multinational information technology (IT) company, has signed a 3 years
partnership with Spanish Tennis Icon Rafael Nadal appointing him as the ambassador for its brand and Infosys’
Digital Innovation.
• Infosys and Rafael Nadal entered into a three-year
partnership.
• This marks Nadal‘s first-ever collaboration with a digital
services company.
Infosys’s association with Tennis:
i.Infosys is the digital innovation partner for the ATP (Association of
Tennis Professionals) Tour, Roland-Garros, Australian Open, and The
International Tennis Hall of Fame.
• It helped to reimagine the tennis ecosystem for a billion fans
globally leveraging AI, cloud, data analytics and digital experiences.
ii.Infosys introduced video and statistics analysis tools for players and coaches to modernise training, and it
enhanced match analysis with Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted journalism platforms for broadcasters to
broadcast interesting content.
iii.Infosys innovations for the tennis ecosystem include explorations in the digital universe including mixed
reality, social virtual reality (VR) and 3 3-dimensional art museums to expand the history, and heritage of
tennis to fans globally.
iv.It recently launched the first-of-its-kind sustainable technology tool ‘Carbon Tracker’, which allows ATP
players to track and reduce their emissions while on tour.
v.To mark this partnership, Infosys and Nadal’s coaching team are developing an AI-powered match analysis
tool.
• This personalized tool helps Nadal’s coaching team to simultaneously track insights from his live
matches, along with historical data from his earlier matches.
About Rafael Nadal:
i.He has won 22 Grand Slams in his career, the second most in the world after Novak Djokovic (23 Grand
Slams).
• The 22 titles includes 14 French Open titles 4 US open 2 Wimbledon, 2 Australian Open
ii.He won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a gold medal in doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Infosys Signs Women’s Tennis World No. 1 Iga Świątek as Brand Ambassador
Infosys Limited also signed a multi-year partnership with women’s tennis World No. 1 Iga Świątek of Poland,
appointing her as the ambassador to promote digital innovation and inspire women worldwide.
i.Under this collaboration, Infosys will work closely with Świątek team to build an advanced data analytics and
video dashboard.

• It will improve her training by using AI tools, focusing on her strengths and devising match strategies.
ii.Infosys and Świątek will also work together to develop programmes that would empower young women all
across the world by assisting them in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM).
About Iga Świątek:
The 22-year-old Iga Świątek, a four-time Grand Slam Champion, has been ranked World No. 1 in the Women’s
Tennis Association(WTA ranking) since April 2022, holding the position for a record 70 consecutive weeks.
• She won the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023 and the US Open in 2022.
About Infosys:
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer: Salil Parekh
Shriram Finance’s EVC Umesh Revankar Appointed as FIDC Chairman

Umesh Revankar was appointed as the chairman of the Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC) for
a period of 2 years with effect form 23rd August 2023. He is currently serving as the Executive Vice
Chairman (EVC) of Shriram Finance Limited.
• FIDC is a Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) cum Representative Body of Asset and Loan
Financing of the Non-Banking Financial Corporation (NBFC) registered with the Reserve Bank
of India(RBI).
Other Appointments:
Kamlesh Gandhi, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of MAS Financial Services Limited, and K. V.
Srinivasan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Profectus Capital Pvt Limited, will act as co-chairmen of FIDC.
About Umesh Revankar:
i.Umesh Revankar joined as an executive trainee with Shriram Group in 1987, and he has risen through the
ranks, assuming various responsibilities and key leadership roles in business operations.
ii.Revankar also serves as a director for several companies within the Shriram Group, including Shriram
Automall India, Shriram General Insurance company, and Shriram Life Insurance company.
About Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC):
Chairman– Umesh Revankar
Established -2004
Geetika Srivastava Appointed as 1st woman Charge d’Affaires in Pakistan

Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer was appointed as the first woman
Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) at the High Commission of India in Islamabad, Pakistan. She is currently serving as
the Joint Secretary at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and looks after the Indo-Pacific division.
• She will succeed Dr M Suresh Kumar, who will be returning to New Delhi.
• She has served in the Indian embassy in China from 2007-09, and also served as Director in the
Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Division of the MEA as well as a Regional Passport Officer in Kolkata,
West Bengal.
Note: Pakistan has appointed Saad Ahmad Warraich as its new CAD in High Commission of Pakistan in New
Delhi, Delhi.
• At present there are no high commissioners in the High Commission of India in Islamabad, Pakistan.
CDA is a joint secretary rank equivalent officer.
• The Indian and Pakistani high commissions in Islamabad and Delhi are being headed by their
respective CDA after Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties after India’s decision to abolish Article
370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019.

ACQUISITION & MERGERS
LIC MF Completes Merger of IDBI MF Schemes
On 29th July 2023, Life Insurance Corporation of India(LIC) Mutual Fund completed the acquisition of
Industrial Development Bank of India(IDBI) mutual fund from IDBI Asset Management Limited following the
approval of Competition Commission of India (CCI) in March 2023.
• A Scheme Transfer Agreement was entered into between LIC Mutual Fund Asset Management
Limited (“LIC AMC”), the asset management company, and LIC Mutual Fund Trustee Private Limited
(“LIC Trustee”), the trustee company of LIC MF, with IDBI Asset Management Limited (“IDBI AMC”),
the asset management company, and IDBI MF Trustee Company Limited (“IDBI Trustee”), the
trustee company of IDBI Mutual Fund (“IDBI MF”).
• With this merger, LIC aims to enhance and broaden its product range, extend its presence and
increase its assets under management (AUM).
About Merger:
i.Out of the 20 schemes of IDBI Mutual Fund, 10 schemes would undergo a merger with corresponding schemes
of LIC Mutual Fund.
• The remaining 10 schemes would be directly taken over by LIC Mutual Fund as standalone offerings.
ii.This will expand the total product offering of LIC Mutual Fund from 28 schemes to 38 schemes.
Aim of the Merger:
i.The merger aims to offer schemes in the mid-cap, small-cap, gold fund and passive fund segments.
ii.Access to LIC mutual fund’s diverse range of product offerings, encompassing equity, debt, hybrid, solution-
oriented themes, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and Index funds will be made available to investors who have
invested in IDBI mutual fund schemes.
Additional Info:
i.As of June 2023, LIC Mutual Fund had an AUM of Rs 18,400 crore, while IDBI Mutual Fund had Rs 3,650 crore.
ii.LIC mutual fund operates as an Asset Management Company (AMC) with Life Insurance Corporation of India
(LIC) serving as its sponsor. Other stakeholders include LIC Housing Finance Ltd, GIC(Government Insurance
Company) Housing Finance Ltd, and Union Bank of India.
iii.IDBI mutual fund has IDBI Bank as its sponsor, and IDBI AMC fulfils the role of the asset management
company for IDBI mutual fund. IDBI Trustee Company serves as the trustee company for IDBI mutual fund.
About Life Insurance Corporation(LIC) Mutual Fund:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – T. S. Ramakrishnan
About Industrial Development Bank of India(IDBI) Mutual Fund
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Raj Kishore Singh
Societe Generale Bought Bandhan Bank Ltd. Shares For Rs 382 Cr

On 31st July 2023, Europe-based financial services group Societe Generale bought shares of Kolkata-
based Bandhan Bank Ltd. for Rs 382 crore through open market transactions.
• According to the bulk deal data available with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock
Exchange (NSE), Societe Generale has acquired a total of 1.74 crore equity shares or 1.08 percent
stake in Bandhan Bank of which 89.23 lakh shares were bought on the NSE and 85.52 lakh shares on
the BSE.

The average buying price for the above shares was Rs 218.6 per share, and the stake buy amounted to Rs
382.01 crore.
Ambuja Cements acquires 56.74% stake in Sanghi Industries

On 3rd August 2023, Adani Group-owned Ambuja Cements Ltd (ACL), acquired a 56.74 % stake in Gujarat-
based Sanghi Industries(SIL) at an enterprise value of around Rs 5,000 crore.The acquisition will be fully
funded through internal accruals.
i.The deal will boost Ambuja Cements’ capacity to 73.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and help it reach its
goal of 140 MTPA by 2028 .
ii.The deal marks the first major acquisition for the Gautam Adani-led conglomerate for 2023.
iii.The deal will help Ambuja Cement close the gap with market leader UltraTech Cement.
Paytm Founder & CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma buys 10.3% stake from Antfin; Paytm share price
surges ~12%
On 7th August 2023, Shares of One 97 Communications Ltd, the parent company of Paytm, jumped
over 11.6%(~12%) to Rs. 887.55 on BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) during intra-day trade,
after Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Paytm entered into an agreement to
buy 10.3% worth USD 628 Million from Ant Financial (Antfin) Netherlands Holding BV, a Chinese fintech via
Resilient Asset Management BV (Resilient), a 100% owned overseas entity of Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
• As a result of this transaction, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s shareholding in Paytm (direct and indirect)
will increase to 19.42%, whereas Antfin’s shareholding will reduce to 13.5%.
• As per the agreement, Antfin will receive Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCDs) by Resilient
Asset Management B.V. in exchange for transferring ownership and voting rights. This will allow
Antfin to retain the economic value of its 10.30% stake in Paytm.
• The Paytm-Antfin deal is likely to India’s biggest buy now, pay later deal. It involves a cash outgo,
but only later.
• As a result of this acquisition, there will be no change in the management or control of Paytm. Vijay
Shekhar Sharma will continue to serve as the Managing Director and CEO of the company. However,
there will be no nominee of Antfin on the board of Paytm
CCI approves merger of TCCL and TCFSL into TCL; Clears proposed acquisition of
HDFC Credila Financial Services
On August 8, 2023, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves merger of Tata Cleantech Capital
Limited (TCCL) and Tata Capital Financial Services Limited (TCFSL) into Tata Capital Limited (TCL).
Key Points:
i.TCL, registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is a Core Investment Company (CIC). Its main focus is on
investing in its subsidiary companies operating in the financial services sector
ii.TCFSL, fully owned by TCL, is an important Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) under RBI’s supervision.
Its core operations include lending and providing financial services within the financial sector.
iii.TCCL, another subsidiary of TCL, is also an RBI-registered NBFC. It specializes in offering cash flow-based
finance and advisory services for projects centered around renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste and
water management, and other infrastructure ventures.
CCI clears proposed acquisition of HDFC Credila Financial Services
CCI also approved the combination involving the acquisition of 90% of the shareholding of HDFC Credila
Financial Services Limited(HDFC Credila) by Kopvoorn B.V., Moss Investments Limited, Infinity Partners and
Defati Investments Holding B.V.

• In June 2023, HDFC Ltd, HDFC Bank, and HDFC Credila declared their proposal to sell a substantial
stake in HDFC Credila to a consortium of private equity firms including BPEA, EQT, and ChrysCapital
at a transaction value of Rs 9,060 crore.
Key Points:
i.Kopvoorn B.V., owned by BPEA Private Equity Fund VIII managed by EQT AB, is the Netherlands
incorporated company, part of the global EQT investment group.
ii.Moss Investments Limited (Moss), Infinity Partners (Infinity), and Defati Investments Holding B.V. (Defati)
are collectively known as ChrysCapital Acquirers, are private equity investors.
iii.HDFC Credila, a subsidiary of Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (HDFC) Ltd., is an
Indian public limited company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 and registered with RBI. It is
focused on providing education loans for higher studies in India and abroad.
i.CCI cleared the proposed deal involving Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Limited (MHEPL) and Manipal
Education and Medical Group India Pvt Limited (MEMG India).
ii.CCI approved the acquisition of an additional 4.04% shareholding of Acko Technology and Services Private
Limited (Acko Tech) by General Atlantic Singapore ACK Pte. Ltd. (GASACK).
About Competition Commission of India (CCI):
Chairperson– Ravneet Kaur
CCI Approves Acquisition of Certain Stake of IBS Software Pte Limited by Pelipper HoldCo SARL
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of ~ 30% of the issued share capital
on a fully diluted basis of IBS Software Pte Limited by Pelipper HoldCo SARL from Techware Singapore
Holdings Pte. Ltd., a portfolio company of Blackstone Inc.
• Pelipper HoldCo SARL is a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) indirectly wholly owned by investment
funds advised by Apax Partners LLP (AP).
Target– IBS Software Pte Limited
Acquirer– Pelipper HoldCo SARL
Seller – Blackstone Inc.
Background:
i.In May 2023, IBS Software, a global travel and logistics Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company announced,
Apax Partners LLP (AP) Funds have made an investment of USD 450 million to acquire a minority stake in IBS
Software.
ii.Post the latest transaction, V K Mathews, IBS Software’s Founder and Executive Chairman will remain the
majority shareholder.
Key Points:
i.AP is a limited liability partnership incorporated under the laws of the United Kingdom (UK) and the parent of
a number of entities, which provide investment advisory services to private equity funds investing in a range of
industry sectors.
ii.IBS Software Pte Limited is the parent company of the IBS group of companies (Target Group), which is
mainly active as a software vendor, predominantly for the aviation industry and the travel industry.
• It also provides Information Technology (IT) services to its own existing customers, mainly aviation,
tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources industries.
iii.Target Group is primarily active as a provider of software solutions to the travel industry globally, managing
mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources
industries.

LIC Acquires 6.66% Shareholding in Jio Financial Service
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), an Indian multinational public sector life insurance company, has
acquired 6.66% shareholding in Jio Financial Services Ltd. (JFSL).Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL),
previously named Reliance Strategic Investments Limited, the demerged financial subsidiary of Reliance
Industries Limited(RIL).
• LIC holds a 6.49% stake in RIL as of June 30, 2023.
• The acquisition of the shareholding in Jio Financial Services by LIC occurred as a part of the process
in which Jio Financial Services was separated from its parent company.
• The cost of acquiring this shareholding represents 4.68% of the value of RIL before the separation
or demerger occurred.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s Chandrayaan-3 Scripts History, Becoming The First Country to Soft Land successfully
Near Moon’s South Pole
August 23, 2023 will always be remembered for the successful soft landing near moon’s South Pole by the
Vikram(Valour) Lander Module (LM) of ‘Chandrayaan-3 (Moon Craft)’, making India the first country to land
spacecraft near Moon’s South Pole at 70 degrees latitude.
• It was Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO)
third lunar mission which resulted in unprecedented
milestone in space exploration. Chandrayaan 1 was
launched in 2008, and Chandrayaan 2 in 2019.
• With this successful landing, India became the 4th
country to soft land on the moon after the United
States (US) with its Surveyor 1 in 1966; Soviet
Union/Russia’s Luna 9 in 1966, and China with Chang’s
3 in 2013.
Landing challenges on the Moon:
A notable challenge in the mission was reducing the lander’s velocity from a height of 30 km to the final landing
and reorienting the spacecraft from a horizontal to vertical direction. Also, landing at the Moon’s South Pole
was challenging due to its boulder-strewn terrain, lacking the flat expanses of the equatorial regions
• However, ISRO achieved it by managing to navigate this terrain by briefly hovering Chandrayaan-3
at 850 m (2,800 ft.) above the surface, searching for a suitable landing spot.
Notes:

i.Developed by ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 consists of indigenous LM Vikram, Propulsion Module (PM) and Rover
named Pragyaan (Wisdom).
• As Vikram settles on the moon, Pragyaan rover comes out from the LM and rolls onto the lunar
surface to start analyzing lunar soil and rocks.
ii.The mission life of LM & Rover is One lunar day (~14 Earth days), and their Landing Site (Prime) is 4 km x
2.4 km 69.367621 S, 32.348126 E.Mission Overview and Launch:
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14, 2023, via the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM 3 ) rocket from SDSC SHAR
(Satish Dhawan Space Centre- Sriharikota Range) in Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• Click Here to Read about Chandrayaan 3
Namakkal’s Contribution to Lunar Exploration:
Namakkal, a district in Tamil Nadu (TN), played a pivotal role in this achievement. Its unique soil, similar to the
Southern Pole of lunar surface’s ‘Anorthosite‘ (a type of intrusive igneous rock) type, was supplied to ISRO for
testing purposes. Since 2012, Namakkal has collaborated with ISRO, aiding in testing and refining lunar mission
capabilities.
Why is Moon’s Southern Region chosen for landing?
The moon’s South Pole region has been chosen because of a possibility of presence of water/ice molecules in
the deep craters in this region. This was indicated by the Chandrayaan-1 mission.
• There had been speculation that permanently shadowed craters in the South Pole might be frozen
lakes.
• The presence of water ice that could support a future space station.
• Also, the conditions on this region of the Moon could hold clues about the early solar system and the
history of Earth.
What’s next?
Now, ISRO is preparing for one more lunar mission, namely ‘LUPEX, or Lunar Polar Exploration’ in
collaboration with Japanese space agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for 2024-25. It involves
the development of a Rover by JAXA and a Lander by ISRO.
• The rover will carry the instruments of ISRO, JAXA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA).
Aim:
To explore the lunar polar region’s potential for sustainable bases, study lunar water-ice resources, and
showcase surface exploration tech like vehicular transport and overnight survival.
Key Point:
The Ahmedabad, Gujarat-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), a unit of the Department of Space, has
proposed several instruments for the LUPEX mission to conduct surface and subsurface measurements in the
Moon’s permanently shadowed polar region. These include the following:
i.Permittivity and Thermo-physical investigation for Moon’s Aquatic Scout (PRATHIMA) – It seeks to
detect and quantify water-ice in lunar soil using a rover/lander platform.
ii.Lunar Electrostatic Dust EXperiment (LEDEX): It aims to identify charged dust particles, confirm dust
levitation processes, and to estimate approximate dust size and flux of charged, levitated dust particles.
i.On 20th July 2023, Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, Hyderabad (Telangana) -based space startup,
successfully tested its Raman-II engine at the Liquid Thruster Test Facility (LTTF) of ISRO Propulsion Complex
(IPRC) at Mahendragiri, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu(TN). The testing was enabled by Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
ii.On July 12, 2023, a group of vital facilities essential for the enhancement of solid motor realization were
inaugurated from SDSC- SHAR, Sriharikota, AP. SDSC-SHAR aims to set up 29 primary and 16 auxiliary facilities
to enhance its capabilities in solid propellant processing.

About Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO):
Chairman– Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
Establishment –1969
Luna-25 crashed into the Moon; Russia’s 1st Moon mission in 47 years Failed
Russia’s first lunar mission in 47 years, Luna-25, failed as the space craft spun out of control and crashed into
the moon after a problem preparing for pre-landing orbit(orbital maneuver).
Reason behind the Crash:
Roscosmos, State Space Corporation of Russian Federation,
announced that the initial analysis of the moon lander indicates that
a difference between the planned and actual propulsion maneuver
caused the spacecraft to move into an unintended orbit.
Background:
Luna-Glob-Lander (Luna-Glob-1), also known as Luna-25, was
launched on 10th August 2023 atop a Soyuz-2.1b rocket(Soyuz-2
Fregat) from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia.
• It was anticipated to land near the lunar south pole on
21st August 2023.
About Luna-25:
i.The objective of Luna-25 is to Explore the composition of the polar regolith and to Investigate the plasma and
dust components of the lunar polar exosphere for one year.
ii.The main landing site was north of Boguslavsky crater and the reserve landing site was to the southwest of
Manzini crater in Moon.
Note:
• Luna 25 was launched as a precursor for more advanced lunar endeavors, paving the way for the
upcoming Luna-26 and Luna-27 missions.
• Luna 25 was named in continuation of robotic probe programme of Soviet Union – Luna 24
mission which brought back moon rock back to earth in 1976.
About Russia:
President – Vladimir Putin
Capital – Moscow
Currency – Russian Ruble
PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission: ISRO successfully launched 7 Singapore satellites including DS-SAR

into Space
On 30th July 2023, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C56/DS-SAR
Mission, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV–C56) carrying 7
Singapore Satellites – DS-SAR as primary satellite along with 6
co-passengers, from the First Launch Pad (FLP) Satish Dhawan
Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• This is a Dedicated Commercial Mission conducted by
ISRO under a contract with NewSpace India Limited
(NSIL) for ST Engineering, Singapore.
• This marks’s the 58th flight of PSLV and 17th flight of
PSLV in core alone configuration.
• This was the 431st foreign satellite launch from India
by ISRO and the 4th dedicated PSLV mission for Singapore government.

Highlights:
i.The launcher placed all 7 satellites from Singapore into a circular Near-equatorial Orbit (NEO) at an altitude of
535 km with 5 degree orbital inclination.
ii.ISRO attempted a unique De-Orbiting Experiment using the PS4, the 4th stage of the PSLV-C56 rocket.
iii.PS4 de-orbited to Low Earth circular orbit in a 295×300 km, using left out propellants to reduce orbital life
of spent PS4 stage. PS4 will re-enters atmosphere in less than 2 months.
Payloads of PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission:
Separating
Satellite Agency(country) Mass(kilogram)
Defence Science and Technology Agency
DS-SAR (primary payload) (DSTA) – ST Engineering (Singapore) 352
VELOX-AM 24
ARCADE Atmospheric Coupling and
Dynamics Explorer (ARCADE) Nanyang Technological University (NTU) 23
SCOOB-II (Singapore) 4
ALIENA Private Limited
NuLIoN (Singapore) 13
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Galassia-2 (Singapore) 3.5
NuSpace Private Limited
ORB-12 STRIDER (Singapore) 3
About DS-SAR Satellite:
The DS-SAR satellite, weighing 352 kg, is a Radar Imaging Earth Observation Satellite.
• It was developed in partnership with the Government of Singapore’s Defence Science and
Technology Agency (DSTA) and ST Electronics, a part of major regional defence and engineering
group ST Engineering, Singapore.
• DS-SAR carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload developed by Israel Aerospace
Industries (IAI) based in Lod, Israel.
• Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that is used to create two-dimensional images or
three-dimensional reconstructions of objects.
Key Points:
i.It will be used to support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the Government of
Singapore.
ii.This will enables the Singapore government to assess natural disaster damage, monitor land use, track
deforestation, and support security and defense operations.
iii.ST Engineering will use it for multi-modal and higher responsiveness imagery and geospatial services for
their commercial customers.
iv.The commercial customers can utilize the satellite for oil and gas exploration, agricultural monitoring, and
infrastructure assessment.
v.DS-SAR also offers all-weather day and night coverage and is capable of capturing images at 1m-resolution
with full polarimetry.
Co-passenger of DS-SAR:
The following six satellites weigh a total of 70.5kg.
VELOX-AM:
VELOX-AM is a 23 kg microsatellite developed by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
• Its primary purpose is to demonstrate Additive Manufacturing (AM) payloads technology.

ARCADE (Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer):
Weighing 24 Kg, ARCADE is a 27U microsatellite jointly designed and constructed by NTU, Singapore, and
the INSPIRE (International Satellite Program in Research and Technology) consortium.
• It is equipped with an iodine-based solid propellant propulsion module, and employs a Hall effect
thruster for orbit maintenance during its low altitude mission.
SCOOB-II:
Weighing 4 Kg, SCOOB–II is a CubeSat designed and developed by students at the Satellite Research Centre
(SaRC), NTU in Singapore.
• It is designed for a 6-month mission and uses a three-axis controlled reaction wheel assembly for
attitude control.
NuLIoN:
Weighing 3Kg, NuLIoN is an advanced 3U nanosatellite developed by NuSpace Private Limited, Singapore. Its
purpose is to provide seamless Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity in urban and remote locations.
• It serves as a seed satellite for a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) equatorial constellation, offering continuous
LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) IoT services.
Galassia-2:
Weighing 3.5 Kg, Galassia-2 is a 3U nanosatellite developed by the National University of Singapore (NUS).
• The main mission of GALASSIA-2 is to perform an inter-satellite link (ISL) with TeLEOS-1,
Singapore’s 1st commercial Earth observation satellite launched in 2015.
• It aims to demonstrate the use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) multispectral imagery for space
applications.
ORB-12 STRIDER:
ORB-12 STRIDER, Weighing 13 Kg, was developed under an international
collaboration, coordinated by Singapore-based ALIENA Private Limited, including Orbital Astronautics as bus
providers, and Aurora Propulsion Technologies as subsystem co-developers.
• It demonstrates next-generation propulsion systems tailored for small satellite constellations.
• It also carries world’s first Multi-modal all-Electric Propulsion Engine (MEPE), showcasing
ALIENA’s Multi-Stage Ignition Compact (MUSIC) Hall thruster and Aurora’s ARM resistojets.
Click Here for Official Data
Key Points:
i.ISRO is set to launch four more missions in 2023 which included another PSLV mission in August or early
September 2023, the Gaganyaan test vehicle, third development mission of Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)
rocket launcher to deploy small satellites in LEO, and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) mission
for launching INSAT (Indian National Satellite System)-3DS.
ii.It should be noted that the launch of customer satellites by ISRO not only generates revenue but also
contributes to India’s space economy’s growth.
• In October 2022, a report by industry body Indian Space Association (ISpA) and consultancy firm EY
India projected India to become a $13 billion space economy by 2025, of which satellite launch
services and applications will account for 36% or over $4.5 billion.
iii.PSLV is an 4 Stage Rocket, It’s First & Third Stage Works on Solid Propulsion know as Hydroxyl-terminated
polybutadiene (HTPB) and Second & Fourth Stage Works on Liquid Hypergolic Fuel.
i.The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved
the Indian Space Policy 2023 that will enable the private sector to participate in various space activities, such as
constructing satellites, rockets, and launch vehicles, as well as collecting and sharing data.
ii.ISRO has successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the
Aeronautical Test Range(ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka. The mission was performed in collaboration with the
Defence Space Research Organisation (DRDO), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Chairman – Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
SpaceX Falcon 9 launches Intelsat’s G-37/H-4 Telecommunications satellite to Geostationary

Orbit
On 3rd August 2023, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) launched the Intelsat Galaxy
37/Horizons-4 (G-37/H-4), satellite to a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) to provide advanced television
broadcasting services over North America. The satellite was launched aboard Falcon 9 rocket from Space
Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the United States of America
(USA).
• The Satellite was manufactured by Maxar Technologies
Inc., a Space technology Company in the US.
• It was the 52nd Orbital launch for SpaceX in 2023 and
the 6th launch for this particular Falcon 9 first-stage
booster, which landed successfully on the ‘Just Read the
Instructions’ drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Note: It previously launched SpaceX’s Crew-5 astronauts, the US
Space Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS)III-6 Satellite,
Inmarsat I6-F2, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA)’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)-28 mission to the
International Space Station (ISS), and one Starlink mission.
Testing Phase:
i.The satellite’s initial testing phase will occur over Hawaii (USA) at approximately 148 degrees west, after
which it will reposition itself to 127 degrees west, situating it west of Seattle (USA).
ii.The testing process aims to ensure the reliability and performance of the satellite before it enters service,
which is expected to be in early October 2023.
• After about 3 weeks of testing and maneuvers into a Geostationary orbit at about 35,500 kilometres
above the equator.
Key Points:
i.The payload inside the rocket is the G-37/(H-4) communications satellite that will be jointly operated by
Intelsat and JSAT International.
Note:
• Intelsat, S.A., is a leading provider of communication satellite services in the USA.
• JSAT International inc., a wholly-owned US subsidiary of SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, the largest
Japanese satellite operator with more than 17 satellites.
ii.The G-37/(H-4), destined for GTO is part of Intelsat’s “comprehensive Galaxy fleet refresh plan”, to bolster
the C-band and Ku-band frequencies, respectively.
iii.The G-37/(H-4) satellite, weighing 5 metric tonnes, is equipped with 4 deployable antenna reflectors for C-
band and Ku-band transmissions.
iv.The G-37 C-band payload will provide North American capacity for television media and telecommunication
network customers.
v.The H-4 Ku-band payload will provide continuity for our mobility, network, and US government customers
and is jointly owned by Intelsat and JSAT International.
• It also helps free up the path of the airwaves for 5G wireless communications service.
vi.The Falcon 9 upper stage placed the G-37 Satellite into a supersynchronous transfer, conserving the
satellite’s onboard fuel which will be used to circularise and lower the orbit.
vii.The second stage exhausted its remaining propellant supplies to reach the best possible orbit before

releasing the satellite about 32 minutes after launch.
Note: The Satellite is projected to remain operational for at least 18 years.
Bharat Dynamics Limited Hands Over 1st ‘Radio Frequency Seeker of Akash’ to DRDO
On 2nd August 2023, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has handed over the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of
the Akash Next Generation(Akash-NG) Missile to the Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO).
• The 1st RF Seeker was handed over by Commodore A Madhavarao (Retired), Chairman and
Managing Director of BDL to Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence Research &
Development and Chairman DRDO.
About Seeker:
i.Seeker is a crucial and technologically advanced subsystem used in the terminal phase of Surface-to-Air
Missiles and Air-to-Air Missiles for target tracking.
ii.The RF Seeker has been designed by DRDO’s Research Centre
Imarat,Vigyanakancha,Hyderabad, Telangana and produced by BDL at its state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre
set up at BDL, Kanchanbagh Unit,Hyderabad.
iii.This achievement marks a significant advancement in India’s defence capabilities and underlines the
country’s determination to becoming “Atma Nirbhar” in critical Defence Technologies.
About Akash Next Generation(Akash-NG) Missile:
i.Akash-NG Missile is the short-range mobile surface-to-air missile system (SRSAM) developed by DRDO.
ii.It has an Operation range of 4.5 km to 25 kmand can travel up to 2.5 times the speed of sound (2.5 Mach)
About Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL):
BDL is a miniratna I Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) under the Ministry of Defence, Government of
India to be the manufacturing base for guided missile systems and allied equipment for the Indian Armed
Forces.
Chairman and Managing Director – Retired Commodore A Madhavarao
Godrej Security Solutions Won A Project Of SDSC-SHAR

Godrej Security Solutions a division of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd and the flagship company of the Godrej
Group has won a project to provide a comprehensive Key Management System to Satish Dhawan Space
Centre-Sriharikota Range (SDSC-SHAR), the Spaceport of India.
i.The project undertaken by Godrej Security Solutions entails the implementation of sophisticated encryption
protocols and the safeguarding of critical keys and the bolstering of the overall institutional security framework
of SDSC-SHAR.
ii.The system will assist in compliance management by establishing a robust framework for key generation and
distribution, ensuring adherence to the highest security standards.
Note: SDSC SHAR is one of the lead centres of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space
(DOS), Government of India,located at Sriharikota in Andhrapradesh.It became operational on October 9, 1971
with the flight of ‘Rohini-125’, a small sounding rocket.
ISRO Transfers IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to ADTL

Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) announced that it’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
transferred the Indian Mini-Satellite 1 (IMS-1, a low-cost microsatellite imaging mission of ISRO) Bus
Technology to Bengaluru(Karnataka) based Alpha Design Technologies Private Limited(ADTL).

• The Technology Transfer Documents had been formally handed over by Shri. D Radhakrishnan,
Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL, to Col. H. S.
Shankar (Retd.) VSM, Chairman and Managing Director of
ADTL.
• ADTL is one of the two private players identified to
receive the transfer of this technology through Interest
Exploratory Note (IEN).
Aim of Transfer:
The BUS technology is being transferred to the private sector with
the aim of bolstering India’s industrial growth in the space sector
and fostering technological self-reliance.
About Indian Mini-Satellite(IMS)-1 Bus:
i.i.The IMS-1 satellite bus, previously referred to as TWSat (Third World Satellite) was developed by the U R
Rao Satellite Centre (URSC). The URSV is a versatile and efficient small satellite platform designed for low-cost
access to space.
ii.It serves as a dedicated vehicle for various payloads, enabling:
• Earth imaging
• Ocean and atmospheric studies
• Microwave remote sensing
• Space science missions
iii.It offers 3-axis stabilization with four reaction wheels and a 1 N thruster providing +/- 0.1 degree pointing
accuracy.
iv.Specifications:
• Weight: approximately100 kg
• Payload capacity:30 kg.
• Power generation: 330 Watt power(Solar arrays) with a raw bus voltage of 30-42 Volt.
v.With a quick turnaround time for satellite launches, IMS-1 bus is a forerunner for IMS-2 bus technology,
which has improved features.
About Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (ADTL):
Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (ADTL) is a leading aerospace and defense company.
• With expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and system integration, ADTL has been a key player
in various projects related to defense, space, and homeland security, contributing significantly to
India’s technological progress in these domains.
Additional Info:
Indian Mini-Satellite(IMS)-1 bus has been utilized in previous ISRO missions like IMS-1, Youthsat, and Microsat-
2D.
NASA & Axiom Space Have Signed a Mission Order for Ax-4
NASA and Axiom Space have signed a mission order for the 4th private astronaut mission to the International
Space Station (ISS), named Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) scheduled to launch in 2024 on Falcon 9 rockets from
National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States of
America (USA).
• Ax-4 is part of Nasa’s broader strategy to transition low Earth orbit activities.
• The Ax-4 mission will involve a team of four crew members.
i.The mission helps in laying the groundwork for the world’s first commercial space station, Axiom Station.
ii.Axiom Space is obtaining Nasa services through both a mission-specific order and a reimbursable Space Act
Agreement.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched 22 starlink satellites to LEO; sets new Launchpad Turnaround
Record
On 6th August 2023, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) launched a Falcon 9 rocket
carrying 22 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in
Florida, the United States of America (USA), to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). This launch have set the new record for
the swiftest turnaround ever achieved from a single launchpad. It was 3 days 21 hours and 41 minutes since the
launch of Intelsat’s Galaxy 37 mission from pad 40.
• Notably, the previous record of 4 days, 3 hours, and 11 minutes was set just 2 weeks ago between
Starlink missions 6-6 (on July 23, 2023) and 6-7 (on July 28, 2023).
• Following the separation from the second stage, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage returned to
SpaceX’s drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas’, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
• This was the 4th launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first-stage booster, which previously launched
Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER, and one Starlink 4-4 mission.
Note: It was the 9th launch of “V2 Mini” internet satellites, which are larger and have four times the bandwidth
of the previous models.
GRSE launched Neerakshi, India’s first Indigenous AUV to Detect Mines

On 28th July 2023, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)
under the Ministry of Defence(MoD) launched “Neerakshi”(Eyes in the Water), India’s first of its
kind indigenous Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to detect mines in Kolkata, West Bengal(WB).
• It is developed through a collaboration between Kolkata-based warship maker GRSE Ltd and Micro,
Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) entity Aerospace Engineering Private Ltd (AEPL).
• AUV Neerakshi was unveiled by Samir V Kamat Secretary Department of Defence Research and
Development (DDR&D) and Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
About AUV Neerakshi:
i.The orange-colored prototype of the cylindrical unmanned
vehicle is 2.1 meter long, about a foot (0.30 meter) in diameter and
weighs around 45 kilograms.
ii.It has a endurance of 4 hours and can go up to 300 meters deep.
iii.It can be deployed across the coastal waters for ensuring safety
of the coast.
iv.Currently, Neerakshi is equipped with mine detection
capabilities, though the objective is to also facilitate mine disposals
in the future.
v.Neerakshi can perform various tasks, including mine detection, mine disposal, and underwater surveying.
Note:
The commercial launch is likely to be within 6 months to a year after trials by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and
Army.
TLMAL delivers 200th C-130J Super Hercules Empennage

Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL), a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems
Limited (TASL) and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, delivered its 200th Empennage (the tail structure located
at the rear of an aircraft for stabilisation) of C-130J (world’s workhorse) Super Hercules under Make in India
initiative .
• TLMAL is the sole worldwide provider of C-130J empennage assemblies, which are integrated into
all new Super Hercules aircraft manufactured in Marietta, Georgia, United States of America (USA).
About Empennage:
i.Every empennage manufactured by TLMAL significantly contributes to enabling the powerful Super Hercules

to embark on missions of paramount importance, influencing lives and creating historical significance.
ii.Constructing and assembling an empennage involves
numerous intricate components.
iii.The empennages made by TLMAL are included in C-130Js
operated by seven countries, including India.
iv.The empennages of C-130J Super Hercules were delivered
from TLMAL’s manufacturing facility located in Hyderabad, India.
Empennage Components:
• Aircraft’s horizontal and vertical stabilisers.
• Leading edges and tip assemblies.
About C-130J Super Hercules:
i.The C-130J-30 is a stretch version of the C-130J, a proven, highly reliable and affordable airlifter.
ii.It is the airlifter of choice for 22 nations and 26 operators around the world.
iii.The C-130Js support critical worldwide search and rescue, peacekeeping, combat delivery, maritime patrol,
special operations, aerial refuelling, commercial cargo transport, medevac and humanitarian response
missions.
Additional info:
i.In March 2023, Lockheed Martin and Tata Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) to begin the
implementation of fighter wing production.
ii.TLMAL empennages are also included in the LM-100J ─ the commercial variant of the Super Hercules.
About Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL):
About Lockheed Martin Aeronautics:
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officers(CEO) – James D. Taiclet
Headquarters – Maryland, United States of America(USA)
About Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL)
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officers(CEO) – Sukaran Singh
Russia launches Luna-25 Mission to Moon, its 1st Lunar Probe in 47 years
On 11th August 2023,Russia successfully launched Luna-25 Mission onboard the Soyuz 2.1b Fregat rocket to
the Moon from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia (Russian Far East).
• This is Russia’s first moon mission since 1976
• Luna-25 is also the first domestically produced moon
probe in modern Russian history.
Note: A moon probe is a crewless (unmanned) spacecraft used to
investigate the Moon.
Aim:
With the Luna-25 mission, Russia aims to achieve the distinction
of being the first country to achieve a soft landing on the lunar
south pole, a region believed to hold valuable reservoirs of water
ice.
• The lander is expected to touch down on the moon on August 21, 2023. Once down safe, Luna-25
will work on the moon’s south pole for at least one Earth year.
Note: Both Luna-25 and India’s Chandrayaan 3 probe are expected to achieve their respective landings around
the same time and in the same general area.

Features of Luna-25:
i.The Luna-25 lander, also known as the Luna-Glob Lander, has a robotic arm to collect surface samples from
the moon. It will study the composition of the moon’s polar soil and the plasma and dust contained in the very
thin lunar exosphere.
ii.Luna-25 has a mass of 1.8 tons and carries 31 kilograms of scientific equipment. It will land near the lunar
south pole at the Boguslavsky crater..
iii.Luna-25 is designed, built, and tested by Russian aerospace company NPO Lavochkin, and consists of 2 main
parts:
• One is a landing platform outfitted with a propulsion system and landing gear, including a Doppler
velocity and range meter.
• The other is an unpressurized instrument container loaded with scientific equipment, radiators,
electronics, solar panels, a radioisotope heat and power source, antennas, and television cameras.
iv.The Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket carrying the Luna 25 craft is a smaller launch vehicle than those used in previous
unsuccessful missions.
Instruments carried by Luna-25:
Luna-25 carries the following instruments:
• Service television system (STS-L)
• Lunar manipulator complex (LMK) with a soil intake device
• Neutron and gamma detector (ADRON-LR) to remotely look for water ice
• Infrared spectrometer (LIS-TV-RPM)
• Laser mass spectrometer (LAZMA-LR)
• Ion energy-mass analyzer (ARIES-L)
• Dust Monitor (PmL)
• Scientific information control unit (BUNI)
Functioning of Luna 25:
i.Luna-25 will use a scoop to take rock samples from a depth of up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) to test for the
presence of frozen water.
ii.LMK is capable of excavating lunar regolith and delivering it directly to a LAZMA-LR. An infrared
spectrometer (LIS-TV-RPM) installed on this hardware can inspect the material, assessing the prospect of
finding water ice.
iii.Scientific instruments, including a range of spectrometers and imaging systems, as well as communications
equipment are used to beam data back to Earth.
Key Points:
i.The south pole of the moon, is one of the least-explored areas of the moon where no spacecraft has landed. So
far, the then Soviet Union, China, and the United States America (USA) have managed to land probes on the
moon.
ii.As seen from the data from orbit, there are signs of ice in the soil of the Luna-25 landing area. Rough terrains
make landing difficult.
iii.Luna-25 will spend 5-7 days in lunar orbit before descending near Boguslawsky Crater, which was selected
as the primary landing site for the Russian Luna-Glob mission.
• 2 backup landing sites have also been identified: one to the southwest of Manzini Crater and the
other to the south of Pentland A Crater.
iv.Once landed successfully, the craft will study the upper layer of the lunar regolith, appraise the ultra-thin
lunar atmosphere and search for signs of water ice in the south pole region.
1976 Luna Mission of Russia:
i.The last successful Luna mission of Russia was in 1976 when the Soviet Union launched the Luna 24 probe,
which successfully delivered about 6.2 ounces (170 grams) of moon samples to Earth.
ii.The Luna 24 craft landed in the Mare Crisium lunar plain and returned geographical samples that showed the
presence of water on the moon.

On 3rd April 2023, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
announced the 4 astronauts crew for the Artemis II Lunar mission which includes 3 United States of America
(USA) nationals and one Canadian astronaut.
About Russia:
Capital– Moscow
Prime Minister– Mikhail Mishustin
Currency– Russian Ruble
Defence Ministry to Replace Microsoft Windows with Indigenous Maya OS

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has decided to replace the Microsoft Operating System (OS) in all the computers
with internet connectivity with the new indigenously developed OS “Maya” based on open-source Ubuntu, by
the end of 2023.
• Maya OS offers several features such as cloud storage integration, full disk encryption, digital signature,
biometric authentication, and a feature named “Chakravyuh.”
• Chakravyuh, a security feature of Maya, is an end-point detection and protection system. It creates a
virtual layer between the user and the internet, thus, preventing cyber criminals and cyber attackers
from accessing sensitive data.
• The development of the Maya OS began in 2021 and is developed collaboratively by the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-
DAC), National Informatics Centre (NIC), along with Indian software companies and academic
institutions within 6 months.
ISRO Conducts Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests for Gaganyaan Mission

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre(VSSC) in collaboration with Aerial Delivery Research and Development
Establishment (ADRDE) successfully conducted a series of Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests to qualify
the drogue parachutes, affirming their preparedness for integration into the Test Vehicle Demonstration (TV-
D1) under the Gaganyaan mission
• The tests were held at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics
Research Laboratory of DRDO, Chandigarh.
• VSSC (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala ) is a major space
research centre of Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO); ADRDE(Agra, Uttar Pradesh) is a pioneer Research
& Development lab of Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
Drogue Parachute:
The Gaganyaan mission entails the safe transportation of astronauts
to space and back. At the heart of this endeavour lies the deployment
of drogue parachutes, pivotal in stabilizing the crew module and
curbing its re-entry velocity to a secure level.
• Distinguished by their conical ribbon-style configuration with diameter of 5.8 metres, these drogue
parachutes find their place within pyro-based devices called mortars.
• Ingeniously engineered, these devices are designed to precisely expel the parachutes into the
atmosphere upon receiving the command.
Deployment Tests:
Throughout the series of three comprehensive tests at the RTRS facility, a diverse set of real-world scenarios
was replicated to assess the performance and reliability of the drogue parachutes.

• First test – simulation replicated the max reefed load, introducing reefing in a mortar-deployed
parachute within India.
• Second test – imitated maximum disreefed load challenges.
• Third test – mirrored Crew Module’s mission conditions, including max angle of attack, underlining
thorough assessment.
Working mechanism:
i.Through a single-stage reefing mechanism, these parachutes adeptly minimize canopy size while adeptly
counteracting the shock of opening, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.
ii.The intricate parachute sequence in the Gaganyaan module has ten parachutes.
• It starts with two Apex cover separation parachutes, followed by stabilizing with two drogue
parachutes. After the drogue parachutes are released, the mission enters the extraction phase.
• Three Pilot chutes then extract three main parachutes, crucial for reducing the Crew Module’s speed
for a safe landing.
Additional Info:
In March 2023, RTRS tests for the Pilot and Apex cover separation parachutes were carried out, further
underscoring the advancement of the Gaganyaan mission’s parachute system development.
Scientists at IIA Bengaluru Discovered a Unique CEMP Star “HE 1005-1439”

Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics(IIA) in Bengaluru, Karnataka have discovered a unique star
named “HE 1005-1439”. This star defies the conventional classification of stars and stands out as a carbon-
enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star, a rare class of chemically peculiar stars.
CEMP Star:
CEMP stars have [C/Fe] (Carbon/Iron) > +1, compared to the Sun
CEMP stars have carbon enhanced at least 10 times more than iron,
and [Fe/H] (Iron/Hydrogen) < -1, meaning that iron is less than a
10th that in the Sun.
Discovery of HE 1005-1439:
i.The discovery of the new star challenges the previous
understanding of star formation processes.
ii.For the first time, scientists have discovered an object that shows
signs of having been formed through a combination of 2
different neutron capture processes such as slow (s-) and intermediate (i-).
• slow (s-) – occurs in low-mass stars during a particular phase called asymptotic giant branch (AGB).
• intermediate (i-) – the proposed site of i- process is low-metallicity low-mass AGB stars.
Note:
The s- and i-process occur in different astrophysical environments, and hence, the surface chemical
composition of HE 1005-1439 being influenced by both processes seems unique.
Key Points:
i.The IIA scientists led by Partha Pratim Goswami and supervised by Prof. Aruna Goswami, used high-
resolution spectroscopic data acquired using High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS) attached to SUBARU
telescope (Japan) to analyze the star’s surface chemical composition.
ii.They found that the iron content of the star is 1000 times less than that of the sun and it is heavily enriched
with neutron-capture elements.
Neutron capture processes:
Elements beyond iron are formed through the neutron capture processes. The processes of neutron
capture may be distinguished as slow (s-), Rapid(r-) and intermediate (i-).
• rapid (r-) process is believed to occur in Supernovae and Neutron star mergers.

About Indian Institute of Astrophysics(IIA):
IIA is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST).
Director– Prof. Annapurni Subramaniam
Established in 1971
Location– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Agnikul Cosmos Begins Integration Process of its First Launch Vehicle ‘Agnibaan SOrTeD’
from Sriharikota
On 15th August 2023, Agnikul Cosmos Private Ltd, a space-tech start-up, commenced the process of
integration of its first state-of-the-art launch vehicle, Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-
Orbital Technological Demonstrator), with its exclusive private launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC) SHAR (formerly Sriharikota Range) at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh(AP).
• The integration process is the significant step taken by the Agnikul Cosmos, toward its first
controlled sub-orbital flight, which brings Agnikul closer to fulfilling its vision of delivering reliable
and affordable access to space.
Note: In December 2020, Agnikul became the 1st Indian company to sign an agreement with Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) to get access to ISRO’s expertise and facilities to build Agnibaan and its
launchpad.
Agnibaan SOrTeD:
i.Agnibaan SOrTeD is a single-stage launch vehicle powered by
Agnikul’s patented Agnilet engine, a fully 3D-printed, single-piece, 6
kilonewton (kN) semi-cryogenic engine.
ii.Diverging from conventional sounding rockets launched from
guide rails, Agnibaan SOrTeD will initiate vertical liftoff and follow a
predefined trajectory while executing precisely arranged maneuvers
during its flight.
iii.The rocket is equipped to haul payloads of up to 100 kilos to a 700
kilometers distance in Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) and has been praised for its ‘plug-and-play’ design, which allows
for accurate mission configuration.
iv.Agnikul’s flight events have been designated to validate key technologies integral to the success of its
upcoming orbital flights as Agnikul is on its path toward its inaugural controlled flight in the upcoming weeks.
Note: On 25th November 2022, Agnikul inaugurated India’s first private launchpad, Agnikul Launchpad (ALP),
and Mission Control Center (Agnikul Mission Control Center (AMCC)) at SDSC. This facility serves as the base
for Agnikul’s future suborbital and orbital missions.
Key Points:
i.This suborbital mission serves as a validation of Agnikul’s proprietary autopilot, navigation, and guidance
algorithms. It also serves as a crucial trial for gauging the launchpad’s preparedness for more ambitious
undertakings.
ii.AgniKul, assisted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and IN-SPACe, the promotion and
regulation body has ideated and built the launchpad.
iii.The launchpad and the mission control center are separated by 4 kilometers, and equipped with state-of-
the-art technology to ensure independent and uninterrupted operations during the mission countdown.
iv.A successful launch would make AgniKul the 2nd Indian space tech start-up to send its launch vehicle into
space after Skyroot Aerospace, which launched its rocket Vikram-Sarabhai (Vikram-S) in 2022.
About AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited:
AgniKul Cosmos is an Indian aerospace manufacturer based in National Center for Combustion Research &
Development (R&D) (NCRD) of Indian Institute of Technology Madras(IIT Madras), Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Co-founder– Srinath Ravichandran
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
India’s 1st Long-Range Side Swing Revolver ‘Prabal’ Launched

On 18th August 2023, India’s first long-range side swing revolver ‘Prabal’ with “twice the range of other
revolvers”, manufactured by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd. (AW&EIL), was launched at the
Small Arms Factory (SFA) in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh for civilians and arms dealers.
• AW&EIL, a Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) based fully government-owned enterprise ultimate weapon system
provider
Features:
i.Prabal revolver is a lightweight .32 caliber ‘side swing’ revolve.
• Weight: 675 grams (without cartridges).
• Accuracy: Can hit targets up to 50 meters, double the range of other civilian handguns.
• Features: Chrome-platted barrel of 76 millimeters length.
• Dimensions: Overall length of 187.7 millimeters.
ii.The Prabal revolver uses an innovative side-swing mechanism
for loading/unloading bullets, replacing the traditional tilting or
frame-breaking methods. This side-swing cylinder opening is also
lighter by 25 to 50 grams compared to other revolvers.
• This innovative design element eliminates the need to fold
the firearm for cartridge insertion, simplifying the reloading
process and enhancing user convenience.
iv.Prabal was tested in temperatures ranging from -30 degrees to
55 degrees and has been launched in the market after 600 rounds
of testing.
About Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd. (AW&EIL):
It is a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It
is incorporated under the Companies Act 2013 on 14th August 2021.
Chairman and Managing Director– Rajesh Choudhary
Headquarters– Ordnance Factory Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Commenced business on– 1st October 2021
Secong MCA Barge Yard 76 (LSAM 8) Launched at Andhra Pradesh

Commodore G Ravi, Warship Production Superintendent in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, inaugurated the
second Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, known as Yard 76 (LSAM 8).
• The launch took place at Guttenedevi, East Godavari, Andhra
Pradesh, at the manufacturing site of M/s SECON
Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, a Micro-Small-Medium
enterprise (MSME) specializing in manufacturing.
• The contract for constructing 8 MCA Barges was signed with
M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, aligned with the
“Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-reliant India) initiatives of the
Government of India.
Note: The first MCA Barge, Yard 75 (LSAM 7) was launched by Rear
Admiral Sandeep Mehta, Assistant Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition (ACWP&A) on 24th
February 2023 at Guttenedevi, Andhra Pradesh.

Key Points:
i.This Barge is the proud flag bearer of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Ministry of Defence, GoI, with all
major and auxiliary equipment/systems sourced from indigenous manufacturers.
ii.The Barge is designed with a service life of 30 years. The availability of these MCA Barges addresses the
evolving operational needs of the Indian Navy (IN).
iii.Its impact on facilitating transportation, embarkation, and disembarkation of essential articles and
ammunition to IN Ships both at jetties and outer harbours.
Indian Army Inducts Swathi Mark II Mountain Variant WLR

Indian Army inducted the first Swathi Mark II Mountain variant Weapon Locating Radar(WLR), a lighter and
compact version WLR for mountains & high-altitude areas.
• The WLR was flagged off by Lieutenant General JB
Chaudhari, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (CD&S) in Agra,
Uttar Pradesh(UP).
• Swathi Mk II was developed by Bharat Electronics
Limited(BEL), a Navratna Public Sector Enterprise(PSE)
under the Ministry of Defence(MoD), in Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
• The SWATHI WLR mountain version is the result of a
collaborative effort between Radar House Electronics and
Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a premier laboratory of the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), along with BEL.
• This is a state-of-the-art system that caters to the unique challenges posed by the mountain and
high-altitude terrains.
Note: In 2022, BEL received an order for the six units of the Swathi Mark II WLR mountain version from the
Indian Army.
About Swathi WLR:
i.Swathi WLR is a mobile 3D electronically scanned phased-array radar that can autonomously locate hostile
soldiers’ artillery, mortars, and rocket launchers and destroy them by enabling counter-bombardment.
ii.Each Swathi WLR unit is mounted in two vehicles: a radar vehicle with electronics and an antenna shelter,
and a power source-cum-built-in test equipment (BITE) vehicle with two diesel generator sets and a radar
target simulator.
iii.The Swathi radar comes in two versions: the Swathi Plains (WLR) and the Swathi Mountains (WLR-M).
• The Swathi Mark I variant(Swathi Plains) is set up into two 8×8 wheeled Tatra trucks weighing
approximately 30 and 28 tonnes, subsequently, the Swathi Mark II variant (Swathi Mountain) is
integrated into two 6×6 wheeled Tatra trucks weighing around 18 tonnes each.
• The Swathi WLR Mark I variation is suited for plains operations, and the only difference between the
two models is weight.
About Swathi Mark II:
i.Swathi Mountains is capable of detecting mortar shells and rockets and tracking projectiles.
ii.It classifies projectile and non-projectile targets, rejecting unwanted signals like birds, clutter, and aircraft. It
also offers trajectory estimation and launch/impact point extrapolation, automatically correcting for height to
enhance accuracy.
iii.The radar system is equipped to store and display trajectory data and maintain communication with higher
echelons for better coordination.
Note:
i.India had exported four Swathi Weapons Locating Radars to Armenia valued at USD 40 million, in March
2020.

ii.The Indian Army already inducted 30 units of Swathi Mark-I and they are deployed across the Line of Control
(LoC).
India’s First Hydrogen Bus Hits the Public Roads in Leh, Ladakh
NTPC Limited(formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation), a Maharatna Public Sector
Undertaking(PSU) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), has begun the trial of India’s 1st hydrogen bus in Leh,
Union Territory (UT) Ladakh. This marks India’s 1st-ever use of hydrogen buses on public roads. The first
hydrogen bus arrived in Leh, marking the initiation of a 3-month process involving field trials, roadworthiness
tests, and necessary regulatory steps.
• NTPC is working towards achieving carbon-neutral Ladakh by establishing a hydrogen fuelling
station, a solar plant, and introducing five fuel cell buses for local transport within the city of
Leh. This is part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability in the region.
• The first of its kind Green Hydrogen Mobility Project at 11,562 ft is co-located with dedicated
Solar plant of 1.7 MW for providing renewable power. The fuel cell buses are designed for
operation in sub-zero temperature in rarefied atmosphere, typical to such altitude locations which is
a unique feature of this project.
• NTPC aims to achieve 60 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2032 and play a significant role in
Green Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage.The company is taking up several initiatives
towards decarbonization such as Hydrogen blending, Carbon Capture, EV buses, Smart NTPC
Townships etc.
China Launches New Satellite for Earth Observation

China has launched a new Earth observation satellite,named Gaofen-12 04, atop a Long March-4C carrier
rocket, into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China.
The satellite has been positioned in the designated orbit around the Earth as originally intended for its mission.
• This launch represents the 484th flight mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.
• The satellite’s capabilities will be utilized in diverse applications such as land surveys, urban
planning, road network design, crop yield estimation, and disaster relief efforts.
Dr Jitendra Singh Launches Indigenous E-Tractor, CSIR Prima ET11

Union Minister of State(MoS) Dr.Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science & Technology, launched CSIR Prima ET11,
India’s 1st indigenous e-Tractor. It was developed by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) -
Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, West Bengal.
• He also released a book by CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) and a
compendium on 75 technologies developed by CSIR.
i.This event highlights the introduction of advanced technology in the form of electric tractors to promote
sustainability and innovation in the agricultural sector.
ii.Minister highlighted the importance of the 5 S’s mantra – Showcasing, Stakeholders, Startups,
Synergizing, and Strategizing Industry linkage to ensure the success of Research and Development
(R&D)endeavours carried out in government-run scientific laboratories.
iii.He also notified that prominent startups are emerging within the agriculture sector, especially in specialized
technologies such as e-Tractor, garbage recycling, drip irrigation, and genome-sequenced farming (like Mango
and Lotus).
Iran Unveils “Mohajer-10” New domestically Built Attack Drone

The Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics unveiled Mohajer-10, the new domestically build
attack drone (unmanned combat aerial vehicle – UCAV) with enhanced capabilities.

• The drone was unveiled in the presence of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at an exhibition
celebrating Defense Industry Day.
• Mohajer-10 is the upgraded version of the “Mohajer-
6” and resembles the MQ-9 Reaper drone of the
United States of America(USA).
Note:
The word “Mohajer,” originating from Farsi, translates to
“immigrant.” This has been the label for the drones series
produced by Iran since 1985.
Features:
i.Mohajer-10 can stay in the air for up to 24 hours at an altitude
of 7,000 meters.
ii.It has an operational radius of 2,000 kilometres and the maximum fuel capacity of the drone is 450 litres.
iii.The drone can fly at the speed of 210 kilometres per hour(kph) and is equipped with enhanced electronic
and intelligence systems.
iv.The drone can carry a maximum payload of 300 kilograms which is double the capacity of the “Mohajer-6”
drone.
Additional info:
The “Mohajer-6” possessed the ability to carry payloads weighing up to 150 kilograms, maintain flight for a
duration of 12 hours, and reach a maximum altitude of 5,400 metres.
About Iran(officially the Islamic Republic of Iran)
President – Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi
Capital – Tehran
Currency – Iranian Rial
NASA & SpaceX Launched International Crew-7 Astronaut Mission to ISS

On 26th August 2023, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) successfully launched the international Crew-7 astronaut mission to the
International Space Station (ISS).The agency’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission is the seventh commercial crew rotation
mission for NASA.
• The 4 astronauts of the Crew-7 mission lifted off atop
a brand-new SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, the United
States of America (USA).
• The Crew-7 team will ride on the SpaceX Crew
Dragon capsule, Endurance, which is a trained
spaceflight, that previously completed missions as
part of SpaceX’s Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions to the
ISS.
• The journey from Earth to the ISS is estimated to take
nearly 30 hours.
The Crew:
A crew of 4 astronauts from 4 different (countries’) space agencies is a rare occurrence in the history of
spaceflight and is the most international crew to fly with SpaceX to date and are:
i.Commanding Crew -7 is NASA’s Jasmin Moghbeli, who is making her first spaceflight, and is now the 2nd
Iranian-American to fly to space, after Anousheh Ansari;
ii.European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Andreas Mogensen, from Denmark,serves as Crew-7’s pilot, and
he’s the first ESA astronaut to hold that title as part of a Dragon crew.

iii.Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and Konstantin Borisov, of the
Russian space agency Roscosmos, are flying as Crew-7 mission specialists.
• Crew-7 will join the space station’s Expedition 69 crew of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, Woody
Hoburg, and Frank Rubio, as well as UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and
Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, and Andrey Fedyaev. For a short time, the
number of crew aboard the space station will increase to 11 until Crew-6 members Bowen, Hoburg,
Alneyadi, and Fedyaev return to Earth a few days later.
Key Points:
i.The Falcon 9’s first stage shut down and separated from the upper stage approximately 2 minutes and 40
seconds into the launch.
ii.The booster then performed a boost-back engine burn for a return to Earth, which was also achieved.
iii.The Falcon 9’s first stage touched down at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in the USA. It was the first
launch and landing for this particular booster.
About Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX):
President and Chief Operating Officer– Gwynne Shotwell
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder– Elon Musk
Headquarters– Hawthorne, California, the USA
Founded in– 2002
BHEL Manufactures First Set of Indigenous SCR Catalysts to limit NOx emission
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has manufactured India’s first set of Indigenous Catalysts
for Selective Catalyst Reactors (SCR) for limiting oxides of nitrogen (NOx).This production is in line
with the government’s “Make in India” Initiative.
• Ms. Renuka Gera, Director (Industrial Systems & Products), BHEL flagged off the first set of
indigenously manufactured SCR catalysts for the 5×800 Mega Watt(MW) Yadadri Thermal
Power Station in Telangana, from the company’s Solar Business Division (SBD) unit in
Bengaluru,Karnataka.
• Combustion of coal converts the nitrogen bound in coal to form various products such as nitric
oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O).These products are collectively
called oxides of nitrogen (NOx) which are significant major pollutant.
Note – Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is an Indian Maharatna central public sector Enterprise
(CPSE) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Established in 1956, BHEL is
based in New Delhi
i.As per the recent environment protection notification of Ministry of Environment and Forest,Telangana
State Power Generation Corporation Limited (TSGENCO) had placed an order for SCRs for 5×800 MW
Yadadri thermal power station,Telangana.
ii.Further, Maharashtra State Power Generation Co Ltd (MAHAGENCO) for 1×660 MW Bhusawal thermal
power station in Maharashtra, West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) for
1×660 MW Sagardighi thermal power station in West Bengal and National Aluminium Company
Limited (NALCO) is a Navratna CPSE under Ministry of Mines for 1×18.5 MW Damanjodi thermal power
station in Odisha

DEFENCE
EXERCISE
Zayed Talwar 2023, a Bilateral Naval Exercise Between India & UAE held in Dubai
“Zayed Talwar 2023”, a bilateral naval maritime partnership exercise was held between the Indian Navy (IN),
India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy from 8th to 11th August 2023 in Dubai, UAE.
• From India, INS (Indian Navy Ship) Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand participated. The delegation of
IN was commanded by Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet
(FOCWF).
• INS Visakhapatnam is an indigenously developed destroyer, and is commanded by Captain Ashok
Rao, whereas INS Trikand, an advanced stealth frigate, is commanded
by Captain Pramod G Thomas.
Aim:
To enhance the interoperability and synergy between the IN and
UAE Navy by cross-training on tactics, techniques and procedures
while also developing stronger professional bonds
Key Points:
i.Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty and UAE’s Brigadier Abdullah Farj
Al Mehairbi met at Abu Dhabi Naval Command to enhance naval
cooperation.
ii.They agreed to boost interactions between their navies and
tackle challenges like piracy and maritime security.
iii.Discussions also included joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
iv.Rear Admiral McCarty also paid a visit to the Indian Ambassador to UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, and informed him
about the exercise and naval partnership roadmap under the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.
About United Arab Emirates (UAE):
Capital– Abu Dhabi
Currency– UAE Dirham
Crown Prince– Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
INS Chennai Participates in PASSEX with Royal Saudi Naval Ship HMS Al Jubail
On 5th August 2023, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Chennai participated in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with
Royal Saudi Naval Ship HMS Al Jubail.
• The exercise was conducted off the coast (Red Sea) of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia which included tactical
manoeuvres, seamanship evolutions and communication drills that contributed to reinforcing
mutual trust, cementing operational understanding, and enhancing interoperability between the
Indian and Saudi navies.
About Indian Naval Ship (INS) Chennai:
INS Chennai, a P-15A Guided Missile Destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2016. It
was constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra
IAF To Host Mega Multilateral Air Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ in Mid-2024

The Indian Air Force (IAF), the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces, is set to host a mega multilateral military
exercise in mid of 2024. It was initially scheduled for October-November 2023.
• The exercise, named Tarang Shakti, is scheduled to be the largest air exercise ever conducted in
India and will be its 1st edition.

i.The exercise is anticipated to involve approximately 12 air forces, with a primary emphasis on enhancing
military cooperation and interoperability.
ii.Participating air forces from countries including France, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, the United
States(US), and Japan are expected to take part.
iii.Additionally, six other nations have been invited to observe the exercise.
iv.In April- May 2023, India participated in notable international air exercises.
• Indian Air Force dispatched four Rafale planes, two C-17 aircraft, and two IL-78 mid-air refuelers
to France’s Mont-de-Marsan military base for a nearly three-week international air exercise
‘Orion’.
• The sixth edition of Cope India-2023, a joint Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and
the United States Air Force (USAF).The exercise took place at Air Force Stations
Kalaikunda,Panagarh of West Bengal, and Agra,Uttar Pradesh.
India, Japan, US, Australia hold 27th Malabar Naval Exercise off Australian Coast
The 27th edition of naval Exercise MALABAR 2023 was held at East Coast of Australia off Sydney, between the
Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and the Royal
Australian Navy (RAN) from August 11-21, 2023.
• The exercise was hosted by RAN and held in Australia for
the first time.
Aim:
To enhance interoperability, share maritime security best
practices.
Representatives from India:
i.Indian Navy Ship (INS) Sahyadri– It is the third vessel of the
indigenous Project-17 class frigates, commanded by Capt
Rajan Kapoor.
ii.INS Kolkata– It is the first in the Project-15A class destroyers,
under the command of Capt Sharad Sinsunwal.
• Both ships, built at Mumbai, Maharashtra’s Mazagon Dock Ltd, are armed with advanced weaponry and
sensors for comprehensive threat detection and response.
iii.P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft – It was manufactured by Boeing specially for the Indian Navy.
Representatives from other Nations:
Participating units include RAN ships Her or His Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Choules and HMAS Brisbane,
United States Ship (USS) Raphael Peralta, Japanese Ship (JS) Shiranui, Australian F-35 fighter jets, as well as P-8
surveillance aircraft, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and shipborne helicopters along with submarines.
Key Points:
i.MALABAR 2023 was conducted in two phases Harbour and Sea. The harbor phase took place from 11-15
August 2023, followed by the sea phase from 16-21 August 2023.
• The Harbour Phase involved ross-deck visits, exchanges, sports, planning.
• The Sea Phase includes various complex and high intensity exercises in all three domains of warfare,
encompassing surface, air and under sea domains including live weapon firing drills.
ii.In 2022, it was hosted by Japan off Yokosuka island near the East China Sea.
iii.Commencing in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the US in the Indian Ocean, Malabar
exercise annual event saw Japan’s inclusion as a permanent participant in 2015. In 2020, Australia’s
participation made it a four Quad coalition.
Note: Concurrently, from August 22-24, 2023, 5th edition of the biennial AUSINDEX Maritime Exercise held
between the navies of India and Australia off the coast of Sydney.

INS Vagir Achieves Longest Scorpene Submarine Deployment, Travels 7,000 Km to Australia for
Exercises
Indian Navy’s INS Vagir, the 5th Kalvari class submarine, sets a new record for the longest deployment of a
scorpene-class submarine, covering 7,000 km to reach Australia for joint military exercises.
Key Points:
i.The submarine, commissioned in January 2023, arrived in Fremantle, Australia on August 20, 2023, to engage
in exercises alongside RAN units.
ii.The deployment includes basic to advanced Anti-Submarine exercises, involving RAN submarines and Indian
Naval P8i aircraft, enhancing collaboration between Indian Navy and RAN.
i.The 6th edition of the annual Naval Exercise ‘Ekatha’ between India and Maldives was scheduled to be
conducted from 4th June to 3rd July 2023, in Maldives to enhance interoperability in diving and special
operations.
ii.The First edition of the India, France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Trilateral Maritime Partnership
Exercise was held in the Gulf of Oman from 7th to 8th June 2023.
About Australia:
Capital– Canberra
Currency– Australian Dollar
Prime Minister– Anthony Albanese
Ex BRIGHT STAR-23: Maiden Multilateral Exercise of IAF Held in Egypt from August 27 to
September 16, 2023
Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent will be participating in Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23, a biennial multilateral
tri-service exercise scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt, from August 27 to September 16,
2023, towards encouraging global defense cooperation with Egypt. This is the first time that IAF is
participating in Ex Bright Star-23.
• The participation of IAF showcases India’s
commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships
and enhancing joint operational capabilities. IAF
contingents engaging in flying exercises abroad make
them true Diplomats in Flight Suits.
Aim of Ex Bright Star-23:
The objective of the exercise is to practice planning and
execution of joint operations. Besides leading to the formation of
bonding across borders, these exercises allow nations to plan
and execute complex operations together.
Indian Participants:
i.The IAF contingent will consist of five MiG-29, two IL-78, two C-130 and two C-17 aircraft.
ii.Personnel from the IAF’s Garud Special Forces, as well as those from the Numbers 28, 77, 78, and 81
Squadrons, will be participating in the exercise.
iii.The IAF transport aircraft will also provide airlift to approximately 150 personnel from the Indian Army.
Other Participants:
Ex BRIGHT STAR-23 will also see the participation of contingents from the United States of America (USA),
Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Qatar.
Key Points:
In the 1960s, India and Egypt fostered a remarkable relationship and deep cooperation that encompassed the
development of aero engines and aircraft, along with extensive pilot training.

About Egypt:
Prime Minister– Mostafa Madbouly
Capital– Cairo
Currency– Egyptian Pound (EGP)
TESTING
LCA Tejas Test-Fires Indigenous ASTRA Air-to-Air Missile off Goa Coast
On 23rd August 2023, India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) LSP-7 aircraft successfully test fired
the ASTRA indigenous state–of-the-art Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air missile (AAM) off the coast
of Goa.
• The missile release was carried out by Tejas at an
altitude of about 20,000 feet(ft).
• It was a flawless text book launch and all test objectives
were met.
• This will significantly enhance the combat skills of
Tejas and reduce their dependency on imported
weapons.
Key Officials to Monitor the Launch:
The test launch was monitored by the Test Director and scientists
of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) along with officials from Centre
for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality
Assurance (DG-AQA).
The aircraft was also monitored by a Chase Tejas twin-seater aircraft.
Features of ASTRA:
i.ASTRA is designed to be mounted on a fighter aircraft and engages and destroys highly manoeuvring
supersonic aerial targets.
ii.It is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre
Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of DRDO.
iii.It is built to function across weather conditions, and during both day and night, the system is being
developed to meet specific requirements.
iv.The indigenous Astra BVR firing from homegrown Tejas fighters is a major step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar
Bharat’ (self-reliant India).
Additional info:
The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force
(IAF).
Key Points:
i.Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft, with the capability to operate in high-threat air
environments.
• It is designed by the ADA in collaboration with Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) of HAL
for the IAF and Indian Navy.
ii.The indigenously-developed fighter jet has been developed to undertake air defence, maritime exploration
and strike operations.
OTHER DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Air Force receives Israel’s Spike Non Line of Sight Missiles
Indian Air Force (IAF) received air-launched Spike Non Line of Sight (NLOS) Anti-Tank Guided Missiles(ATGM)
from Israel which can hit targets upto 50 km from a helicopter and 32 km from the ground.

• The NLOS missiles will be integrated with the fleet of Russian-origin Mi-17V5
helicopters, manufactured by Kazan Helicopters
Key features of Spike Non Line of Sight (NLOS)missiles:
i.It was designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense
Systems.
ii.It is available in various configurations, including man-portable,
vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants.
iii.Utilizes a fire-and-forget system with lock-on before launch
and automatic self-guidance features.
iv.The long and extended range versions of the Spike introduce
the “Fire, Observe and Update” operating mode.
v.Air-launched SPIKE NLOS ATGMs are capable of executing precise strikes against ground targets from
standoff distances.
vi.Demonstrates the ability to inflict significant damage to enemy tank regiments and effectively halt their
advances.
vii.It has the highest level of survivability due to stand-off range and passive guidance.
viii. It enables the handling of Anti-access/area denial (A2AD) targets
Increased production of missiles through “Make-in-India”:
• A limited quantity of Spike NLOS ATGMs has been placed on order.
• There is intent to produce a more substantial amount of these missiles through the “Make-in-
India” approach.
About Israel:
Prime Minister – Benjamin Netanyahu
President – Isaac Herzog
Capital – Jerusalem
Currency – New Israeli Shekel (NIS)
India’s indigenous Nag ATGM and Helina Dhruvastra Missiles Set to Join Indian Armed Forces
India’s indigenous Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) and the variant of HELINA (Helicopter-launched
NAG) Weapon System called ‘Dhruvastra’ are set to be inducted into the Indian army and Indian Air Force
(IAF) after clearing all the trials.
• Both the Nag ATGM and Helina (Dhruvastra) missiles
are developed by Defence Research and Development
Organisation(DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat
Dynamics Limited(BDL).
• Nag is the surface-to-air missile and Dhruvastra is the
air-to-surface missile.
About Nag ATGM:
i.NAG also known as Prospina, is a third generation Anti-Tank
Guided Missile with Fire and Forget top attack capability.
• Nag ATGM developed under the integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP), which
also includes four other missiles—Agni, Akash, Trishul and Prithvi.
ii.The Nag has an operational range of up to 4 km and is armed with a tandem High-Explosive Anti-Tank
(HEAT) warhead.
iii.Nag ATGM measures approximately 1.834 meters in length, has a diameter of 0.158 meters, and weighs
around 44 kilograms.
About Helina (Dhruvastra):
i.Helina is an Air to Surface Missile system launched from Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).ALH is fitted with
two Twin launchers, one on each side, each carrying eight missiles.

ii.It has the operational range up to 7km and length of 1.946m, and a diameter of 0.150m.
iii.It has a High Resolution Imaging Infrared Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch(LOBL) mode
and capable of automatic target detection and tracking in adverse weather conditions.
Note:
In 2022, DRDO has successfully flight tested at high-altitude ranges as part of user validation trials.
Indian Army secures patent for AI-driven Accident Prevention System

The Indian Army (IA) has secured a patent for an ‘Accident Prevention System based on Artificial
Intelligence (AI)’ which is poised to enhance road safety and mitigate accidents.
• It is developed within the Army’s research and
development (R&D) division, and Colonel Kuldeep
Yadav has been credited as the inventor of this
prevention system.
• This system saves lives by alerting drivers from falling
asleep & reduces accidents caused by drowsiness.
Key Points:
i.The patent will remain valid for a duration of 20 years from 2nd
February 2021(date of filing), in accordance with the provisions
of Patents Act 1970.
• The patent was officially granted on July 11.
ii.Before securing the patent, the AI-based accident prevention device was subjected to rigorous testing in the
buses of two state transport corporations – Andhra Pradesh(AP) and Telangana.
iii.The device proved suitable for use in trucks as well, signifying its potential to contribute significantly to road
safety beyond military applications.
LCA Navy Prototype NP5 Trainer Aircraft Completes Successful Maiden Flight
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Naval Trainer Prototype ‘NP5‘ successfully completed its maiden flight in
Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) Airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• LCA Navy is designed and developed jointly by
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL.
• Captain Amit Kawade of the Indian Navy and Wing
Commander Siddarth Singh (Retired) piloted the
aircraft, which was flying for 57 minutes and
displayed normal parameters during the mission.
Features of LCA Navy NP5:
i.The LCA Navy NP5 is equipped with cutting-edge technology
such as a fly-by-wire flight control system, a glass cockpit, and
modern mechanical systems.
ii.It features modern hands-free ski jump take-off and landing flight control modes.
• It can operate with Air-to-Air weapons for combat missions and also capable of operating both
during the day and night.
iii. NP5 is a production-ready version of the LCA aircraft including all the improvements identified during the
testing of NP1 and NP2.
iv.The flight testing activities of NP5 aircraft will provide designers vital inputs towards the design and
development of the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).
About Previous Prototypes:
i.The first trainer prototype NP1 was flown on 27 April 2012 and the fighter prototype NP2 was flown on
February 7, 2015.

• Both Naval Prototypes (NP1 and NP2) have achieved major landmark milestones like ski jump take-
off and arrested landing demonstrations on Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at Dabolim Airport,
Goa.
LCA Navy in Aircraft Carrier:
i.LCA Navy demonstrated 18 arrested landings and ski-jump takeoffs from Indian Navy Ship (INS)
Vikramaditya in 2020, including hot refuelling capability.
ii.It also performed 10 ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings from INS Vikrant on 2023.
• LCA Navy is the first indigenous fighter aircraft landing on the indigenous aircraft carrier, INS
Vikrant.
Note:
ski jump is an upward-curved ramp that allows the aircraft to take off from a runway that is shorter than the
aircraft’s required take-off roll.
About Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA):
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is a department of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) and the nodal agency for the design & development of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
Director General – Girish S. Deodhare
Indian Navy Successfully Undertook the Maiden Test Drop of SARK

The Indian Navy successfully undertook the maiden test drop of the Search and Rescue Kit (SARK) from the
Boeing P-8I long-range patrol aircraft on 15th August 2023(77th Independence Day of India). The Test flight
was conducted by the Indian Navy’s INS(Indian Navy Ship) Hansa-based Indian Naval Air Squadrons (INAS)
316 squadron.
• SARK is an indigenous (Made in India) kit that can be dropped from aircraft with the help of parachutes
to carry out rescue missions in the deep sea.
• It was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment(ADRDE), a unit of the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
• This will enable the Indian Navy to undertake search and rescue operations from long ranges off the
coast and strengthen India’s position as a Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR).
SPORTS
Japan Open 2023: Viktor Axelsen and An Se Young Wins Men’s & Women’s Singles Title
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and South Korea’s An Se Young won the men’s singles and Women’s singles titles
respectively of Daihatsu Japan Open 2023 Badminton Championships.
• The 40th edition of Daihatsu Japan Open 2023
Badminton Championships held from 25th-30th July
2023 at Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium,
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
• India’s Lakshya Sen was defeated by Jonatan Christie of
Indonesia in the semifinals of men’s singles.
Highlights:
i.Men’s Singles : Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen(World rank 1) won the
men’s singles title defeating Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in the
finals.
• This marks his third Badminton World Federation (BWF) title in 2023 including Malaysia open,
Indonesia open. He also won the gold medal in European Games 2023.

• This also marks his second title in the Japan open, previously he won the Japan open 2017.
ii.Women’s singles: An Se Young of South Korea became ranked 1 in the world by winning the women’s
singles title against He Bing Jiao of China in the finals.
• This marks her seventh title of 2023 including the Korea open,Singapore open, Thailand open, All
England open, Indonesia Masters, India open.
• This also marks her 11th women’s singles finals out of 12 tournaments in 2023.
iii.Men’s Doubles: Lee Yang and Wang Chi Lin of Chinese Taipei(Taiwan) won the men’s doubles title by
defeating Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
• This marks their first title won after the gold medal 2020Tokyo olympics and also the first Chinese
Taipei pair won the men’s doubles in Japan open.
iv.Women’s Doubles: Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee yong of South Korea won the women’s doubles title by
defeating China’s Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan.
• This marks their second Japan open including Japan open 2019.
v.Mixed doubles: Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino won the mixed doubles finals against
Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand.
• This marks the first Japanese mixed doubles pair to win the Japan Open.
Winners of Japan open 2023:
Championship Winner Runner
Viktor Axelsen Jonatan Christie
Men’s Singles (Denmark) (Indonesia)
An Se Young He Bing Jiao
Women’s Singles (South Korea) (China)
Lee Yang and Takuro Hoki and
Wang Chi Lin Yugo Kobayashi
Men’s Doubles (Chinese Taipei) (Japan)
Kim So Yeong and Chen Qing Chen and
Kong Hee Yong Jia Yi Fan
Women’s Doubles (South Korea) (China)
Yuta Watanabe and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and
Arisa Higashino Sapsiree Taerattanachai
Mixed Doubles (Japan) (Thailand)
About Japan Open 2023:
i.The BWF Super 750 event Japan Open 2023 was the eighteenth tournament of the 2023 BWF World Tour.
• Prize Money – USD 850,000
ii.The points earned by players will be counted for the Paris Olympic 2024 qualification.
iii.It was organised by Japan’s official Nippon Badminton Association (NBA) in association with Badminton
World Federation (BWF).
About Badminton World Federation(BWF):
President – Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
F1: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Wins 3rd 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
On 30th July 2023, Redbull’s racing driver Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgium) won the Formula 1(F1) MSC
Cruises Belgian Grand Prix 2023 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot,Belgium.
• Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (Mexican) finished 2nd and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Monacan) finished 3rd.
• This marks his 8th straight win and 10th win of the season 2023.

Record by Max Verstappen:
i.This marks Red Bull’s record of 13th straight wins.
ii.This is Verstappen’s 3rd consecutive Belgian Grand Prix win
including its 2021 and 2022 edition.
iii.This marks Verstappen’s 45th win in F1.
iv.In 2023, Max won the Spanish GP, Monaco GP, Miami GP,
Australian GP, Bahrain GP, Canadian GP, Austrian GP, British GP,
Hungarian GP and Belgian GP.
F1 2023 Belgian GP Results:
Position Driver Team Points Earned
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 25
2 Sergio Perez Red Bull 18
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 15
About Belgian Grand Prix:
i.The 7,004-metre-long Spa-Francorchamps circuit is the longest on the F1 calendar.
• First grand prix – 1950
• Number of laps – 44
• Race distance – 308.052km
Torneo del Centenario 2023 : Indian Women’s Hockey Team Wins Title , Indian Men’s Team
won Bronze
On 29th July 2023, the Indian women’s hockey team defeated the host Spain at the three-nation Torneo del
Centenario 2023 (100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation – International Tournament) by winning the
title in Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
• This was the Indian women’s team’s first win at the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation
International Tournament 2023.
• Indian women’s team was led by the goal keeper Savita Punia.
Notable players:
i.Goals from Vandana Katariya, Monika, and Udita helped the Indian Women’s Team remain unbeaten in the
tournament.
ii.Lalremsiami scored a hat-trick for India.
Note: In the women’s tournament India, Spain, and England teams played each other over two legs and India
after all matches won the trophy in the finals.
About Torneo del Centenario:
The Torneo del Centenario is being played to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Real Federacion
Espanola de Hockey – the Spanish hockey federation.
Indian Men’s Hockey team Defeats Netherlands by Securing 3rd Place
On 30th July 2023, the Indian men’s hockey team defeated the Netherlands by securing third place and the
bronze medal in the four-nation Torneo del Centenario 2023 in Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain.
• Captain Harmanpreet Singh and Dilpreet Singh scored notable goals(all goals came from penalty
corners) in India’s victory.
In the men’s event, the India, England, Netherlands,and Spain teams faced each other in a single-legged round-
robin format and the top two teams (England & Spain) faced each other in the final.
Note:
Based on the Elo rating system, in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) rankings, the Indian women’s
hockey team is currently ranked 8th while the men’s team is placed 4th.

England Bowler Stuart Broad Retires From all Forms of Cricket
The 37 year old England Cricketer Stuart Christopher John Broad announced his retirement from all forms of
Cricket on 29th July 2023 during the midway of England vs Australia’s 5th Ashes Test at The Oval stadium,
London, United Kingdom (UK).
Achievement of Stuart Broad:
i.He made his One Day International(ODI) and Twenty20
International (T20I) debuts against Pakistan in August 2006 and Test
debut in December 2007 against Sri Lanka.
ii.Played for England national team in 167 test matches with 604
wickets.
• He also played 121 ODI with 178 wickets and 56 T20I
matches with 65 wickets.
iii.He was honoured with Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) in 2016 for his services to cricket.
iv.As of now(July 2023), he is the Fifth highest wicket taker in Test history with 602 runs in 167 matches.
Moeen Ali confirms his Retirement from Test Cricket after Ashes 2023
England all-rounder Moeen Ali confirms his test cricket retirement after the end of the Ashes series and he
will play in other formats of cricket.
Backdrop:
• On the request of England Test captain BenStokes, he played the Ashes series.But he retired from
test cricket in September 2021.
About Moeen Ali:
i.He played for England in 68 test matches taking 204 wickets and scored 3094 runs.
ii.He was awarded the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in June 2023 for his services to cricket.
Australia Retains Ashes 2023
Australia cricket team retained the 5 match test series ‘Ashes 2023’ after the 2-2 draw against England.It was
held from 16th June to 31st July in the United Kingdom(UK).
• This marks Australia’s 4th consecutive win in the series.
• So far in the Ashes series, Australia won 34 Ashes and England won 33 Ashes, 5 series were drawn.
Summary of 5 test matches:
1st test: Australia Won by 2 wickets at the Edgbaston, Birmingham.
2nd test: Australia Won by 43 runs at the Lord’s, London.
3rd test: England Won by 3 wickets at the Headingley, Leeds.
4th test: Match drawn due to rain and it was held in Old Trafford, Manchester.
5th test: England won by 49 runs at the Oval, London.
Award Winner:
i.England Player of the Series – Chris Woakes
ii.Australia Player of the Series- MItchell Starc
iii.England’s Men’s Player of the Summer: Joe Root
Italy’s World Cup Winning Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon Retires from Football
On 2nd August 2023, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon(45 years old) announced his retirement from
football. He was part of the Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) World Cup winning Italian
team in 2006 in Germany (against France).
• He retired from international football in 2018 after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World
Cup in Russia.
About Gianluigi Buffon:
i.He was born on 28th January 1978 in Carrara, Italy.

ii.He made his professional debut with Serie B club Parma Calcio 1913(Serie B is the second highest division
of Football in Italy) at the age of 17 in 1995.
• He won Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup and Italian Supercoppa
with Parma.
iii.In 2001, he joined Italy’s Juventus Football club and won the 10
‘Serie A’ titles and a Serie B title.
iv.He moved to Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain F.C in 2018 and
won his only Ligue 1 title.
v.He holds the record of most caps for Italy with 176 appearances in
international matches.
Achievements:
i.He was awarded the FIFA’s best men’s Goalkeeper award in 2017.He earned nicknames including
‘superman’ and ‘Gigi’.
ii.He was also the first ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award in 2016.
iii.He was part of the FIFPro World11 three times(2006,2007,2017).
• The FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11 is comprised of the best 11 men’s players from around the globe.
• FIFPRO is the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs
Professionnels(International Federation of Professional Footballers).
SMSES Signed An MoU With AIFF To Promote Football

On 2nd August 2023, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society (SMSES) to promote and elevate youth football in India
at a formal function in Air Force Station in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal Alok Sharma, VM VSM, ACAS (Org & Cer) as a member,
SMSES and Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran, Secretary General, AIFF.
• The Air Force Sports Control Board conducts the tournament from 1994, priorly it was done by
Durand football tournament committee
Note: The Subroto Cup International Football Tournament is an inter-school football tournament held annually
in New Delhi, India from 1960.
Key points:
i.Under the MoU, SMSES will field a Subroto XI team in the AIFF’s youth competitions, comprising players from
various age categories of the Subroto Cup.
ii.The selected players will gain direct entry into the AIFF Youth Leagues for both boys and girls from the 2023-
24 season onwards and a one-time cash scholarship of Rs 25,000/- will be awarded to each of the 25 identified
players in the U-17 Boys and Girls categories, while the Sub-Junior (U-14) category players will receive Rs
15,000/- each.
iii.These players will also be assessed using an IT-assisted Talent Development Scheme and may have the
opportunity to attend National Team training camps in their respective age categories.
iv.The AIFF will encourage Indian Super League(ISL), I-League, and Indian Women’s League (IWL) clubs to
send their scouts to the Subroto Cup matches. It will assist SMSES in the age detection of players using the TW3
method.
England’s T20 World Cup 2022 Winner Alex Hales Retires From International Cricket
England’s Twenty20 International(T20I) World Cup 2022 winner Alexander Daniel Hales (Right-Handed
Batsman) announced his retirement from international cricket on 4th August 2023. However he continues to
play in domestic and franchise cricket.
• Hales scored an unbeaten 86 runs, which lead England to win over India in the T20I World Cup2022
semi-finals in Australia.

About Alex Hales:
i.The right hand batter was born on 3rd January 1989 at Hillingdon,
United Kingdom (UK).
ii.Debut:He made his debut in a T20I match against India in
Manchester(UK) in August 2011.
• He made his ODI debut against India in 2014, also played
his last ODI against West Indies in 2019.
• Also made his test debut against South Africa in 2015 and
played last test in 2016 against Pakistan.
iii.Career:Hales represented England for 156 matches across all
formats (T20I, ODI & Tests) and scored 5066 Runs.
• He played 75 T20Is and scored 2074 runs with a century and 12 half-centuries.
• He also played 70 One Day Internationals(ODI), and scored 2419 runs with 6 centuries and 14 half-
centuries.
• He scored 573 runs in 11 test matches with 5 half-centuries.
iv.Records:He was the second highest individual ODI scorer for England by scoring 171 runs against Pakistan
at Nottingham, UK in 2016.
World Archery Championships 2023: India won Gold for the 1st time & Topped Medal Tally
with 4 medals
India topped the medal tally with 4 medals(3 gold and 1 bronze) at the 52nd edition of the Hyundai World
Archery Championships 2023, held in the Berlin Olympic Park in Berlin, Germany from 31st July to 6th
August 2023.
• India won the gold medal for the first time since its 1st
edition that held in 1931.
• South Korea secured 2nd position in the medal tally with
3 medals(2 gold and 1 bronze) followed by
Germany,Poland and Türkiye in 3rd position each with 2
medals (1 gold and 1 silver).
• This event marks the first major qualifier event in
archery for the 2024 Paris Olympic.
Indian Medal Winners:
Archer Event Medal
Aditi Gopichand Swami women’s individual compound Gold
Ojas Pravin Deotale men’s individual compound Gold
Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur and Aditi Gopichand Swami women’s compound team Gold
Jyothi Surekha Vennam women’s individual compound Bronze
India’s first-ever gold medal in World Archery Championships:
i.The Indian women’s compound team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur won the gold
medal beating Mexico in the final.
• This marks India’s first-ever gold medal in the World Archery Championships.
ii.Jyothi Surekha Vennam also won the bronze medal at the women’s individual compound event defeating Ipek
Tomruk of Türkiye.
Aditi Gopichand Swami -Youngest world champion:
i.Aditi Gopichand Swami(aged 17) became the world champion by winning the gold medal in the women’s
compound event defeating Andrea Becerra of Mexico.
ii.She also became the youngest archer to win an individual event at the senior world championships.

iii.Previously She won the Under-18 compound world title at the Youth World Championships in Limerick,
Ireland in July 2023.
Ojas Pravin Deotale – World champion in men’s compound:
i.Ojas Pravin Deotale(aged 21)won the gold medal(world champion) in the men’s individual compound event
defeating Lukasz Przybylski of Poland.
In the semi-finals,Ojas(world rank 9 in compound men) defeated Mike Schloesser(World rank 1) of the
Netherlands.
ii.He became the first Indian male archer to win a gold medal at the world championships.
Note:
Previously,India won a total of 3 silver medals at the World Archery Championships 2021 in Yankton, South
Dakota, The United States of America(USA).
Medal Tally:
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 India 3 0 1 4
2 Republic of Korea(South Korea) 2 0 1 3
Germany
Poland
3 Türkiye 1 1 0 2
About World Archery championship:
i.The World Archery Championships are a series of competitions in Archery organised by the World Archery
Federation (WA).
ii.The biennial event was organized for the first time in the year 1931.
iii.India made its debut in the World Archery Championship in 1981, Italy.
• Upto 2021 edition, India had won a total of 11 medals(9 silver and 2 bronze)
About World Archery Federation:
President– Ugur Erdener
Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland
Australian Badminton Open 2023: HS Prannoy Wins Silver Medal in Men’s Singles Finals
India’s Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar settled to silver medal in the men’s singles after losing the finals
against China’s Weng Hong Yang at the Sathio Group Australian Open 2023(Australian Open 2023) held at the
state sports centre in Sydney, Australia from 1st to 6th August 2023.
• HSBC Badminton World Federation(BWF) Australian Open
2023 is the World Tour Super 500 tournament.
Highlights:
i.Men’s Singles: China’s Weng Hong Yang won the men’s singles title
defeating India’s HS Prannoy.
• HS Prannoy defeated Priyanshu Rajawat (India) in semi-
finals to enter 2023 Australian Open finals .
• Previously, Prannoy defeated Weng Hong Yang in the finals
of Malaysia Masters Super 500 in May 2023 to win his first
BWF World Tour title.
i.Women’s singles:Chinese born American Beiwen Zhang won the women’s singles title by defeating Kim Ga
Eun of South Korea.
• She won her previous BWF title at the 2018 India Open against PV Sindhu.

ii.Men’s Doubles:South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae won the men’s doubles by defeating
Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi of Japan.
• This marks their second BWF title in 2023 after the Malaysia masters.
iii.Women’s Doubles:South Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong won the women’s doubles title by
defeating Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China.
• This was their 4th title in 2023 including All England Open, Thailand Open, Japan Open, Australian
open.
iv.Mixed Doubles:China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping won the mixed doubles by defeating Hiroki
Midorikawa and Natsu Saito of Japan.
• This marks their 5th title in 2023 including Indonesian Masters, Thailand Masters, German Open,
Korea Open, and Australian Open.
Winners of Australian Badminton Open 2023:
Weng Hong Yang HS Prannoy
Men’s Singles (China) (India)
Beiwen Zhang Kim Ga Eun
Women’s Singles (United States of America) (South Korea)
Kang Min Hyuk and Takuro Hoki and
Seo Seung Jae Yugo Kobayashi
Men’s Doubles (South Korea) (Japan)
Kim So Yeong and Liu Sheng Shu and
Kong Hee Yong Tan Ning
Women’s Doubles (South Korea) (China)
Feng Yan Zhe and Hiroki Midorikawa and
Huang Dong Ping Natsu Saito
Mixed Doubles (China) (Japan)
About Australian Open 2023:
i.The 33rd edition 2023 Australian Open was the 19th tournament in the 2023 BWF World Tour calendar and
the 6th Super 500 event of the season.
• Prize Money – USD 420,000
ii.The event was organised by Badminton Australia with sanctions from BWF.
About Badminton World Federation(BWF):
Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023: India Wins 42 Medals; 15 in Junior
and 27 in youth Events
The Indian Weightlifting contingent won 42 medals(15 in Junior events and 27 in youth events) in the Asian
Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 held from 28th July to 5th August 2023 in the Gautam
Buddha University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• In the Asian Youth(Boys & Girls) and Junior (Men & Women) competition, medals were given out for
the snatch, clean & jerk, and overall categories and India won 14 medals in the clean & jerk; 13
medals in the snatch;15 in the overall category.
• The Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 is held in India for the first time.

Highlights:
i.The 220 athletes from 18 Asian nations participated in both
Youth and junior categories of the 2023 Asian Youth and
Junior Weightlifting Championships.
ii.Sabar Jyoshna from Uttar Pradesh won the first medal for India
for this tournament, She won 3 bronze medals in the women’s
youth 40kg category(overall, snatch, clean and jerk).
iii.Siddhanta Gogoi won India’s first gold medal in this tournament
in the men’s junior 61 kg category including 3 gold medals in
Overall, Snatch, clean and jerk.
Awards:
• Best Lifter Youth Girls – Rustamova Anamjan from Turkmenistan with 904.4261 Points
• Best Lifter Youth Boys – Delos Santos Prince Keil from Philippines with 844.0010 Points
• Best Lifter Junior Women – Chen Guan- Ling from Chinese Taipei with 603.6453 Points
• Best Lifter Junior Men – Do Tu Tung from Vietnam with 664.8068 Points
• Best Team Youth Girls – India
• Runner up Team Youth Girls – Uzbekistan
• Best Team Youth Boys – Islamic Republic of Iran
• Runner up Team Youth Boys – Uzbekistan
• Best Team Junior Women – Uzbekistan
• Runner up Team Junior Women – India
• Best Team Junior Men – Uzbekistan
• Runner up Team Junior Men – Islamic Republic of Iran
Indian medal winners – Junior Category:
Weightlifter Category Medal Event
Silver Overall
Silver Snatch
Mukund Santosh Aher
(3 medals) men’s 55kg Bronze Clean And Jerk
Silver Overall
Silver Snatch
Gyaneshwari Yadav
(3 medals) women’s 49kg Silver Clean And Jerk
Gold Overall
Gold Snatch
Siddhanta Gogoi
(3 medals) men’s 61kg Gold Clean And Jerk
Sankar Lapung men’s 61kg Bronze Overall
Silver Overall
Gold Snatch
Sanapathi Pallav
Sanjana women’s 76kg Silver Clean And Jerk
Anjana Sreejith women’s 108kg Bronze Clean And Jerk
Indian Medal Winners- Youth Category:
Weightlifter Event Medal Category
women’s 40kg Bronze Overall

Sabar Jyoshna Bronze Snatch
(3 medals) Bronze Clean And Jerk
Sanapathi Guru Naidu Silver Overall

(2 medals) men’s 55kg Silver Snatch
Bronze Overall
M Tomchou Meetei
Bronze Snatch
(3 medals) men’s 55kg Bronze Clean And Jerk
Silver Overall
Koyel Bar Silver Snatch

Gold Overall
Gold Snatch
Bedabrate Bharali
(3 medals) men’s 67kg Silver Clean And Jerk
Bronze Overall
Bellana Harika
(2 medals) women’s 59kg Gold Clean And Jerk
Overall
Silver Snatch
Krishna Venkata Silver Snatch

(3 medals) men’s 73kg Silver Clean And Jerk
Silver Overall
Sanjana Silver Snatch

(3 medals) women’s 76kg Gold Clean And Jerk
Kapil Sonowal Bronze Overall

(2 medals) men’s 102kg Bronze Snatch
Silver Overall
M Martina Devi Silver Snatch

About Asian Weightlifting Federation(AWF):
President – Mohamed Yousef Al Mana
Headquarters – Doha, Qatar
FISU World University Games 2023: India finishes with 26 Medals

India finished 7th with 26 medals (11 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze) at 31st edition of the Fédération
Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World University Games 2023 held in Chengdu, Sichuan
province, China, from 28th July to 8th August 2023.
• China finished 1st in the medal tally with 178 medals(103 gold, 40silver and 35bronze).
• FISU World University Games, formerly known as ‘Universiade’ was organised by International
University Sports Federation.

FISU World University Games 2023 medals tally :
1 China 103 40 35 178
2 Japan 21 29 43 93
3 Republic of Korea 17 18 23 58
7 India 11 5 10 26
Highlights:
i.Rifle shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar won 4
medals including gold medals in Men’s 10m air rifle, Men’s 50m
rifle 3P, and Men’s 10m air rifle team along with Arjun Babuta and
Divyansh Singh Panwar.
• He also won a bronze medal in Men’s 50m rifle 3P team
along with Sartaj Singh Tiwana and Surya Pratap Singh.
ii.The 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Manu Bhaker won
two gold medals in the Women’s 10m air pistol and in the
Women’s 10m air pistol team along with Abhidnya Ashok Patil and
Yashaswini Singh Deswal.
iii.Aman Saini and Pragati won the gold medal in the Archery mixed compound team event.
• Aman Saini also won the bronze in the men’s compound and Men’s compound team along with
Rishab Yadav and Sangampreet Singh Bisla.
iv.National Record: Jyothi Yarraji won the bronze medal in the women’s 100m hurdles and set a new
national record with a timing of 12.78 seconds in the women’s-only 100m hurdles.
v.Yamini Mourya won the bronze medal in Judo in women’s 57kg.
• This marks India’s first-ever judo medal at the World University Games.
Athlete Sport Event Medal

Men’s 50m rifle 3P Gold
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar Shooting Men’s 10m air rifle Gold
Manu Bhaker Shooting Women’s 10m air pistol Gold
Sift Kaur Samra Shooting Women’s 50m rifle 3P Gold
Elavenil Valarivan Shooting Women’s 10m air rifle Gold
Manu Bhaker, Abhidnya Ashok Patil and Yashaswini Singh Women’s 10m air pistol
Deswal Shooting team Gold

Arjun Babuta, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Divyansh
Singh Panwar Shooting Men’s 10m air rifle team Gold
Ashi Chouksey, Manini Kaushik and Sift Kaur Samra Shooting Women’s 50m rifle 3P team Gold
Aman Saini and Pragati Archery Mixed compound team Gold
Avneet Kaur Archery Women’s compound Gold
Sangampreet Singh Bisla Archery Men’s compound Gold
Avneet Kaur, Purvasha and Pragati Archery Women’s compound team Silver
Men’s 25m pistol rapid-fire
Vijayveer Sidhu, Udhayveer Sidhu and Adarsh Singh Shooting team Silver
Divyansh Singh Panwar Shooting Men’s 10m air rifle Silver
Elavenil Valarivan and Divyansh Singh Panwar Shooting Mixed 10m air rifle team Silver
Ashi Chouksey Shooting Women’s 50m rifle 3P Silver
Aman Saini , Rishab Yadav and Sangampreet Singh Bisla Archery Men’s compound team Bronze
Reeta Sawaiyan, Sangeeta and Tanisha Verma Archery Women’s recurve team Bronze
Aman Saini Archery Men’s compound Bronze
Sartaj Singh Tiwana, Surya Pratap Singh and Aishwary Pratap
Singh Tomar Shooting Men’s 50m rifle 3P team Bronze
Varun Tomar, Arjun Singh Cheema and Anmol Jain Shooting Men’s 10m air pistol team Bronze
Yamini Mourya Judo Women’s 57kg Bronze
Bhavani Yadav Athletics Women’s long jump Bronze
Jyothi Yarraji Athletics Women’s 100m hurdles Bronze
Amlan Borgohain Athletics Men’s 200m Bronze
Priyanka Goswami, Mansi Negi, Nikita Lamba and Pooja Women’s 20km race walk
Kumawat Athletics team Bronze
About FISU World University Games 2023:
i.The FISU World University Games 2023 featured a total of 269 medal events across 18 different sports.
ii.Around 230 Indian athletes participated and competed in 11 sports – archery, athletics, badminton, fencing,
judo, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.
• The Wushu team was also expected to compete but was withdrawn later due to the stapled visas
issued by the Chinese authorities to the players from India’s Arunachal Pradesh.
Note:
The 2023 edition of the Games was originally scheduled to take place from August 16 to 27, 2021. Due to Covid-
19 and the clash of dates with the Tokyo Olympics, it was postponed to 2022 and further to 2023 due to the
pandemic.
The Chengdu 2021 Games has replaced the 2023 Games that was to place in Yekaterinburg(Russia), who were
stripped of the hosting rights after Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Next Edition:
i.The 32nd FISU World University Games 2025 is set to be held in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany from 16th July to 27th
July 2025.
ii.The 2025 FISU World University Games winter is set to be held in Torino, Italy from 13th to 23rd January
2025.
• The 2023 FISU World University Games Winter held in Lake Placid, New York, United States of
America(USA) from 12th to 22nd January 2023.

India’s Previous Performance in FISU:
The 2023 Chengdu FISU World University Games is the best performance for India so far.
i.FISU World University Games is a biennial multi-sport event and India has been participating since the
inaugural edition at Turin, Italy in 1959.
ii.Previously, India gave its best in Gwangju,South Korea in 2015, where Indian athletes won 5 medals – 1 gold,
1 silver, and 3 bronze.
iii.India won 4 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze) at the 30th edition held in Naples, Italy.
About Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire(FISU):
Acting President – Leonz Eder
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland
Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023: Indian Men’s Hockey Team won by Defeating Malaysia
The 7th edition of the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 held from 3rd to 12th August 2023 in the Mayor
Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.The Indian Men’s hockey team clinched the Hero Asian
Champions Trophy 2023 Title by defeating Malaysia (4-3) in the finals held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Malaysia
secured the Silver Medal in the tournament.
• This victory marks India’s 4th win in the tournament
including 2011,2016,2018,2023 and becomes the
Successful team in the tournament surpassing
Pakistan(2012,2013,2018).
• Japan’s men’s hockey team defeated South Korea to
secure the Bronze Medal (3rd place).
Note: India and Pakistan shared the 2018 Title due to rain
affecting the final.
Awards of the Final Match:
• HERO of the Match- Hardik Singh (India)
• young player of the match – Selvam Karthi (India)
Points Table:
Position Team
1 India(Gold)
2 Malaysia(Silver)
3 Japan(Bronze)
4 South Korea
5 Pakistan
6 China
Awards of the Tournament:
• Hero of the Tournament: Mandeep Singh (India)
• Hero Top Scorer: Harmanpreet Singh (India)- (9 Goals)
• Dafa News Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Kim Jaehyeon (South Korea)
• Best Rising Goalkeeper Award: Takumi Kitagawa (Japan)
• Emerging Player Award: Abdul Shahid (Pakistan)

• Maximum Team Goals Award: Team India(29 Goals)
• Fan Choice Award for Best Goal: Selvam Karthi(India)
About Asian Champions Trophy 2023:
i.India hosted the event for the first time since its first edition held in 2011 in Ordos China.
• It was hosted and organised by Hockey India with an allocation of the Asian Hockey
Federation(AHF).
ii.The event witnessed the participation of six teams including India, Malaysia,Japan, South Korea, Pakistan and
China.
iii.The Indian men’s hockey team moved to 3rd position from 4th in Fédération Internationale de Hockey(FIH)
ranking following the title winner of the tournament.
• India followed the Netherlands in 1st place and Belgium in 2nd place in the FIH ranking.
Mascot: The Elephant named “Bomman” was inspired by the Oscar-winning documentary film ‘The Elephant
Whisperers, which shows how the mahout Bomman, along with his wife Bellie, took care of the orphaned baby
elephant Raghu.
Winners of previous edition Asian Champions Trophy:
Edition/Year Host Winner Runner
1st/2011 China(Ordos) India Pakistan
2nd/2012 Qatar(Doha) Pakistan India
3rd/2013 Japan(Kakamigahara) Pakistan Japan
4th/2016 Malaysia(Kuantan) India Pakistan
India &
5th/2018 Oman(Muscat)
Pakistan
South
6th/2021 Bangladesh(Dhaka) Japan
Korea
7th/2023 India(Chennai) India Malaysia

About Asian Hockey Federation(AHF):
President – Fumio Ogura
Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
Established -1958
Pakistan Fast Bowler Wahab Riaz Retires From International Cricket

Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket across all formats. He
continues to play in franchise cricket.
• He has been serving as the caretaker Sports Minister of the Punjab province in Pakistan since
January 2023.
Career:
i.Wahab Riaz made his international debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2008.
• He also made his T20I debut against Bangladesh at Karachi, Pakistan in 2008.
• In 2010, he made his Test debut at the Oval, London in the United Kingdom.
ii.He has 83 wickets in 27 tests, 120 wickets in 91 one-day internationals (ODIs)and 34 wickets in 36 Twenty20
Internationals (T20Is).

• He played his last international match against New Zealand
in 2020 in a T20I at Hamilton, New Zealand.
iii.He was part of the Pakistan team in the International Cricket Council
(ICC) Men’s World Cup (ODI) in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
• He was also the leading wicket taker for Pakistan in 2015
World Cup with 17 wickets.
iv.At present, he is playing Caribbean Premier League (CPL),
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), and
County cricket in England.
Highlights:India Tour of West Indies and United States of America

Indian Men’s Cricket team toured West Indies and United States of America for 2-Test matches, 3-One-Day
Internationals(ODI) and 5-Twenty 20 Internationals(T20I) against the West Indies cricket team from 12th July
to 13th August 2023.
• Two T20I matches were played in Central Broward
Regional Park Stadium, Lauderhill in Florida, United States
of America(USA).
India Won the Test series 1-0
i.India won the two-match Test series against West Indies 1-0 after
the rain drew the second Test at the Queen Park Oval, Port of Spain in
Trinidad.
• India won the first test by an innings and 141 runs held in
Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica.
ii.This was India’s ninth consecutive Test series win against the West Indies.
• India went unbeaten against the West Indies for the 25th consecutive match with a draw in the
second Test .
• The last time, the West Indies won the test series against India in 2002 in the West Indies.
iii.India (Positioned 2nd) bagged 12 points in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle from this
test series.
India Won ODI series 2-1 against West Indies
i.India won the 1st ODI by 5 wickets against West Indies held on 27th July inthe Kensington Oval in Bridgetown,
Barbados.
ii.West Indies won the 2nd ODI by 6 wickets against India held on 29th July 2023 in the Kensington Oval in
Bridgetown, Barbados.
iii.India won the 3rd ODI by 200 runs held on 1st August 2023 in Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.
• Player of the Series(ODI) – Ishan Kishan (India)
West Indies Won T20I series 3-2 against India
i.West Indies defeated India by 8 wickets in the 5th and final T20I held on 13th August in Lauderhill in Florida,

ii.India won by 9 wickets in the 4th T20I against West Indies held on 12th August 2023 in Lauderhill in Florida,
iii.India won the 3rd T20I by 7 wickets held on 8th August 2023 in Providence Stadium, Guyana
iv.West Indies won the 2nd T20I by 2 wickets held on 6th August in Providence Stadium, Guyana
v.West Indies won the 1st T20I by 4 runs held on 3rd August 2023 in Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad
• This loss marked the end of a six-year streak where India had not lost a T20I series to the West
Indies, since 2017.
• Player of the series: Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
Achievements by Indian Players:
Ravichandran Ashwin becomes the 1st Indian bowler to dismiss father and son in Tests:
i.On 1st July 2023, Indian Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin achieved the feat of becoming the 1st Indian
bowler to dismiss father and son in Tests when took the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of former great
batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
• He first dismissed Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his test debut in 2011 in New Delhi.
iii.He was also the 5th bowler to dismiss a father-son duo in international cricket.
iv.The other four bowlers were Mitchell Starc(Australia), Ian Botham(England), Wasim Akram(Pakistan)
and Simon Harmer(South Africa).
Ravichandran Ashwin becomes 3rd Indian to secure 700 Wickets
Ashwin becomes 3rd Indian to secure 700 Wickets in the international matches after Anil Kumble (956) and
Harbhajan Singh (711).
• He achieved this milestone when he took the wicket of Alzarri Joseph in the first test against West
Indies.
Virat Kohli surpassed Jacques Kallis to become the fifth-leading scorer in International cricket
Virat Kohli surpassed South Africa’s Jacques Kallis( 25,534 runs in 519 matches)to become the fifth-leading
scorer in International cricket during the 2nd test match against West Indies.
• Kohli scored 25,548 runs in 500 matches across formats at an average of 53.67, with 75 centuries
and 132 half-centuries.
• Virat Kohli became only the 10th cricketer to make 500 international appearances during second
and final Test match against West Indies.
• Virat is only behind Sachin Tendulkar (34357 runs), Kumar Sangakkara (28016 runs), Ricky Ponting
(27483 runs), and Mahela Jayawardene (25957 runs).
India becomes the fastest team to score 100 in test history:During the 2nd test match against West Indies,
India reached 100 runs in 12.2 overs with the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal,
which is the fastest ever 100runs a team has ever taken in a test match.
• They beat Sri Lanka’s 22 year old record (13.2 overs) set in 2001 against Bangladesh.
Ravindra Jadeja:
Ravindra Jadeja equals Courtney Walsh’s record to become Joint-Highest Wicket-Taker in India-West Indies
ODIs.
• Jadeja took 44 wickets in 30 matches, while Courtney Walsh took 44 wickets in 38 matches.
Debutant Indian Player in this series:
i.Yashasvi Jaiswal made his international test debut for india against West Indies and also won the player of
the match.
• He became the 17th Indian Test debutant to score a century in the test debut.
• He also made his T20I debut in the 3rd match against West Indies.
ii.Mukesh Kumar made his debut in all three formats including test, ODI, T20I in the West Indies tour.
• Bowler Mukesh Kumar from West Bengal becomes the 2nd Indian after T Natarajan to make
international debut in all the three formats on the same tour.
iii.Tilak Varma made his international debut in the T20I in the West Indies series.
• He played all 5 T20I matches.

iv.Ishan Kishan also made his test debut in the 1st test match against West Indies.
About the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI):
President – Roger Binny
Head Quarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Spain Defeated England to win their 1st Women’s World Cup
Spain Women’s football team (nicknamed La Roja) won the Fédération Internationale de football
Association(FIFA) Women’s World Cup 2023 by defeating England 1-0 in the finals at Stadium Australia in
Sydney, Australia on 20th August 2023.
• This marks Spain’s 1st title at the senior level and they won 1st Under-20 FIFA World Cup in 2022
and two U-17 FIFA World Cup in 2018 & 2022.
Medal Winners of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup:
Country Medal
Spain Gold
England Silver
Sweden Bronze
Bronze Medal Match:
Sweden won their 4th bronze medal by defeating Australia 2-0 for
the 3rd place match held in Brisbane, Australia.
• Previously, they won the bronze medal by defeating
Germany in 1991, France in 2011, and England in 2019,
and they were also runners-up (silver) in 2003.
Highlights:
i.England’s Mary Earps was awarded the Golden Glove following
her incredible campaign, including key saves in the final against
Spain.
ii.Hinata Miyazawa (Japan) was awarded the Golden Boot award
with a total of five goals.
• The last time a Japanese player won the Golden Boot award was at the 2011 Women’s World Cup
when Sawa Homare managed five goals.
iii.The 19-year-old Salma Paralluelo picked up the Young Player of the Tournament award after her
incredible debut campaign with Spain.
iv.Spain and Germany become the only two countries to win both men’s and women’s World Cup titles.
• Spain’s men won the title at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
• Germany’s men are four-time World Cup champions, winning in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014.
Germany’s women’s team won in 2003 and 2007.
FIFA Women’s World Cup awards:
• adidas Golden Ball Award – Aitana Bonmati (Spain)
• adidas Silver Ball Award – Jennifer Hermoso (Spain)
• adidas Bronze Ball Award – Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden)
• adidas Golden Boot Award – Hinata Miyazawa (Japan)
• adidas Silver Boot Award – Kadidiatou Diani (France)
• adidas Bronze Boot Award – Alexandra Popp (Germany)
• adidas Golden Glove Award – Mary Earps (England)

• FIFA Best Young Player Award – Salma Paralluelo (Spain)
• FIFA Fair Play Award presented by McDonald’s – Japan
• Visa Player of the Match (Finals) : Olga Carmona (Spain)
About FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023:
i.The 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup was co-hosted for the first time by Australia and New
Zealand from 20th July to 20th August 2023.
• 32 teams participated in this edition.
ii.Mascot: ‘Tazuni’, a fun football-loving penguin named as the mascot of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
• The name Tazuni™ is a fusion of her home – the Tasman Sea – and ‘unity’, a key value of the event to
be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
iii.Spain becomes the fifth nation to win the Women’s World Cup after the United States of America(USA),
Germany, Norway and Japan.
• The first edition of the quadrennial tournament was held in 1991 in China.
iv.Prize Money:
• Total Prize Money of the tournament – USD 110million
• Winner – USD 4,290,000
• Runners-up – USD 3,015,000
• Third place – USD 2,610,000
List of FIFA Women’s World Cup Winners:
Winner Runner Year
United States of America(USA) Norway 1991
Norway Germany 1995
United States of America(USA) China 1999
Germany Sweden 2003
Germany Brazil 2007
Japan United States of America(USA) 2011
United States of America(USA) Japan 2015
United States of America(USA) The Netherlands 2019
Spain England 2023

About Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA):
President – Gianni Vincenzo Infantino
Headquarters– Zürich, Switzerland
India Wins 14 medals in World Under-20 Wrestling Championships 2023

India wrestlers won a total of 14 medals(4 golds, 3 silver and 7 bronze) in the World Under-20 Wrestling
Championships 2023 held in Amman, Jordan from 14th to 20th August 2023 .
• India also claimed its first women’s team title at the World Under-20 Wrestling Championships
2023 with seven medals(3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze).

Highlights:
i.The 19-year-old Antim Panghal from Haryana won the gold in
Women’s 53kg event defeating Mariia Yefremova of Ukraine .
• She is the first Indian woman to become an Under-
20 (U-20) wrestling world champion in Sofia, Bulgaria
in 2022.
• She became the first Indian woman wrestler to win
two U-20 world championships.
ii.Priya Malik won the gold in women’s 76kg category by
defeating Laura Celine Kuehn of Germany.
• She became the second Indian woman to win the U-20
world championship.
iii.Mohit Kumar became the U-20 world champion in the 61kg freestyle category (Men’s) by defeating Eldar
Akhmadudinov of Russia
ii.Savita Dalal won the gold in the Women’s 62kg category against Venezuela’s Astrid Paola Montero Chirinos.
• She had also won the under-17 World crown in Istanbul, Turkey in 2023.
v.Indian Men’s team ranked 3rd in Freestyle category, Iran stood 1st.
Note:
India bagged 16 medals(1 gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze) in the previous edition held in 2022.
Wrestler Category Medal
Mohit Kumar Men’s freestyle 61kg Gold
Priya Malik Women’s 76kg Gold
Antim Panghal Women’s 53kg Gold
Savita Dalal Women’s 62kg Gold
Sagar Jaglan Men’s freestyle 79kg Silver
Antim Women’s 65kg Silver
Sumit Men’s Greco Roman 60kg Silver
Jaideep Men’s freestyle 74kg Bronze
Deepak Chahal Men’s freestyle 97kg Bronze
Rajat Ruhal Men’s freestyle 125kg Bronze
Arju Women’s 68kg Bronze
Reena Women’s 57kg Bronze
Harshita Mor Women’s 72kg Bronze
Deepak Punia Men’s Greco Roman 77kg Bronze
About World Under-20 Wrestling Championships 2023:
i.The 46th edition of the junior wrestling championships witnessed the participation of 30 Indian westlers in
the Men’s freestyle, Women’s freestyle and Men’s Greco-Roman.
ii.A Total of 57 countries participated in this competition.
About United World Wrestling (UWW):
President – Nenad Lalović
Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland

FIDE World Chess Cup 2023: Magnus Carlsen Wins First Chess World Cup Title
Defeating Praggnanandhaa
Norwegian Grandmaster (GM) and World No. 1 player Magnus Carlsen won his first International Chess
Federation (FIDE) World Cup title by defeating India’s GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in the FIDE Chess
World Cup 2023 finals.
• The 10th edition of the FIDE Chess World Cup 2023 was held from 29th July to 24th August 2023
in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Fabiano Caruana of the United States of America(USA) defeated Nijat Asabov of Azerbaijan to secure
the 3rd place.
Highlights:
i.Carlsen defeated Praggnanandhaa in the tie-breaker after the two
classical games ended in a stalemate.
ii.Praggnanandhaa becomes the first Indian since Viswanathan
Anand to reach the Chess World Cup final in 2002.
iii.Praggnanandhaa’s performance in the World Cup earned him a
spot in the 2024 FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto,
Canada.
• Praggnanandhaa (18-year-old) is the third-youngest player
to qualify for this event after Carlsen and GM Bobby Fischer.
iv.This was the first time four Indians qualified for the quarterfinals including Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Santosh
Gujrathi, D. Gukesh, and Arjun Erigaisi.
Medal Winners:
Player Medal
Magnus Carlsen(Norway) Gold medal and Trophy
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa(India) Silver medal
Fabiano Caruana(USA) Bronze medal

Prize Money:
• Winner – USD 110,000
• Runner – USD 80,000
• Third Place – USD 60,000
About Praggnanandhaa:
i.He was born on 10th August 2005 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
ii.Praggnanandhaa became the youngest (10 years, 10 months, and 19
days) international master(IM) in 2016.
iii.R Praggnanandhaa Created History by becoming the 2nd youngest
chess GrandMaster at 12 Years 10 months and 13 days in 2018 Gredine
Open in Ortisei, Italy.
iv.He was the youngest player to defeat then-world champion Magnus
Carlsen in a rapid game at the Airthings Masters Rapid Chess
Tournament in February 2022.
• He won the Asian Continental Chess Championship in 2022.

Winners of previous editions:
Edition Player
2021 Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland)
2019 Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan)
2017 Levon Aronian (USA/Armenia)
2015 Sergey Karjakin(Russia)
2013 Vladimir Kramnik(Russia)
2011 Peter Svidler (Russia)
2009 Boris Gelfand (Israel)
2007 Gata Kamsky (USA)
2005 Levon Aronian (USA/Armenia)

FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023:
Alongside FIDE World Cup 2023, the 2nd edition of the Women’s only version of the Women’s World Cup
2023 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 29th July to 22nd August 2023.
i.Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia won the 2023 FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup title by
defeating Nurgyul Salimova of Bulgaria in the finals.
• Aleksandra Goryachkina was also the runner-up in the 2021 FIDE World Cup.
ii.Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine won the Bronze by defeating former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi of
China in the third-place match.
Prize Money- Women’s World Cup:
Winner – USD 50,000
Runner – USD 35,000
Third Place – USD 25,000
FIDE Ban transgender players to participate in the women’s events
i.FIDE banned transgender women from competing in its official women’s competitions while it performs a
“thorough analysis” of the situation, which could take up to two years.
• The ban came into effect from 21st August 2023.
About Federation Internationale des Echecs/International Chess Federation (FIDE):
President – Arkady Dvorkovich
United World Wrestling suspends WFI’s membership

United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling,
has indefinitely suspended the membership of the Wrestling Federation of India(WFI), the governing body
of wrestling in India with immediate effect due to lack of elections in the organisation.
• The elections of WFI were supposed to be held in May 2023 but they were postponed due to a series of
protests by Indian wrestlers and legal petitions from various state units.

• Following this, Indian wrestlers will not be competing in the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in
Belgrade, Serbia under the Indian flag but instead, they will have to participate as ‘neutral athletes’. If
an Indian athlete makes it to the winner’s podium, the national anthem will not be played.
• The Indian athletes will compete in the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China under the Indian flag
since the entries were sent by the Indian Olympic Association(IOA).
Note: Previously, UWW had announced that the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023, which were scheduled
to be held in New Delhi(Delhi) were relocated to Astana, Kazakhstan.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Wins Men’s Singles Title at the BWF World Championships 2023
Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand and An Se-young of South Korea won the men’s singles and Women’s singles
titles respectively in the Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Championships 2023.
• The TotalEnergies Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Championships 2023 held in Royal
Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark from 21st to 27th August 2023.
• India’s HS Prannoy won the bronze medal in the men’s singles at the BWF World Championships
2023.
Highlights:
i.Men’s Singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand won the men’s singles title by defeating Naraoka Kodai of
Japan.
• It marks Thailand’s first men’s singles title at the BWF World Championships.
• The final match lasted about 109 minutes marking the the second-longest World Championship
men’s singles final after the 124-minute match between China’s Sun Jun and Denmark’s Peter
Rasmussen in the inaugural World Championships in 1977.
ii.Women’s Singles: An Se-young of South Korea won the women’s
singles title by defeating the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medalist Carolina
Marin of Spain.
• It marks South Korea’s first women’s singles title at the
BWF World Championships.
iii.Men’s Doubles: South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung
Jae won the men’s doubles title by defeating Kim Astrup and Anders
Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark.
iv.Women’s Doubles: China’s Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan won
the women’s doubles title by defeating Apriyani Rahayu and Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia.
• This marks their fourth BWF World Championships women’s doubles title
including 2017,2021,2022 and 2023.
v.Mixed Doubles: Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung of South Korea won the mixed doubles title by defeating
Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong of China.
• Seo Seung Jae won two titles in the 2023 BWF World Championships including men’s doubles along
with Kang Min Hyuk.
HS Prannoy wins bronze medal:
i.Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar (HS Prannoy) settled for a bronze medal after losing to Kunlavut Vitidsarn in
the semifinals.
• This marks India’s 14th medal at the World Championships including 1 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze.
ii.He was also the 5th Indian men’s player to win the BWF World Championships after Prakash Padukone, Sai
Praneeth, Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen.
• PV Sindhu was the only Indian to win a gold at the BWF championship in Basel, Switzerland in 2019,
which makes her total medal count to 5 in BWF championship.
iii.Prannoy won his first BWF world tour title at the Malaysia Masters in May 2023.
• He also clinched the silver medal in men’s singles at the Australian Open in August 2023.

Winners of BWF World Championships 2023:
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Kodai Naraoka
Men’s Singles (Thailand) (Japan)
An Se Young Carolina Marin
Women’s Singles (South Korea) (Spain)
Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen
Men’s Doubles (South Korea) (Denmark)
Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan Apriyani Rahayu and Silva Ramadhanti
Women’s Doubles (China) (Indonesia)
Seo Seung Jae and
Chae Yu Jung Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong
Mixed Doubles (South Korea) (China)
About BWF World Championships 2023:
i.The 28th edition of the BWF World Championships was held in Copenhagen, Denmark for the 5th time.
• Around 365 players from 56 countries participated in the event.
ii.It was held every three years up to 1983 since the first edition was held in Malmö, Sweden in 1977. From
1983 – 2005 it was a biennial event, later it became an annual event from 2005.
About the Badminton World Federation (BWF):
Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has won the gold medal in the men’s javelin with an
88.17 meter (m) throw in the World Athletics Championships 2023.
• The 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships
(2023) was held in (Venue – The National Athletics
Centre) Budapest, Hungary from 19th to 27th August
2023.
Neeraj Chopra – Gold Medal:
i.Neeraj Chopra finished first followed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem
(87.82m) in the second and Jakub Vadlejch (86.67m) of the Czech
Republic in the third.
• Other Indian athletes Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP
Manu (84.14m) finished fifth and sixth respectively in the finals.
• This marks India’s third medal at the World Athletics Championships after Anju Bobby George’s long
jump bronze at Paris 2003 and Neeraj’s silver at Oregon 2022.
ii.He became the first Indian to win gold at the World Athletics Championships.
Note:
National Javelin Day is annually celebrated across India on 7th August to commemorate the day on which
Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Indian men’s 4x400m relay team finishes fifth in the finals:
i.Indian men’s 4x400m relay team comprising Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amob Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal and
Rajesh Ramesh finished fifth in the finals.
• The United States of America(USA) finished first followed by France and the United Kingdom in
second and third place respectively in the finals of men’s 4x400m.

• They also became the first Indian men’s 4x400m relay team to reach a World Championship finals.
• They set an Asian record in the men’s 4x400m relay event in the qualifying round by taking 2:59.05
seconds and surpassed Japan(2:59.51 seconds).
Overall Medal Tally:
1 United States of America(USA) 12 8 9 29
2 Canada 4 2 0 6
3 Spain 4 1 0 5
18 India 1 0 0 1
Note:
India shared the 18th position with five other countries including Bahrain, Dominican
republic,Serbia,venezuela and Burkino Faso.
Highlights:
i.The biennial multi-nation competition witnessed the participation of 2100 athletes from 195 countries for the
49 medal events across track and field and road races.
• Around 27 Indian athletes participated in 15 medal events including 11 for men and four for
women.
ii.India’s Parul Chaudhary finished 11th in the finals of the Women’s 3000m steeplechase.
• She has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after setting a national record-breaking run of 9:15:31
in the finals.
iii.India’s Jeswin Aldrin finished 11th in the Men’s long jump finals with a 7.77 m Jump.
• He became the second Indian male long jumper to qualify for the finals after M Sreeshankar in 2022.
• He set the national record with an 8.42m jump in March 2023.
Note:
The 20th edition World Athletics Championships is set to held in Tokyo, Japan in 2025.
About World Athletics(Formerly The International Amateur Athletic Federation):
President– Sebastian Coe
Headquarters– Monaco, Europe
F1 Dutch GP: Max Verstappen Wins 11th Title of 2023 Season

Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver (Dutch-Belgian) won the title at the Formula 1 (FI) Heineken
Dutch Grand Prix(GP) held at Circuit Zandvoort, Amsterdam, the Netherlands from 25th to 27th August
2023.
• Spain’s Fernando Alonso(Aston Martin ) won second
place and France’s Pierre Gasly finished in third place
for the first time with Alpine.
• This also marks Verstappen’s 11th victory of the 2023
season out of 13 and 46th of his career.
Max Verstappen Records:
i.This marks his 9th consecutive F1 win of the 2023 season
equals German racing driver Sebastian Vettel’s record in 2013
with Red Bull.
ii.In 2023, Max won 11 GP including the Spanish GP, Monaco GP, Miami GP, Australian GP, Bahrain GP,
Canadian GP, Austrian GP, British GP, Hungarian GP, Belgian GP and Dutch GP.
• The other 2 titles of 2023 were won by Mexican racing driver Sergio Perez (Red Bull) in Saudi
Arabia GP and Azerbaijan GP.

iii.This was Verstappen’s third consecutive Dutch GP including 2021, 2022 and 2023.
iv.It was Red Bull’s 14th consecutive win starting from Max Verstappen win at the final race of November
2022 in Abu Dhabi and 13th win of the season.
F1 2023 Dutch GP Results:
Position Driver Team
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull
2 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
3 Pierre Gasly Alpine
About Dutch Grand Prix:
i.The first edition of the F1 Dutch Grand Prix was held in 1952 and it happened until 1985.
• After the time gap, Dutch GP returned in 2021.
ii.About the circuit Zandvoort:
• Circuit Length – 4.259km
• Number of Laps – 72
Race Distance – 306.587 km
WR Chess Team Wins FIDE World Rapid Team Championship 2023

WR Chess team won the 1st edition of World Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid Team Championship 2023
held in Dusseldorf, Germany from 25th to 28th August 2023.
• Team Freedom finished second, while the Indian
squad of MGD1 was third.
Highlights:
i.The team Columbus Energy Kings Of Chess from
Kraków(Poland) won 12,500 Euros as the best-performing team
with a rating below 2400.
ii.The special prize ‘Rainer Niermann Cup’ for the best game by a
youngster was won by 12-year-old Christian Glöckler of
Germany for his victory over South African Grand Master(GM)
Kenny Solomon.
• He is also ranked fifth in the world in his age group.
iii.Total prize money – 250,000 Euros
• Winner – 100,000 Euros
• Second place – 60,000 Euros
• Third Place – 40,000 Euros
Note:
WR Chess stands for German entrepreneur Wadim Rosenstein. He is the creator of this new event, which he
sponsored with his company WR Logistics and participated in himself.
Winners of FIDE World Rapid Team 2023:
Position Team(Medals) Games Match points
1 WR Chess (Gold) 12 22
2 Team Freedom (Silver) 12 20
3 MGD1 (Bronze) 12 18
Indians in the tournament:
i.R Praggnanandhaa in the title-winning WR Chess team and Viswanathan Anand and Vidit Gujrathi in Team
Freedom.
ii.MGD1 team has Aditya Mittal, GM Srinath Narayanan, GM Pentala Harikrishna, GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Raunak

Sadhwani, GM Nihal Sarin, GM Harika Dronavalli and Peter Anand A.
About FIDE World Rapid Team 2023:
i.FIDE World Rapid Team 2023 is organized by FIDE in partnership with WR Logistics GmbH.
ii.It witnessed the participation of 36 teams and 300 players from different countries.
• Each team has at least six and not more than nine players, including at least one female player and
one recreational player.
• The event consists of 12 rounds played under the Swiss System.
iii.Apart from medals and rewards to top teams, individual medals were awarded for the board prizes.
• Indians Pentala Harikrishna (Bronze), Vidit Gujrathi (Silver), Raunak Sadhwani (Silver), Pranesh M
(Bronze), Harika Dronavalli (Silver) and Peter Anand A (Silver) are the individual medal winners for
their respective boards.
About Federation Internationale des Echecs/International Chess Federation (FIDE):
President – Arkady Dvorkovich
Indian Women’s Hockey Team wins inaugural Women’s Hockey 5s Asia Cup; defeats Thailand
7-2 in Final
On 28th August 2023, The Indian Women‘s Hockey Team won the inaugural Women’s Hockey5s Asia Cup by
defeating Thailand (7-2) in the final match. Women’s Hockey5s Asia Cup 2023, held in Salalah, Oman from
25th to 28th August 2023, was the qualifying tournament FIH(Fédération Internationale de Hockey) Women
Hockey 5s World Cup 2024.
• With this victory, India qualifies for the FIH Women Hockey 5s World Cup 2024, the inaugural
edition of FIH Hockey5s World Cup, which is to be held in Muscat, Oman from 24th to 27th January
2024.
• Mariana Kujur (2nd, 8th minutes) and Jyoti (10th, 27th) scored a brace for India, while Monika
Dipi Toppo (7th), skipper Navjot Kaur (23rd) and Mahima Choudhary (29th) were the other goal
scorers. For Thailand, Kunjira Inpa (5th) and Sanpoung Kornkanok (5th) were on target.
• Hockey India has announced a Rs. 2 lakh reward to each player of the team, while Rs. 1 lakh each for
the support staff.
Player of the Tournament was Aunjai Natthakarn (Thailand) and Goalkeeper of the Tournament was Rumbiak
Iryani (Indonesia).
OBITUARY
Vakkom Purushothaman, Congress Leader and Former Governor passed away
On 31st July 2023, Vakkom Purushothaman, Senior Congress leader and former Speaker of Kerala, who also
served as Governor of Mizoram, Tripura and Andaman & Nicobar Island passed away at the age of 95 in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• He was born in Vakkom, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) on
April 12, 1928.He was a member of the All India Congress
Committee (AICC) for over 25 years.
About Vakkom Purushothaman:
i.Vakkom Purushothaman, an advocate by profession started his
political life as a worker of the Students Congress in 1946. He became
a Member of Vakkom Panchayath in 1953.
ii.He was elected to the Kerala Assembly 5 times from the Attingal

Assembly constituency and became a Minister in the Kerala government thrice from 1971-1977, 1980 to 1981,
and 2004 to 2006.
iii.He was the longest-served Speaker of the Kerala assembly, from 1982 to 1984 and again from 2001 to 2004.
iv.He was also elected to the Lok Sabha twice, from the Alappuzha constituency, and served from 1984-1989
and 1989-1991.
v.He served as the 6th Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1993 to 1996, and
Governor of Tripura (Additional Charge) for two months in 2014.
Marathi Poet & Lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor Passed Away

On 3rd August 2023, Marathi poet and lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor, popularly known as Na
Dho Mahanor, passed away at the age of 81 in Pune, Maharashtra.
• He was born on 16th September 1942, in Palaskheda village,
Aurangabad (now called Sambahajinagar), Maharashtra.
Apart from writing, he had a passion in agriculture.
• Mahanor was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council
(MLC) in 1978.
Notable works:
i.Jagala Prem Arpave, Ganga Wahu De Nirmal, Divelaganichi Vel,
Ranatalya Kavita, Wahi, and Pavsali Kavita were just some of the
popular poems and songs he composed.
ii.He prose includes short stories like Gapsap and Village Stories in addition to novels like Gandhari.
iii.He also wrote songs for Marathi movies like Ek Hota Vidushak, Jait Re Jait, Sarja and also published a
collection of folk songs, Songs of Palasroad.
Awards & Honors:
i.He was honored with the Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian honor of India, in 1991 for his
contribution in the field of literature.
ii.He was also given the Sahitya Akademi Award for his contribution to Marathi poetry in 2000.
iii.He received the Krishi Bhushan in 1985, World Film Festival Lyricist Jeevan Gaurav Award in 2015,
the Vanashree for his work in the watershed environment, and the Krishiratna Gold Medal for Meritorious
Achievement in Agriculture.
iv.The government of Maharashtra recognized Mahanor’s literary contributions, honoring him with
the Gadima Prize.
Padma Bhushan Awardee N Vittal Passed Away

On 3rd August 2023, Nagarajan Vittal, a Padma Bhushan awardee and a former Civil Servant passed away.
About Nagarajan Vittal:
Vittal, who was born on 31st January 1938 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is a 1960 batch Indian
Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Gujarat Cadre.
He has held the appointments of,
• Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Government of Gujarat;
• Additional Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India; Secretary, Department of
Electronics, Government of India;
• Chairman, Telecom Commission and Secretary, Department of Telecommunication, Government of
India;
• Chairman, Public Enterprises Selection Board and before retirement, his last appointment was as
Central Vigilance Commissioner.
Achievements during his career:
Revival of the Kandla Free Trade Zone, Opening of the Dahej Port in Gujarat, Emergence of the Gujarat Narmada
Valley Fertiliser Company (GNFC) and setting up of educational institutions and government organizations.

Books authored:
He has written more than 400 articles on various subjects and his published works include:
• India Incorporated: Reflections on the Indian Electronics Industry (1994),
• The Viscious Cycle of Vittal’s Law (1994),
• The Red Tape Guerrilla(1995),
• Fighting Corruption and Restructuring Government (2000), and Information Technology: India’s
Tomorrow (2000).
He has edited Export Processing Zones in Asia -Some Dimensions published by Asian Productivity Organization
(1977).
Awards & honors:
• Dataquest IT Man of the Year 1993
• The Great Son of the Soil Award 1998 by All India Conference of Intellectuals
• H H Sri Paramacharya Man of the Year Award (2000), awarded by the Centenarian Trust, Chennai.
(April 2001)
• He received Padma Bhushan in the discipline of Civil Service by the Government of India in 2012.
• He is the Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers
(IETE).
He is included in the list of “Fifty men and women who shaped the economy” in the fifty years after India’s
independence by the Business Today magazine (August 1997).
Oscar Winning American Director William Friedkin Passed Away

On 7th August 2023, William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning American director of films like The
Exorcist and The French Connection passed away in Los Angeles(LA), California, United States of America
(USA) at the age of 87.
• Friedkin was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA on 29 August
1935.
About William Friedkin:
i.William Friedkin began his career in documentaries in the early 1960s
and made his feature directorial debut with the film “Good Times” in
1967.
ii.His 1971 film “The French Connection”, a crime thriller, won 5 Oscars
including Best Picture, and Best Director for Friedki at the 44th
Oscars(1972).
iii.His 1973 film “The Exorcist”, a horror film based on William Peter Blatty’s novel had won the award for
Writing (Screenplay–Based On Material From Another Medium) and for Sound at the 46th Oscars (1974).
• The Exorcist became the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture in the Oscar award.
iv.His last film, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” is set to premiere at the the 80th Venice International Film
Festival,Venice, Italy in September 2023.
Other Noted works:
• Sorcerer(1977); Cruising (1980), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Bug (2006), and Killer Joe(2011)
• He also directed episodes for TV shows as The Twilight Zone, Rebel Highway and CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation.
P Jayarama Bhat Former MD&CEO of Karnataka Bank Passes Away

On 09th August 2023, Polali Jayarama Bhat, the former Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive
Officers(CEO) of Karnataka Bank passed away. He was born on 14th November 1951, in Polali, a small town
near Mangalore, Karnataka.
• He served the Bank for over 48 years from April 1973 to November 2021.

Timeline:
i.Jayarama Bhat joined the services of Karnataka Bank as a
Probationary Officer in January 1973.
ii.On July 14, 2009 he was appointed as the Managing Director (MD)
and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Karnataka Bank.
iii.In April 2017, Jayarama Bhat chose to step down from his role as
MD and CEO.
• Subsequently, he was appointed by the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) as the Part- time Non-executive Chairman of
Karnataka Bank in the same month. He held this position
until his retirement on November 13, 2021.
Awards and Recognition:
• Outstanding Manager Award from Mangalore Management Association.
• CEO with HR(Human Resource) Orientation by Asia Pacific Human Resource Management (HRM)
Congress.
• A. Shama Rao Memorial Outstanding Achievement Award by A. Shama Rao Foundation.
• New Year Award-2015 jointly by Manipal University, Academy of General Education, and Syndicate
Bank.
• T. A. Pai Memorial Shrestha Banker Award from Delhi Kannadiga.
Roles and Appointments:
i.He served on the board of Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd, a joint venture involving
Karnataka Bank, where he held the position of Nominee Director.
ii.From August 2010 to August 2014, he served as a member of the Management Committee of the Indian
Banks’ Association (IBA).
• During this timeframe, he concurrently held the position of Chairman for the “IBA Committee on
Member Private Sector Banks.”
iii.He was also the chairman of the Governing Board of Southern India Banks‟ Staff Training College (SIBSTC),
Bengaluru.
Additional Info:
Following his successful completion of the Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB)
examination in 1986, he taught at Government Junior College, Mulki(Mangalore, Karnataka) for three months in
1972.
Padma Bhushan Awardee & Nuclear Physicist Bikash Sinha Passed away at 78
Padma Awardee and renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Chandra Sinha (aged 78) passed away in Kolkata due
to age related ailments. He was born in Kandi, Murshidabad, West Bengal in 1945.
About Bikash Chandra Sinha:
i.He joined Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC), Mumbai,
Maharashtra in 1976.
ii.He served as the chairman of the board of governors, National
Institute of Technology(NIT) Durgapur, West Bengal(WB).
iii.He has also served as the director of Saha Institute of Nuclear
Physics (SINP), Kolkata, WB from 1992 to 2009 and Variable Energy
Cyclotron Centre(VECC), Kolkata, WB, from 1987 to 2009.
iv.He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Prime
Minister of India from 2005 to 2009 and also nominated to the council again in 2009.
v.He has also served as the President of the Indian Physics Association from 2007 to 2010.

Specialization Areas:
Nuclear Physics, High Energy Physics, Quark Gluon Plasma, Nuclear Medicine Precursory Signals of
Earthquakes, Helium from Thermal Spring and Early Universe Cosmology.
Awards:
i.He was honoured with Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2010 in the Science & Engineering
field.
ii.He was the recipient of the S.N. Bose Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress Association in
1994.
iii.He is also the recipient of West Bengal highest state award ‘Bangabibhushan’ (2022). He also received the
‘Rabindra Smriti Puraskar’ in 2022.
iv.He also won Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany and Prof.
Meghnad Saha Memorial Lecture Award from The National Academy of Sciences, India.
Books:
He has authored a book titled ‘Sristi O Krishti Bandhanhin Granthi’ in Bengali, published by Ananda
Publishers in 2012.
Padma Shri Recipient and Former President of JNCASR MRS Rao Passed Away
Former President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR)(Bengaluru,
Karnataka) and Padma Shri award recipient Professor Manchanahalli Rangaswamy Satyanarayana Rao,
popularly known as MRS Rao passed away. He was born in 1948 in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• He served as JNCASR president from 2003 to 2013. Before 2003, he was the Chairman in
Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science(IISC),Bengaluru.
Awards & Recognitions:
i.He received Padma Shri Award in 2010 for Science and Engineering.
ii.Goyal Prize by Kurukshetra University to honour eminent scientist in 2012-13.
iii.Year of Science(YoS) Chair Professor award for 2019-24 by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB),
a premier funding agency to support basic research in frontier areas of Science and Engineering.
iv.Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry(FICCI) Award 2004-05 for the significant work in
the category of Research & Development in Life Sciences.
Professional Activities:
i.MRS Rao was the Chairman of Research Council, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology(CCMB), Hyderabad
from 2001 to 2003.
ii.He was also Chairman of Task Force on Human Genetics and Genome Analysis, Dept of Biotechnology from
2003 to 2009.
iii.He also served as Chairman of Ramalingaswamy Fellowship selection committee,Dept of Biotechnology from
2017 to 2020.

Padma Bhushan Awardee Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International, Passed
Away
On 15th August 2023, Padma Bhushan Awardee, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, a renowned Social activist and
the Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, passed away at the age of 80 in New Delhi,
Delhi. He was born on 2nd April 1943, in Rampur Baghel village in the Vaishali district of Bihar.
• He is a pioneer of Public toilets in India who is known as
the “Toilet Man of India”.
• He dedicated his life to eradicating manual scavenging
and advancing sanitation and promoting human rights,
environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of
energy, and waste management through education.
Note: Sulabh International is a Non-governmental Organisation
(NGO), in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN).
About Bindeshwar Pathak:
i.In 1968, he joined the Bhangi-Mukti (scavengers’ liberation) Cell of the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebrations
Committee, which was mainly involved in spreading the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi in Patna, Bihar.
ii.He established the Sulabh Svachchh Shauchalaya Sansthaan (the clean toilet institute), a non-profit
organisation in 1970, combining technical innovation with humanitarian principles.
iii.In 1980, the non-profit organisation became Sulabh International, which has carried out extensive work on
the conversion of dry latrines into modern toilets in over 17,00 towns and has helped build over 160,835
toilets.
Note: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recognises Sulabh technologies in its Human
Development Report twice (2003 & 2006).
Awards/Honours:
i.In 1991, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his distinguished social service.
ii.In 2003, he was honoured with the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour 2003 Award and also received the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global 500 Scroll of Honour Award.
iii.In 2009, he won the Stockholm Water Prize, conferred by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
iv.In 2016, he received the World Health Organisation (WHO) Public Health Champion Award.
Books:
His notable works include: The Making of Legend: Narendra Damodar Das Modi (2017); New Princesses of
Alwar Shame To Pride (2009); Road to Freedom (2000) and so on.
Mohammed Habib, Indian Football Legend Passed Away

Mohammed Habib, the legendary Indian football player and Former Indian captain, passed away at the age of
74 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born in Hyderabad in undivided Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana) on July
17, 1949.
• He was affectionately referred to as the ‘Bade Miya’ of
Kolkata football, and he played international football till
1975.
• Dedicated to football, he refused all the job offers that
came his way and became India’s 1st “True Professional
Footballer”.
About Mohammed Habib:
i.He has represented India in around 35 International matches from
his debut in 1967 till his retirement in 1975.
ii.Mohammed Habib made his debut for India against Thailand in the Merdeka Cup held at Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia in 1967.
iii.He was a part of the bronze-medal winning team at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. He was also
a part of the team that jointly won the 1971 Pesta Sukan Cup with South Vietnam(the Republic of Vietnam) in
Singapore.
Club Career:
i.For 18 seasons between the 1960s and 1970s, He played for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan
Sporting.
ii.In the 1969 Santosh Trophy final held in Bangalore (Karnataka), he scored 5 goals in Bengal’s 6-1 win over
Services, which is still a record.
iii.In 1977, he played an exhibition match for Mohun Bagan against Brazil legend Pele’s New York Cosmos Club.
iv.After his retirement from club football in 1982, he decided to become a coach and joined the coach at Tata
Football Academy (TFA) in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and he coached Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting,
too.
v.He also served as a chief coach of the Indian Football Association academy in Haldia, West Bengal.
Achievements:
i.He had the rare distinction of scoring the winning goals in 3 Durand Cup finals in the span of 7 seasons for
East Bengal.
ii.He was one of the few players to win the Triple Crown (winning the Indian Football Association (IFA) Shield,
Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup in the same season) for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in 1972 and 1977,
respectively.
iii.He won the Santosh Trophy on 5 occasions, 1965 (with Andhra Pradesh), 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1975 (with
Bengal).
Awards/Honours:
i.He was conferred with the Arjuna Award 1980-81 for football.
ii.He was also conferred with the East Bengal Bharat Gaurav Award in 2016.
iii.In 2018, the West Bengal Government instituted him the title Banga Bibhushan in the field Footballer.
Padma Awardee VSR Arunachalam, Former DG of DRDO, Passed Away

Padma Awardee Dr Vallampadugai Srinivasa Raghavan Arunachalam (V S R Arunachalam), an Indian
Scientist and the former Director General (DG) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),
passed away at the age of 87 in California, the United States of America (USA). He hails from Karnataka and was
born on 10th November 1935.
About V S R Arunachalam:
i.He served as the DG of DRDO and Secretary, Department of Defence
Research and Development (DDRD) and Scientific Adviser (SA) to the
Defence Ministry from 1982 to 1992.
• He became the 1st DRDO scientist to head the DRDO.
ii.He has also worked at institutions such as Bhabha Atomic Research
Centre (BARC), National Aeronautical Laboratory (later renamed as
National Aerospace Laboratories), and Defence Metallurgical
Research Laboratory (DMRL).
iii.He was the first Indian Fellow of the Royal Academy of
Engineering, the United Kingdom (UK) and held the position of Distinguished Service Professor (Engineering
and Public Policy) at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA.
iv.He also served as a member of the advisory and editorial boards of several universities and foundations,
including the Materials Research Society (MRS) Bulletin in Pennsylvania, USA.
v.He was the founder and Chairman of the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), one of
India’s leading Think Tanks based in Bengaluru, Karnataka. CSTEP was established in 2005.
vi.He launched 3 major programmes namely, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (TEJAS) under the Aeronautical

Development Agency (ADA), an autonomous body of DRDO; Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Programme;
and IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missiles Development Programme) to develop a family of strategic and tactical
guided missiles.
Awards:
i.In 1986, he was honoured with Padma Bhushan for Civil Service and in 1990, he was awarded the Padma
Vibhushan for Science and Engineering.
ii.He was awarded DRDO’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for his outstanding contribution to the field
of scientific research and technology.
Book:
His notable work includes: From Temples to Turbines: An Adventure in Two Worlds (2019).
Australian Olympic Swimming Gold Medallist John Devitt Passed Away

Australian Olympic Swimming Gold Medallist John Thomas Devitt(Aged 86) passed away in
Sydney,Australia.He was born in Granville, Australia on February 4, 1937
Medals:
i.John Thomas Devitt totally won two gold, a silver, and a
bronze medals in Olympic competition.
ii.He won the gold medal in 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the 100-
meter freestyle and a silver medal in the 100 freestyle swimming
event.
iii.In The 1960 Rome Olympics, he won the gold medal in the 4-x-
200 freestyle relay team event and a bronze medal in the 4-x-200
relay team event.
• He was the captain of the Australian swimming team in both the Olympics.
iv.Devitt also won three gold medals at the 1958 Cardiff British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Wales.
Key Points:
i.He has served as an executive on the Australian Olympic Committee and helped Sydney win the bid for the
2000 Olympics.
ii.Devitt was also the Australian chef de mission for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Awards:
i.Devitt was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986 and Appointed as a Member of Order of
Australia (AM).
ii.He was also bestowed with the Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee(IOC).
iii.He was awarded Federation Internationale de Natation(FINA’s) highest award – the FINA (World Aquatics)
Prize in 1994.
Emmy-Winning American Actor Ron Cephas Jones Passed Away

Ron Cephas Jones, a renowned American actor who won Emmy Award twice, has passed away. He was born on
January 8, 1957, in Paterson, New Jersey, United States of America(USA).
• He won widespread recognition for his performance in the hit television series “This Is Us.” He
portrayed the character, William Hill.
• Ron Cephas Jones won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor for his role in the drama
series “This Is Us” in both 2018 and 2020.
• In 2020, Ron Cephas Jones’ daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones, earned her first Emmy Award. This
achievement made them the first-ever father-daughter winners in Emmy history. Jasmine won
the Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her role in
“#FreeRayshawn.”

• He earned a nomination for a Tony Award and achieved victory by winning a Drama Desk Award in
2022.
Ron Cephas Jones was involved in various films, including “Half Nelson,” “Glass Chin,” “Dogfight,” and “He Got
Game.”He also lent his voice to animated projects like “The Croods” and its sequel “The Croods: A New Age.”
Renowned Indian-American Statistician CR Rao Passed Away

Renowned Indian-American Statistician and mathematician Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao (CR Rao) passed
away at the age of 102 in Buffalo, New York, the United States of America(USA).
• C.R. Rao was born on 10 September 1920 in
Huvanna Hadagali, Bellary district, Karnataka.
• He was awarded the 2023 International Prize in
Statistics which is equivalent of the Nobel Prize in
statistics in April 2023.
About CR Rao:
i.He worked in India at the Indian Statistical Institute(ISI) for 40
years (1941-1979).He authored several books in diverse fields
including estimation theory, multivariate analysis, and matrix
algebra.
ii.He pioneered several fundamental statistical concepts such as the Cramer–Rao inequality and Rao–
Blackwellization, concepts that appear in undergraduate textbooks on statistics and econometrics.
iii.He was the founder of CR Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Sciences (CR Rao
AIMCS) at the University of Hyderabad, Telangana.
iv.He served as chairman of the Committee on Statistics (1962-69), and chairman of the Demographic and
Communication for Population Control (1968-69).
v.The main road between the International Institute of Information Technology(IIIT)Hyderabad and the
Central University of Hyderabad has been named after Prof. CR Rao Road.
Awards:
i.He was honoured with Padma Bhushan(1968 ) and Padma Vibhushan (2001) in the field of science and
Engineering.
ii.He was also awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1963) and the India Science Award (2009).
iii.He was awarded the National Medal of Science (2002) by then President George Bush in the USA.
Eminent Indian English Poet Jayanta Mahapatra Passed Away

Jayanta Mahapatra, an Eminent Indian English poet and Litterateur, who was the first recipient of Sahitya
Akademi award for English poetry(1981), passed away in Cuttack, Odisha. He was born on 22nd October 1928
in Cuttack, Odisha.
About Jayanta Mahapatra:
i.Jayanta Mahapatra has served as the professor of Physics at
various government colleges in Odisha from 1949 to 1986(retired).
ii.He published his 1st book of poems “Svayamvara and Other
Poems” in 1971.
iii.He has authored around 27 books which also includes 7 written
in Odia and the remainder in English.
iv.He is will known for his poems like “Indian Summer” and
“Hunger,” which are considered classic in modern Indian English
literature.
Other Noted works:
Poetry: Bare Face, Shadow Space
Prose: Green Gardener(an Anthology of short stories); Door of paper: Essays and Memoirs.

Awards:
i.He received the Sahitya Akademi Awards in 1981 for Relationship(poetry), the first Akademi Awad for
English poetry.
ii.Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri in 2009 for Literature and Education.But he returned
the award in 2015 to protest against “rising intolerance in India”.
iii.He won the prestigious SAARC(South Asian Association Regional Cooperation) literary Award for the year
2009.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Union Minister Amit Shah unveils Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die book at
Rameswaram
On 29th July 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled the book ‘Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Memories Never
Die‘, an English translation of the Tamil book ‘Abdul Kalam: Ninaivugalukku Maranamillai‘, which was co-
authored by Dr. APJM Nasima Maraikayar (niece of Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam)
and Dr. Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan (Y. S. Rajan), a scientist at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• The book is a tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the late former President (11th
President served between 2002 and 2007).
• The book was released in an event organised at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu(TN), during Home
Minister’s 2-day visit to Ramanathapuram district of TN.
L Murugan, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Annamalai, BJP President of
Tamil Nadu were also graced the event.
Rishi Raj’s New Book “Kargil: Ek Yatri Ki Jubani”, a True Tribute to Martyrs of Kargil War
Released
On 23rd July 2023, Ajay Bhatt, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Defence (MoD), released the book and
illustrations titled “Kargil: Ek Yatri Ki Jubani” (Hindi Edition) authored by Rishi Raj at the Constitution Club
of India, New Delhi, Delhi. The book which pays tribute to the Martyrs of Kargil War was published by Prabhat
Prakashan.
• The book portrays the lives of all the 527 soldiers, who laid down their lives for our nation in the
Kargil War.
• The book highlights the importance of the Kargil Vijay Diwas and giving rich tributes to the brave
soldiers.
Rishi Raj has authored as many as 21 books, out of which four bagged the Rahul Sankrityayan Award from the
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India (GoI).
• The event was graced by Subedar Major (Then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar, who was awarded Param
Vir Chakra in the Kargil War.
Note: Kargil War also refered as “Operation Vijay” was fought between India and Pakistan from May to 26th
July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K). July 26th has been observed as ‘Kargil Vijay
Diwas’, which annually commemorates the sacrifices made by soldiers in this war.
Poet-Diplomat Abhay K Launches his New Book ‘Monsoon’

On 1st August 2023, Indian-poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar (Abhay K), Deputy Director General of Indian Council
of Cultural Relations (ICCR), launched his new book titled “Monsoon: A Poem of Love and Longing”, a book-
length poem running across 150 four-line stanzas, at Kathika Culture Centre in Old Delhi, Delhi.
• The book was published by Sahitya Akademi on the occasion of its 68th anniversary (13th March
2022). Shivraj Singh & Anurag Thakur releases books based on speeches of
PM Modi, titled "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas".
• The book is a poem that follows the monsoon which originates from Madagascar and travels to the
Srinagar in the Himalayas and back to Madagascar.
Forthcoming works of Abhay K:
i.His upcoming book titled ‘Celestial’ (Mapin India) is a poem in 100 rhyming couplets, that details the journey
to all the 88-star constellations visible from Earth. It is illustrated with the drawings of star constellations of the
10th-century Persian astronomer Al Rahman Al Sufi.
ii.Penguin Random House is set to publish his translation of the first Magahi novel ‘Phool Bahadur’ by Jayanath
Pati in January 2024.
Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Nirmala Sitharaman Launched Kuwi and Desia books in
Odisha
Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education(MoE) and Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship(MSDE), and Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate
Affairs(MCA) launched 2 books namely “Kuwi Primer” and “Desia Primer” in Kuwi and Desia languages at an
event held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, to simplify primary education for tribal children in Odisha.
• The event also witnessed the special postal cover release on behalf of the Department of Posts, Ministry
of Communications, Government of India (GoI).
• The event marks a collaborative effort with the Central University of Odisha, Koraput, the Department of
Posts, and the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT).
Key Highlights:
i.With more than 62 tribes constituting 23% of Odisha’s population,
supporting local culture in education is essential.
ii.In this regard, NCERT, for the first time, in collaboration with the
Central University of Odisha, has prepared the 2 books for those
children, who are speaking Kuwi and Desia tribal languages in the
undivided Koraput district of Odisha.
iii.The step to introduce primers in local languages and dialects is a generational one and will also further
enrich the GoI’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat‘ (EBSB).
iv.The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a progressive and flexible policy is a result of collective efforts,
and extensive consultations, which empowers states to adapt and evolve according to their distinct educational
requirements.
Events on Meri Maati Mera Desh:
The Ministers also attended a series of events under the nationwide “Meri Maati Mera Desh” campaign, a
tribute to the heroes who have made supreme sacrifices for the country.
i.The Union Ministers visited Sand Art on “Meri Maati Mera Desh” by Padmashri Awardee Sudarshan Patnaik, a
Sand Artist at Puri Beach in Odisha.
ii.Under the ‘Dedication of Shilaphalakam’ (memorial plaques) and ‘Vasudha Vandan’ initiative of Meri
Maati Mera Desh.
• Vasudha Vandan is to develop the ‘Amrit Vatika‘ by planting 75 saplings of indigenous species.
iii.They also collected soil and rice in ‘Amrit Kalash’ from house to house in Biraharekrushnapur village of Puri
district and visited the birthplace of noted Freedom Fighter Saheed Jayee Rajguru to create an Amrit Vatika in
Delhi.
PS Sreedharan Pillai Released Three New Books on Nature, Trees, and Geopolitics
Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai launched his recently authored three new books namely ‘Heritage Trees of
Goa’, ‘When Parallel Lines Meet’, and ‘Ente Priya Kavithakal‘ (‘My Dear Poems’ a collection of poems). Goa
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant inaugurated the event in Panaji, Goa. Sreedharan Pillai has written over 200
books.

• West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose unveiled the book ‘Heritage Trees of Goa’. Additionally, Goa
State Minister for Tourism Rohan Khaunte and the 2021 Jnanpith winner and Konkani Novelist
Damodar Mauzo released the other two books ‘When Parallel Lines Meet’ and ‘Ente Priya
Kavithakal’ (a collection of poems).
i.‘Heritage Trees of Goa’ is a book that reveals the importance of ancient heritage trees, some over 100 years
old, found in Goan villages and places of worship,adding to the experience of ‘Goa Sampurna Yatra’.
ii.‘When Parallel Lines Meet’ is a contemporary geopolitical book and ‘Ente Priya Kavitakal’ (a collection of
poems) represents one of the best depictions of nature, art and literature.
iii.Pillai was the first Governor to undertake and complete the Goa Sampurna Yatra, encompassing over 400
villages across 40 assembly constituencies.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2023 – July 30
The United Nations (UN)’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is annually observed annually on 30th
July to raise awareness about the situation of human trafficking victims and to promote and protect their
rights.
• The 2023 campaign theme of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is: “Reach every victim
of trafficking, leave no one behind“.
• The 2023 campaign theme aims to raise awareness of disturbing developments and trends
identified by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and calls on governments, law
enforcement, public services, and civil society to evaluate and increase their efforts to strengthen
prevention, identify and support victims, and end immunity.
Background:
i.On 18th December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/68/192
and proclaimed the 30th of July of every year as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
ii.The first-ever World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was observed on 30th July 2014.
What is Human Trafficking?
i.Human Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of people through force,
abduction, fraud, or deception for exploitation.
ii.Traffickers often use violence, blackmail, emotional manipulation, removal of official documents, fraudulent
employment agencies, and fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.
Global Report on Trafficking in Persons:
i.The 2022 edition of the UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, is UNODC’s 7th report mandated by
the UNGA through the 2010 UN’s Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
ii.This edition of the report covers 141 countries and provides an overview of the response to the trafficking of
persons at global, regional, and national levels, by analysing trafficking cases detected between 2017 and 2021.
iii.The UNODC has been actively collecting data on trafficking in persons since 2009. As a result, they now
acquire the most extensive dataset on this issue, encompassing data from 2003 to 2021.
iv.This data consists of records on over 450,000 victims and approximately 300,000 (suspected) offenders
detected across the globe.
Key Points:
i.The number of victims detected globally reduced by 11% in 2020 from 2019, driven by fewer detections in
low- and medium-income countries (LMIC).
ii.The number of convictions for trafficking offences fell by 27% in 2020 from 2019 globally.
iii.Detection of trafficking for forced labour (38.8%) in 2020 was equal to that of trafficking for sexual
exploitation (38.7%), at just under 40% each.
iv.Male victims are the only profile that has increased by about +3% from 2019.

Blue Heart Campaign:
i.The Blue Heart Campaign is an impactful initiative that aims to fight against human trafficking and support the
victims, particularly women and children.
ii.It plays a crucial role in raising awareness and generating funds to aid those affected by this terrible crime.
iii.This global effort is led by the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons
(UNVTF), which is a part of the UNODC and the fund is managed by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
iv.The Blue Heart symbol represents solidarity with the victims and the cold-heartedness of those who buy and
sell their fellow human beings.
Human Trafficking and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
i.The 2023 campaign theme represents the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and its SDGs.
ii.As we reach the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda, it becomes vital to refocus the efforts on combating trafficking
in persons, a global challenge that impacts millions of lives.
iii.The upcoming SDG Summit in 2023 presents a unique opportunity to raise awareness and renew global
commitments towards eliminating trafficking in persons, specifically mentioned in SDG 5 (Gender
Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 16 (Promote Peace, Justice, and Strong
Institutions).
Note: The 2023 SDG Summit will take place on 18-19 September 2023 in New York, the United States of
America (USA)
About United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
Executive Director– Ghada Fathi Waly
Headquarters– Vienna, Austria
World Ranger Day 2023 – 31st July

World Ranger Day is celebrated annually across the globe on 31st July to commemorate Rangers killed or
injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the work Rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and
cultural heritage.
About Rangers:
i.World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) uses the term ‘ranger’ to refer to any professional involved in the
protection and management of national parks and natural areas.
ii.Rangers, also known as Park Rangers, park wardens, forest rangers or forest guards are the unsung heroes of
the conservation world.
World Ranger Day 2023 Theme
i.The 2023 World Ranger Day theme is ’30 by 30‘ based on the 2022 United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity (UNCBD), 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15), where a Global Biodiversity Framework was
agreed upon by world leaders and decision-makers.
ii.Target 3 aims to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 percent of the planet’s areas by 2030 (also
known as the ’30 by 30′ target).
iii.It highlights the urgent need for increased conservation efforts to safeguard ecosystems and protect the
planet’s biodiversity.
Background:
i.World Ranger Day is an initiative of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) promoted with its official
charity, The Thin Green Line Foundation.
ii.IRF was established on 31 July 1992, in Peak National Park, United Kingdom (UK), to raise awareness of the
contribution of rangers to conservation and support ranger organizations worldwide.

iii.The organisation IRF was the result of an agreement between the Countryside Management Association
(CMA), the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association (SCRA) and the United States(US) Association of National
Park Rangers (ANPR) that resulted in its formation.
iv.The day was first observed in 31st July 2007, in memory of eight rangers who tragically lost their lives while
on duty in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC), and also to
celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the IRF.
International Ranger Awards:
i.The International Ranger Award aims to recognize all types of rangers including Indigenous, community, and
volunteer rangers as well as those employed in protected and conserved areas.
ii.The award is hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the IUCN World
Commission on Protected Areas(WCPA), in collaboration with the IRF, Re:wild, Conservation Allies, Universal
Ranger Support Alliance, and WWF Tigers Alive Initiative.
The 3rd International Ranger Awards 2023:
i.During the virtual award ceremony in 2023, a total of 9 awards were presented by the 2023 IUCN World
Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) International Ranger Awards to recognize the outstanding
contributions of 5 individual rangers and 4 ranger teams.
ii.The winners come across from Bhutan, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa
and Ukraine.
iii.Each winner or winning team receives USD $10,000 to support the protected and conserved areas where
they work, and a custom uniform patch to signify their achievement.
Click here for the list of winners of the 3rd International Ranger Awards
About International Ranger Federation (IRF):
President- Chris Galliers
Founded- 31st July 1992
Aviation Security Culture Week 2023 – 31st July – 5th August

India’s aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), under the Ministry of Civil
Aviation (MoCA), inaugurated ‘Aviation Security Culture Week’ at its headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi from
July 31st to August 5th 2023, for the first time in the India.
• The theme of the ‘Aviation Security Culture Week’ is “See it, Say it, Secure it” which will be
celebrated across all the major and non-major airports of India.
The main objective of the week is to inculcate security consciousness amongst members of the aviation
community setup as well as passengers and also to make passengers aware of prohibited things they should not
carry while traveling.
Key people:
i.Capt. Devi Sharan, senior aviator and instructor in Air India, (famously known as the Captain of the flight IC-
814, hijacked to Kandahar in 1999), was the chief guest in the event. Anil Sharma, head of the cabin team and
chief purser of IC-814, was the guest of honor at the event.
ii.All the aviation stakeholders like the Airports Authority of India, airlines, Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF) and passengers will take part in security awareness week.
During ‘Aviation Security Week’, BCAS has planned to undertake various activities in civil aviation
including:
i.Setting up of information booths, kiosks in the forecourt area, terminal buildings.
ii.Announcement in aircraft
iii.Placing cards mentioning security awareness contents in the airport environment.
iv.Insertion of the tagline in the ticket-related SMS/mails/WhatsApp from the aircraft operators and online
travel agency (OTA).
v.Short films for displaying at the departure hall.
vi.Pop-up regarding aviation security culture week on BCAS websites.

vii.Organizing quiz & signature boards for signing for passengers
viii.Dog Squad shows by CISF on a daily basis during the week.
About Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS):
Director General- Zulfiquar Hasan
Headquarters-New Delhi, Delhi
Established- 1978
World Breast Feeding Week 2023 – 1st to 7th August

The United Nations (UN) World Breast Feeding (WBW) week is annually celebrated worldwide during the first
week of August, from 1st to 7th to raise awareness about breastfeeding and its benefits.
• Its main aim is to support and encourage breastfeeding as a vital aspect of health and well-being for
both mother and child.
• WBW was 1st observed in 1992.
WBW 2023: Theme
i.According to WHO, theme for 2023 is “Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work”.
• The theme will focus on breastfeeding and work, to advocate maternity rights, maternity leave for a
minimum of 18 weeks and workplace accommodations.
ii.The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has set a theme for WBW 2023 – “Enabling
breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents.”
Note -The theme is aligned with thematic area 4 of the WBW-Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030
campaign.
Background:
As per WABA, WBW was started in 1992 to mark the anniversary of the Innocenti Declaration in August 1990
in Florence, Italy.
Innocenti Declaration
The Declaration was produced and adopted by participants at the WHO/UNICEF policymakers’ meeting
on “Breastfeeding in the 1990s: A Global Initiative”, co-sponsored by the United States Agency for
International Development (A.I.D.) and the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA), held at the
Spedale degli Innocenti, Florence, Italy, on 30 July- 1 August 1990.
ii.In 2016, the week aligned its mission with the UN SDG and began promoting various strategies to encourage
breastfeeding naming it WBW-SDGs Campaign
iii.In 2018, the WHO adopted a resolution and endorsed WBW as an important breastfeeding promotion
strategy.
WABA objectives for World Breastfeeding Week 2023:
i.Inform people about working parents’ perspectives on breastfeeding and parenting
ii.Anchor optimal paid leave and workplace support as important tools to enable breastfeeding
iii.Engage with individuals and organizations to enhance collaboration and support for breastfeeding at work
iv.Galvanize action on improving working conditions and relevant support for breastfeeding
According to WHO:
i.More than half a billion working women are not given essential maternity protections in national laws
ii.Just 20% of countries require employers to provide employees with paid breaks and facilities for
breastfeeding or expressing milk
iii.Fewer than half of infants under 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed.
About World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA):
WABA is a global network of individuals and organizations dedicated to the protection, promotion and support
of breastfeeding worldwide based on the Innocenti Declaration, the Ten Links for nurturing the Future and the
World Health Organization (WHO)/ United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) global
strategy for infant and young child feeding.

Chairperson- Felicity Savage
Established- 1991
Headquarters- Penang, Malaysia
World Lung Cancer Day 2023 – August 1

World Lung Cancer Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st August to create awareness about the
causes and treatment of lung cancer and to educate people about the habits and factors that can cause lung
cancer.
• The day also aims to focus more on lung cancer research and arrange financial and moral support
for it.
Symbol: Pearl or White-coloured Ribbon represents Lung Cancer Awareness.
Background:
i.The campaign for World lung cancer Day was first organized in 2012 by the Forum of International
Respiratory Societies (FIRS) in collaboration with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
(IASLC) and the American College of Chest Physicians.
ii.The IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) is the only global organization, solely dedicated to the
study of lung cancer-related problems.
• It educates people about the major risk factors of lung cancer such as Tobacco smoking, Radon,
Asbestos, etc.
Lung Cancer :
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way in the lungs and
may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. Cancer from other organs also may
spread to the lungs
Types:
The most common types of lung cancer include lung nodules, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Small Cell
Lung Cancer (SCLC) and mesothelioma.
Key Points:
i.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths
worldwide, accounting for the highest mortality rates among both men and women.
• Lung cancer is responsible for nearly one in 5 cancer deaths. While lung cancer and breast cancer
are diagnosed at the same rate (11.6% percent), lung cancer kills more people yearly than breast,
colon, and prostate cancers combined.
• Lung cancer mortality is projected to reach 2.45 million by 2030, a 39% increase in just over a
decade.
• Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for approximately 85% of all cases.
ii.Air pollution, particularly Particulate Matter (PM)2.5, is a significant factor associated with lung cancer and
has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the IARC since 2013.
• According to WHO, 99% of the world’s population breathes unhealthy air.
Related Observance:
i.World Cancer Day is annually observed across the globe on February 4, to promote awareness of cancer as a
public health issue.
ii.This global initiative is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
IASLC 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC):
i.The conference is organized by the International Conference Services Ltd. (ICS), International Association for
the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and will be held from September 9 – 12, 2023 at Suntec Singapore Convention
& Exhibition Centre, Suntec City, Singapore, Singapore.
ii.WCLC 2023 is a global, multi-disciplinary meeting designed for physicians, nurses, clinicians, researchers,
scientists, survivors, and advocates.

About the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC):
President– Dr. Heather Wakelee (the United States of America (USA))
Headquarters– – Denver, Colorado, USA
Founded in– 1974
World FinTech Day 2023 – 1st August

World FinTech Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st August to celebrate and recognize financial
technology and its transformative impact on the global financial industry.
Fintech:
i.Financial technology, or Fintech, refers to the use of technology in delivering financial services which ranges
from mobile banking and cryptocurrency to investment services and online lending.
ii.Fintech has democratized access to financial services, enabling more people to participate in the global
economy.
iii.Fintech has revolutionized the banking sector by introducing faster, more efficient, and customer-centric
services
Why August 1?
i.August 1st marks the death anniversary of Cosimo de’ Medici in 1464.
ii.Medici was a 15th-century Italian politician and banker who established the Medici Bank and influenced the
present-day banking system.
Recent Fintech innovations:
• Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
• Robo-advisors
• Mobile Payments and Digital Wallets
• Peer-to-Peer Lending
Additional Info:
• The global blockchain in banking and financial services market is reported to have experienced
significant growth, increasing from USD($)1.89 billion (roughly Rs. 15,552 crore) in 2022 to USD
3.07 billion (roughly Rs. 25,262 crore) in 2023.
• This growth reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 62.1 percent during this period.
Muslim Women Rights Day 2023 – 1st August

The Muslim Women’s Rights Day is annually celebrated across India on 1st August to commemorate the
enactment of Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, which prohibits the practice of
triple talaq in India.
• 1st August 2023 marks the observance of the 4th Muslim Women’s Rights Day.
• The legislation declared that triple talaq is a cognizable and non-bailable offense and shall also
sentence any such perpetrator to three years of imprisonment.
• The 1st ever Muslim Women Rights Day was observed on 1st August 2020.
Triple talaq:
i.The term ‘Talaq’ derives from Arabic verse which means ‘freeing or undoing the knot‘ that refers to a
divorce or dissolution of marriage.
ii.It is the practice prevalent in the Muslim community that allows a husband to instantly divorce his wife by
uttering ‘talaq’ three times.
iii.Under Muslim law, Triple talaq means liberty from the relationship of marriage, eventually or immediately.
iv.This instant divorce is called Triple Talaq, also known as Talaq-e-biddat.
Background:
In August 2017, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had declared the practice of talaq-e-biddat (a heretical
form of divorce based on a husband pronouncing divorce thrice in quick succession) as unconstitutional.The
bill faced opposition in the Rajya Sabha, leading to its initial stall, but it was reintroduced and successfully

passed by both Houses of Parliament in July 2019.
i.The Triple talaq bill also known as the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, was
passed by the Indian Parliament on 30th July 2019, to make instant Triple talaq in any form such as spoken,
written, or by electronic means void and a criminal offense.
ii.Then President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the bill on 1st August 2019 and criminalized triple talaq
in India.
iii.In 2020,Ministry of Minority Affairs was initiated to commemorate the ‘Muslim Mahila Adhikar Diwas’
(Muslim Women’s Rights Day) on August 1.
Triple talaq in other nations:
• Egypt was the first most Muslim populated country abolished Triple Talaq in 1929. Sudan in 1929,
Pakistan in 1956, Bangladesh in 1972, Iraq in 1959, Syria in 1953 and Malaysia in 1969 abolished
the practice of Triple Talaq.
• Cyprus, Jordan, Algeria, Iran, Brunei, Morocco, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) also had declared
the Triple Talaq as unconstitutional many years ago.
About Ministry of Minority Affairs:
Union Minister- Smriti Zubin Irani (Constituency-Amethi, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS)- John Barla
World Wide Web Day 2023- 1st August

World Wide Web Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st August to commemorate the introduction of
the World Wide Web (WWW) and its impact on the world.
What is WWW?
i.WWW, also known as Web, is a collection of websites or web pages stored in web servers and connected to
local computers through the internet.
ii.These websites contain text pages, digital images, audios, videos, etc.
iii.Users can access the content of these sites from any part of the world over the internet
Background:
i.Tim Berners-Lee a British computer scientist, developed the WWW on 1 August 1989, which marked the
beginning of the Internet, at the CERN center (the European Organisation for Nuclear Research) located in
Geneva, Switzerland, as a way for him to interact with co-workers via hyperlinks.
ii.The world’s first website went live on 6th August 1991 which was hosted on Berners-Lee’s NeXT computer.
Earth Overshoot Day 2023- 2nd August

Earth Overshoot Day (EOD) marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a
given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year.
• Earth Overshoot Day 2023 falls on 2nd August. This means that humanity currently uses 75% more
than what the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate.
i.Earth Overshoot Day 2022 was observed on 28th July.
ii.The first Earth Overshoot Day was calculated on 25th December 1971.
Note: The date is getting earlier every year as we are over-utilizing the resources every year.
Overshoot: When the combined deficit exceeds what the planet can provide, human society is considered to be
in overshoot.
History
The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first conceived by Andrew Simms of the United Kingdom(UK) think
tank New Economics Foundation, which partnered with Global Footprint Network in 2006 to launch the first
global Earth Overshoot Day campaign.
• Simms started the idea behind Earth Overshoot Day to understand the rate at which we are
consuming our natural resources and how long we can sustain them.

World Wide Fund(WWF), the world’s largest conservation organization, has participated in Earth Overshoot
Day since 2007.
Calculation of Earth Overshoot Day:
i.Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network, an international research
organization that uses United Nations(UN) data to calculate the supply and demand for ecological categories.
ii.Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources
Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and
multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year:
Earth’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day.
Click here for Research report on estimation of Earth Overshoot Day 2023.
Click here for the data published by Global Footprint Network
Country Overshoot Days
A country’s overshoot day is the date on which Earth Overshoot Day would fall if all of humanity consumed the
resource like the people of a particular country.
• Countries’ overshoot dates are calculated with Global Footprint Network’s National Footprint and
Biocapacity Accounts, which are updated annually.
Click here to view the Country Overshoot Days 2023
2023- Earth Overshoot Day:
Earth Overshoot Day 2023 will be marked together with the Republic of Slovenia.
• Slovenia adopted an Ecological Footprint reduction target and collaborates with organizations like
Global Footprint Network to achieve the overshoot which is a threat to Slovenia’s long-term success.
Measures to push Earth Overshoot Day back:
i.Increasing global low-carbon electricity sources from 39% to 75% would move it by 26 days
ii.Halving food waste would gain 13 days
iii.Tree intercropping would earn an extra 2.1 days
iv.Policies like 15-minute cities, a four-day work week will gain 11 days
v.Using public and green transport will earn 13 days.
About Global Footprint Network:
Chief executive officer (CEO)- Steven Tebbe
Headquarters- California, US
Established- 2003
National Bone & Joint Day 2023 – August 4

National Bone and Joint Day is observed annually on August 4 across India to increase awareness about the
importance of bone and joint health and to educate people about preventive measures and early detection of
various musculoskeletal disorders and conditions.
• The Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA) had launched the 2023 campaign under the theme ‘Each
One Train One Save One’.
Background:
i.The Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA) has been celebrating the National Bone & Joint Day across India
since 2012.
The first-ever National bone and joint day was observed on 4th August 2012..
ii.IOA was formed in 1955 and is one of the largest professional organizations which has more than 10000
active life members.
iv.The Founders day of the Indian Orthopaedic Association, 4th August shall be called the “Bone & Joint Day”,
and the preceding week culminating with the 4th August, shall be called the “ Bone & Joint week”.
Significance:
i.Bones serve as the foundation and protection for all organs in the body.
ii.During the growth period, children require sufficient vitamins and minerals to support their high metabolic

activity.
iii.Peak bone mass is a crucial aspect of skeletal health achieved during adolescence, playing a significant role
in preventing osteoporosis later in life.
Conditions affecting Bone & Joint Health:
Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are 2 distinct yet interrelated conditions that adversely affect bone and joint
health, leading to pain and disability.
1.Osteoporosis:
i.It is a progressive bone disease characterized by low bone density and deterioration of bone tissue, making
bones fragile and susceptible to fractures.
ii.It primarily affects older adults, particularly women after menopause, but can also occur in men and younger
individuals with specific risk factors.
2.Osteoarthritis:
i.It is a degenerative joint disease caused by the breakdown of cartilage, leading to joint pain and stiffness.
ii.It most commonly affects weight-bearing joints like knees, hips, and spine and often develops with age or due
to joint injury.
Source for healthy bones:
i.Vitamin D and Calcium are two crucial nutrients for bone health.
• Vitamin D is produced by the body upon exposure to sunlight, so outdoor activities are
recommended daily.
• Consuming dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fish, soybeans, and almonds, are excellent sources
of calcium.
ii.Engaging in physical activities like walking, jogging, and running can benefit overall bone and muscle health
in all age groups.
Preventive measures:
Women are more prone to poor bone health, especially once they reach menopause age. Some preventive
actions required to maintain healthy bones are,
• Balanced diet; Regular exercise; Maintaining a healthy weight; Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol
intake; Staying hydrated and so on.
Programs organised by Indian Orthopaedic Association:
i.On 4th August 2023, on the occasion of National Bone and Joint Day, IOA organised a Basic Life Support
Training with the theme “Each ONE Train ONE Save ONE” to save the lives of victims of traffic accidents by
spreading awareness about Strong Bone’s Stronger Nation.
ii.IOA also observed the Bone and Joint Week from 1st August to 6th August 2023.
Hiroshima Day 2023- 6th August

Hiroshima Day is annually observed across the globe on the 6th of August in accordance with the
remembrance of the victims of the world’s 1st nuclear attack on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945, during World War
II (WW2) (1939-1945).
• 6th August 2023 marks the 78th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombings.
• The Hiroshima Peace Festival Association organized a Peace Festival on August 6, 1947 for
promoting a lasting peace.
Background:
i.On 6th August 1945, the United States (US) Boeing-29(B-29) bomber aircraft dropped the powerful “Little
Boy”, the first atomic bomb, over Hiroshima in Japan, killing over 140,000 people.
• The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in the loss of 39% of the city’s civilian population.
ii.The Little Boy is a gun-type (uranium-235), which weighed 9,700 pounds, with a Diameter of 28 inches and
10ft length, and had a force of 15,000 tons of TNT (Trinitrotoluene).
iii.US Army Air Force Colonel Paul Tibbets was the pilot of the plane B-29 Enola Gay from which the Little Boy
was dropped.

iv.3 days later, on 9th August 1945, a second B-29 dropped another atomic bomb (plutonium-239) ‘The Fat
Man,’ on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people.
v.On 15th August 1945, Japan surrendered and signed the declaration of surrender on 2nd September in Tokyo
Bay, Japan.
vi.The cause for the attack was the allied forces in WW2 which includes Britain, the US, the Soviet Union and
China.
vii.The effects of radiation killed and affected many people in the following years.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park:
Every year on August 6th, the Hiroshima Day Memorial Service is held at the Peace Memorial Park, The
Genbaku Dome (the only structure left behind after the bomb blast) to commemorate the victims of the atomic
bombing of Hiroshima.
• The Genbaku Dome was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1996.
About Japan:
Prime Minister (PM)- Kishida Fumio
Capital- Tokyo
Currency- Japanese Yen
9th National Handloom Day – August 7 2023

National Handloom Day is annually observed on the 7th of August across India to promote handloom and to
recognise and honour the efforts and skills of the handloom weaving community engaged in the sector and the
contribution it has made to India’s socioeconomic development.
• This day is also celebrated to commemorate the Swadeshi movement which was initiated in 1905.
• August 7, 2023, marks the 9th National Handloom Day.
• The theme of 9th National Handloom Day is “Handloom for Sustainable Fashion”.
Note: Annually, the events to commemorate the National Handloom Day are organised by the Ministry of
Textiles (MoT).
Background:
i.In 2015, the Government of India (GoI) decided to designate the 7th of August every year, as the National
Handloom Day.
ii.The first National Handloom Day was inaugurated on 7th August 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
at the Centenary hall of Madras University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Note: India Handloom Brand (IHB) was also launched on the same day for branding high-quality handloom
products. IHB aims to provide a bridge between the weaver and the consumer.
Why August 7?
i.The date August 7 has been chosen because it was on this day that the Swadeshi Movement was launched in
1905.
ii.The formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement was made on August 7, 1905, in the Calcutta (now
Kolkata, West Bengal) Town Hall.
iii.The Swadeshi Movement was initiated to encourage the use of India-made goods which prominently
involved handlooms. The movement involved the revival of domestic products and production processes.
iv.This movement also played a major role in the Independence of India during British Rule. To honour the
significance of the Swadeshi Movement and the contribution of handloom weavers, GoI has declared August 7
as National Handloom Day every year.
Note:
• When Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India, announced the partition of Bengal in July 1905, Indian
National Congress (INC), initiated the Swadeshi movement in Bengal.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai were the key people in the Swadeshi
movement.

Significance:
i.Handloom weaving plays a significant role in India’s cultural heritage and economy. Handloom textiles are
also sustainable and ethically made.
ii.It provides employment to millions of people, especially women over with a share of 70% of the total
handloom workers.
iii.It has an eco-friendly production process with low capital and power requirements, as well as the ability to
adapt to evolving fashion trends and consumer preferences.
iv.GoI has devised various schemes such as Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme (IHDS), Handloom
Weavers Welfare Scheme, National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), Raw Material Supply Scheme
(RMSS) and etc for the growth of the sector.
v.The MoT has been annually conferring various awards like Sant Kabir Handloom Award and National
Handloom Award for excellence in weaving, design development, and marketing eﬀorts.
Development Commissioner for Handlooms:
i.Development Commissioner for Handlooms was set up as an attached non-participating office on 20th
November 1975 under the Ministry of Commerce. Currently, it is functioning under the MoT.
ii.Office of Development Commissioner (Handlooms) (O/o DC(Handlooms)) also oversees the implementation
of the Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1985 through its Enforcement Wing, with
regional offices at Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
• O/o DC(Handlooms) is headed by an officer of the Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary level and
O/o DC(Handlooms) is under the MoT.
National Handloom Development Corporation Limited (NHDC):
i.It was set up in February 1983 by the GoI as a public sector undertaking (PSU) under the MoT to achieve the
objectives of faster more inclusive and sustainable growth of the Handloom sector and so on.
ii.The Office of the NHDC is functioning under the Chairmanship of the Development Commissioner
(Handlooms) basically to provide input support through the procurement and distribution of yarn, dyes,
chemicals, and marketing of handloom fabrics.
2023 Events of National Handloom Day:
i.The MoT to commemorate the 9th anniversary of National Handloom Day organised a program named “Share
your Entrepreneurship Development Story” to encourage & motivate the Start-Ups and Entrepreneurs /agencies
of the handloom sector.
• Willing Handloom entities were requested to share their story in textual format along with relevant
photographs
ii.O/o DC(Handlooms) organised a selfie contest and a competition named “Create a Reel and Show Your Love
For Handloom” on MyGov platform.
• Citizens were also encouraged to sign a National Pledge to Use Indian Handloom on the MyGov
Platform.
iii.The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat organised a panel discussion
with a set of panelists on “Handloom as an Indigenous Industry: Challenges and a way forward” on the occasion
of National Handloom Day.
iv.NIFT also organised events like:
• Exhibition cum demonstration of Handloom techniques and textiles; Quiz competition on Handloom
textiles of India; Static display/installation Competition by students’ teams on Handloom textiles of
India; BestDressedHandloom– Selfie Competition.
On April 11, 2023, the MoT launched 2 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 31 items which marked the first
technical regulation from India for the Technical Textiles industry.
About Ministry of Textiles (MoT):
Union Minister– Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS)– Darshana Vikram Jardosh (Constituency- Surat, Gujarat)

Quit India Movement Day 2023- 8th August
The Quit India Movement Day is annually observed across India on 8th August to commemorate the launch of
the Quit India Movement on 8th August 1942. The day pays tribute to the martyrs and freedom fighters of the
Independence movement.
• 8th August 2023 marks the 81st anniversary of the Quit India movement.
Quit India Movement:
i.The Quit India Movement, also referred to as the August Movement, August Kranti, and Bharat Chhdo
Andolan, was a mass civil disobedience campaign demanding India’s independence from British rule.
ii.One of the key factors contributing to the Quit India Movement was the result of the failure of the Cripps
Mission in April 1942.
iii.It was officially launched by the Indian National Congress (INC) led by Mahatma Gandhi on 9th August 1942,
at the Bombay (now Mumbai) session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) during World War II (WW2)
demanding an end to British rule in India.
iv.Gandhiji gave the slogan “Do or Die” (Karo ya maro) in his speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now
popularly known as August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.
v.Aruna Asaf Ali, also referred to as the“Heroine of 1942 Quit India Movement”,“Queen of the August
revolution”, ‘Grand Old Lady’ of the Independence Movement, raised the Indian flag at the Gowalia Tank
Maidan.
• It was the first time that the Indian Tricolour was hoisted in public.
v.The phrase ‘Quit India’ was authored by Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist who served as Mayor
of Mumbai. (He also coined the slogan “Simon Go Back”)
vi.By 1944, almost all demonstrations as part of the movement had been suppressed.
About Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi:
Born- 2nd October 1869, Porbandar, Gujarat
Died- Assassinated on 30th January 1948.
Autobiography– The Story of My Experiments with Truth
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2023 – August 9

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (IDWIP) is annually
observed on 9th August across the world to promote and protect the rights of the world’s Indigenous
population and to raise awareness of the need to improve the economic, social, and cultural situation of the
indigenous people.
This day is also known as World Tribal Day or World Indigenous Peoples Day.
The 2023 theme of IDWIP is “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination” with the sub-
themes: Climate Action and the Green Transition; Mobilizing for Justice and Intergenerational Connections.
Note: The 2023 theme indicates that Indigenous Peoples have an equal right to govern themselves, equal to all
other Peoples.
Objective:
The 2023 theme aims to highlight the pivotal role played by young Indigenous individuals in decision-making
while recognizing their dedicated efforts in:
• Climate Action and Green Transition;
• Search for justice for their people, and
• The creation of an intergenerational connection that keeps their culture, traditions, and
contributions alive.
Background:
i.In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution resolution 49/214 titled
International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1994-2004) and proclaimed the 9th August of every
year during the decade as International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.
ii.The first-ever International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was observed on 9th August 1995.

Why 9th August?
The date 9th August marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous
Populations under the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, held in Geneva,
Switzerland.
Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People:
In 2005, the UNGA adopted the resolution A/RES/59/174 and proclaimed the decade commenced on 1 January
2005 and concluded in December 2014 as the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.
Note: Since 1994, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People has been an annual observance of the
UN.
Special Events Related to Indigenous Peoples:
i.In 1990, UNGA proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples by the resolutions
(A/RES/45/164 A/RES/47/75).
ii.UN declared, 2019 “The International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019)” to raise awareness about
the significant contributions the languages make to the rich cultural diversity of the World.
iii.The year 2022 marked the beginning of a new decade for the Indigenous community: the celebration of the
Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022 – 2032.
Key Points:
i.According to the UN, there are approximately 476 million indigenous individuals spread across 90 countries
globally. They constitute less than 5% of the global population, however, representing 15% of the world’s
poorest.
• They speak 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 distinct cultures.
ii.According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the only tripartite UN agency:
• Globally 47% of employed indigenous individuals lack formal education, compared to 17% of their
non-indigenous counterparts.
• The educational gap among indigenous employees widens further when considering gender,
especially women.
• More than 86% of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% of
their non-indigenous counterparts
• Indigenous Peoples are nearly 3 times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their
non-indigenous counterparts.
2023 Events of IDWIP:
i.The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) organised a virtual commemoration of the
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9th August 2023 to discuss the 2023 theme
“Indigenous youth as agents of change for self-determination”
ii.On 9th August 2023, a Webinar was co-organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
International Fund for Agricultural Development of the UN (IFAD) to commemorate the IDWIP.
• It was organised in keeping with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and World
Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 76.16 on “The Health of Indigenous Peoples”.
Upcoming Event:
2023 II Session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum, a Biannual UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum
hosted by the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) and organized by the Global Indigenous Youth will
take place from 16-20 October 2023 in Rome, Italy, to provide a space of dialogue between Indigenous Youth
and Countries, UN Agencies, Universities, Research centres and other stakeholders.
14th Equator Prize: UNDP announced 10 winners from 10 Countries
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its partners announced the winners of the 14th
Equator Prize, on the occasion of the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples, recognizing 10 Indigenous
peoples and local communities from 10 Countries namely Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Ecuador, Guatemala,
Greenland, Liberia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Zambia.

• The winning organisations demonstrate the potential of innovative, nature-based solutions, which
not only empower communities to realize their local development objectives but also promote
resilience even in a time of economic, environmental, political, and public health disruptions.
Award Ceremony:
i.The Equator Prize winners will be awarded at a ceremony in November 2023, during UNDP’s Nature for Life
Hub event.
ii.The winners will receive USD 15,000, and the opportunity to take part in a series of special virtual events
associated with the:
• UN General Assembly (UNGA);
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit;
• UN Climate Ambition Summit;
• UNDP Nature for Life Hub, and
• 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Key Highlights:
i.The 2023 winners were hailed from over 500 nominations from a total of 108 countries and the awardees join
a network of 275 communities who have been recognized since 2002 for their exceptional contributions to
adapt to and mitigate climate change and reduce poverty.
ii.The 2023 winners also highlight the 2023 theme of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples:
“Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.”
iii.Among the awardees, 4 winners are initiatives led by youth namely The Young Emerging Farmers Initiative
(YEFI), Zambia; Perfect Village Communities Burundi (PVC Burundi), Burundi; Instituto Zág, Brazil; Uru Uru
Team, Bolivia.
Equator Prize:
It is a biannual award to recognise outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation
and sustainable use of biodiversity organized by the Equator Initiative within the UNDP.
i.The initiative must have been in existence for at least 3 years.
ii.The initiative taken must be nature-based and must deliver benefits related to two or more SDGS.
iii.The nominee must be either a local community-based group, operating in a rural area, based in a country
receiving support from the UNDP; or an indigenous peoples’ community in any country, operating in a rural
area.
Administrator– Achim Steiner
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America (USA)
Nagasaki Day 2023- 9th August

Nagasaki Day is annually observed across the globe on the 9th of August to create awareness about the
hazards of nuclear weapons and to promote peace among nations.
• The day is also observed to remember the victims of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki, a city on the
island of Kyushu in Japan.
• 9th August 2023 marks the 78th anniversary of Nagasaki Day.
Background:
i.On 9th August 1945, the American USAAF B-29 airplane named “Bockscar”, piloted by United States
(US) Army Air Force Major Charles W. Sweeney, dropped the plutonium implosion-type bomb, code name “Fat
Man” the 2nd atom bomb on Japan’s Nagasaki.
• The bomb was dropped 3 days after the 1st uranium bomb ‘Little Boy’ on Japan’s Hiroshima.
ii.It was about 3.25 meters (10 feet 8 inches) in length and weighed approximately 4,670 kilograms (10,800
pounds).

iii.Initially, the city of Kokura Arsenal was the primary target, but due to visibility issues caused by smoke and
cloud cover, the bomber was diverted to its secondary target, Nagasaki.
• Nagasaki was an industrial center and major port on the western coast of Kyushu.
iv.It is estimated that by the end of 1945, 40,000 to 75,000 people were killed as a result of the blast.
v.Those who survived the immediate blast faced horrific injuries, radiation sickness, and long-term health
issues.
• Survivors of the bombing, known as “Hibakusha“
vi.Following the bombings, Japan announced its surrender on August 15, 1945.
Note: The Manhattan Project produced two different types of atomic bombs, in the ‘Trinity Test’, on July 16,
1945.
About Japan:
Prime Minister (PM)- Kishida Fumio
Capital- Tokyo
Currency- Japanese Yen
National Javelin Day 2023 – 7th August

National Javelin Day is annually celebrated across India on 7th August to commemorate the day on which
Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics and became the first Asian athlete to
win an Olympic gold medal in men’s javelin throw.
The day also aims to promote javelin throw across India and to attract more youth to the sport.
• 7th August 2023 marks the observance of the 2nd National Javelin Day.
The annual observance of the National Javelin Day is led by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), apex body
for athletics in India.
Background:
On 11th August 2021, the The Athletics Federation of India(AFI) declared the 7th August of every year, starting
from 2022, as the National Javelin Day.
The first ever National Javelin Day was observed on 7th August 2022.
Tokyo Olympics 2021
i.On 7th August 2021, Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a throw of
87.58m and became the 1st Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in men’s javelin throw.
ii.He is the 2nd individual Olympic gold medalist from India after Abhinav Bindra (Shooter), who won gold at
the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
About Neeraj Chopra:
Neeraj Chopra was born on 24th December 1997 in Panipat, Haryana. He joined the Indian Army as a Junior
Commissioned Officer (JCO) and Naib Subedar in 2016 under 4 Rajputana Rifles, one of the Army’s oldest rifle
regiments. He has been promoted to Subedar-Major following his olympic medal.
Neeraj Chopra’s achievements:
i.In 2014, he won the first-ever international medal (silver) in the Youth Olympics Qualification in Bangkok,
Thailand.
ii.In 2015, he received his first medal in a national senior championship during the Inter-State event in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN) with a throw of 77.33 meters.
iii.In 2016, he won a gold medal at the South Asian Games in Guwahati, Assam and gold at the World U20
Championships in Poland.
iv.In 2017, he won gold at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
v.In 2018, he won the gold medal in Commonwealth Games in Australia and the gold at the Asian Games in
Indonesia.
vi.In July 2022, he also won the won silver at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland and gold at the
Kuortane Games in Finland.

vii.Recently in 2022, Chopra registered his personal best throw to date and a new national record at the
Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden with an 89.94m.
Awards:
Arjuna Award (Athletics) – 2018
Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) – 2020
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (Athletics) – 2021
Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) – 2022
Padma Shri (Sports) – 2022
About Athletics Federation of India (AFI):
President- Adille J. Sumariwalla
Established- 1946
World Bio-Fuel Day 2023 – August 10

World Bio-Fuel Day is observed annually on 10th August to create awareness about the importance of non-
fossil fuels or bio-fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels for the energy sector.
• The day also honours Rudolf Diesel, a French-German Inventor, who invented the Diesel Engine in
1892.
• The day also tries to highlight the various efforts taken by the Government to promote the use of
biofuel for the sustainable development of the planet.
Background:
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas(MoPNG) initiated the observance of World Biofuel Day in India in
2015.
Why August 10?
10th August marks the day on which German inventor and mechanical engineer Sir Rudolf Christian Karl
Diesel for the first time successfully ran the Diesel engine with peanut oil in 1893.
What are Biofuels?
i.Unlike other renewable energy sources, biomass can be converted directly into liquid fuels, called “biofuels”
ii.Bio-fuels are environment-friendly fuels that can be produced using biological materials like agricultural
waste, trees, crops, algae, or even grass.
iii.They are cost-effective and can be stored in either liquid or gaseous form.
iv.Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable in nature.
v.These renewable fuels reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, establishing them as an essential component
towards a journey of a greener world.
Types of Biofuels:
At present, 2 most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel.
1.Ethanol:
i.Ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is a renewable fuel that can be made from various plant materials, collectively known as
“biomass.”
ii.Most of the fuel ethanol produced around the world is made by fermenting the sugar in the starches of grains
such as corn, sorghum, and barley, and the sugar in sugar cane and sugar beets.
2.Bio-Diesel:
i.It is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats, or
recycled cooking grease.
ii.It is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel and is nontoxic and biodegradable.
Bio-Fuel in India:
India is the third-largest primary energy consumer in the world after China and the United States of America
(USA).

• India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas published its “National Policy on Biofuels” in 2018,
and further amended it in June 2022. It replaced the previous “National Policy on
Biofuels” promulgated in 2009 through the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• An accelerated national E-20 (20% bioethanol blending) mandate from 2030 to 2025, aims to
increase the capacity of ethanol production in India from 7 billion liters (BL) in 2021 to 15 BL in
2025.
Supportive Programs:
i.In addition to natural gas, an initiative called “Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable
Transportation” (SATAT) has been taken up to extract economic value from bio-mass waste in the form of
Compressed BioGas (CBG) and bio-manure.
ii.Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana for providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF), financial support to Integrated
Second Generation (2G) Bioethanol Projects in 2 phases. Phase-I (2018-19 to 2022-23) and Phase-II (2020-21
to 2023-24).
Recent related News:
According to the data released by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), the MoPNG increased the
Administered Price Mechanism (APM) domestic natural gas price for May 2023 to more than 4% MoM (month-
over-month) to US$8.27 per mBtu (million British Thermal Units) on Gross Calorific Value (GCV) basis from
US$7.92 per mBtu in April 2023.
World Lion Day 2023 – August 10

World Lion Day is annually observed on 10th August across the globe to raise awareness about Lions, the
‘Majestic King of the Jungle‘ and highlight the threats faced by the lion population across the world.
• The day also aims to promote efforts for the conservation and protection of the Lion, the second-
largest Big Cat Species in the World.
• The Lions (Panthera Leo) roamed freely across the jungles of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle
East some 3 million years ago.
Background:
i.In 2013, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the co-founders of Big Cat Initiative (BCI) and National Geographic began
a partnership to establish World Lion Day.
ii.The first World Lion Day was observed in 2013.
iii.In 2009, the National Geographic Society, in partnership with Dereck and Beverly Joubert, founded the BCI to
halt the decline of big cats in the wild.
Types of Lion Species:
There are 2 formally recognised lion subspecies.
• The African lion (Panthera leo leo) is found in Africa, south of the Sahara desert.
• The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) exists in one small population around Gir Forest National
Park in western India.
Significance:
i.As per the ‘Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Lions
are categorised as “Vulnerable”.
ii.They are now found only in fragments of sub-Saharan Africa, along with a critically endangered
subpopulation in West Africa and a small population of Asiatic lions in India’s Gir National Park, in Gujarat.
• 3 of the 5 largest lion populations can be found in Tanzania.
iii.Lions live in groups called ‘Pride’.
Lion Population:
i.The IUCN estimates that between 23,000 to 39,000 lions remain in the wild. However, the number may be
closer to 20,000, as three-quarters of their population is in decline.

ii.Now, the population of lions in the wild is estimated to be around 20,000 individuals in Africa, with a
population of around 600 individuals remaining in Asia, all of them in Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
in Gujarat.
iii.The African lion has disappeared from 94% of its historic range and can only be found today in parts of sub-
Saharan Africa.
Note: The Barbary Lion, Cape Lion, Eurasian Cave Lion, and American Cave Lion are all extinct lions.
Threats faced by Lions:
• Targeted poaching of lions for body parts
• Habitat loss and fragmentation
• Human-Wildlife Conflict
• Prey Depletion
• Climate Change
• Lack of Legal Protection
Note: As a result, the lion population has declined by approximately 43% over the past two decades.
Lion Population in India:
i.Gujarat state in India is the only place apart from Africa where it is possible to witness lions in their natural
habitat.
ii.The Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is not just a habitat; it’s a sanctuary for the Asiatic lions.
iii.The IUCN categorised Asiatic lions as ‘Endangered’, because of their limited population and constrained
habitat.
iv.According to a recent Guardian report, there are now about 400 lions living in the Gir National Park and
another 300 in other locations throughout Gujarat, which represents a considerable rise in the population of
these threatened species.
Lion Census in India:
i.The first Lion Census was conducted by the Nawab of Junagadh in 1936; since 1965, the Forest Department
has been regularly conducting the Lion Census every five years.
ii.The Forest Department of Gujarat announced the population of Asiatic Lions in 2020, and it was 674, which
was up from 523 in the 2015 Lion Census.
Project Lion:
i.The Government of Gujarat proposed plans for a second home for Asiatic lions in Barda wildlife sanctuary,
Gujarat.
ii.As per the report by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) under the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and
Climate Change, the Government has planned to translocate 40 adult and sub-adult lions to the Barda Wildlife
Sanctuary.
First-Ever UN’s World Steelpan Day 2023 – August 11

The United Nations (UN)’s first-ever World Steelpan Day was observed on 11th August 2023, to recognise
the cultural and historical significance of the Steelpan, the National Musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago,
and its correlation to cultural, social, and economic development.
• Steelpan or steel drums orginiated in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), one of the
wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, during the 1930s.
• The day also recognises the potential of the steelpan in advancing the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), through their use in sectors such as tourism, culture, education, and even the domains
of STEM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).
Note: ‘Steelpan’ was declared as the National Musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago in August 1992.
Pan Month:
POS (T&T) base Pan Trinbago Inc is a cultural organisation recognised as the parent body for steelbands. It has
been celebrating ‘Pan Month‘ in the month of August every year since 1992, to commemorate the official
declaration of the Steelpan as the national instrument of T&T.

Background:
i.On 24th July 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution A/RES/77/316 and
proclaimed the 11th of August every year as World Steelpan Day.
• 11th August 2023 marks the first observance of World Steelpan Day.
ii.The UN annual observance of World Steelpan Day is a global acknowledgment of the renowned traditional
musical instrument. The draft resolution for World Steelpan Day secured co-sponsorship from 84 member
states of the UNGA.
iii.In 2019, Port of Spain (POS), the capital city of T&T, was designated as a United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City of Music for its creativity through the Steelpan, as a
strategic component for sustainable urban development.
• Other Creative Cities of Music in the Caribbean are Havana, Kingston, and Santo Domingo.
iv.In 2022, the Government of T&T formally requested UNESCO to proclaim August 11 as World Steelpan Day
from 2023, and annually, thereafter.
Note: Randall Mitchell, T&T’s Minister of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts brought the resolution for World
Steelpan Day to the UNGA and shared key details about the Steelpan.
What is Steelpan?
i.It is a definite percussion instrument in the idiophone class.
i.The steelpan is also known as a pan, steel drum, or even as part of a steel band or steel orchestra.
ii.Rubber-tipped straight sticks are used to play the pan, the tip’s material and size vary with the pan’s class.
iii.The steel pan’s origin can be traced back to T&T’s early 20th-century Carnival. The Carnival percussion
groups contributed to the development of the modern steel pan band.
Key Points:
i.‘Trinidad All-Steelpan Percussion Orchestra’ (TASPO) was the first Steelpan band, performed at the Festival of
Britain, the United Kingdom (UK) in 1951, and was the first group to take the steelpan worldwide.
ii.The first national steelpan competition debuted in T&T in 1963.
About Trinidad & Tobago:
Capital– Port of Spain
Prime Minister– Keith Christopher Rowley
Currency– Trinidad & Tobago Dollar
International Youth Day 2023 – August 12

United Nations (UN’s) International Youth Day is annually observed on 12th August across the globe to
celebrate the potential and contributions of young individuals to society and to create awareness about the
problems faced by them globally. The day also aimed to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues
surrounding youth.
• The Theme of International Youth Day 2023 observed on 12th August 2023 is “Green Skills for
Youth: Towards a Sustainable World“.
Background:
i.The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by young people who gathered in Vienna, Austria,
for the first session of the UN’s World Youth Forum.
• The Forum in partnership with youth organizations, recommended declaring International Youth
Day, especially for fund-raising, to support the UN’s Youth Fund.
ii.In 1998, a resolution proclaiming 12 August as International Youth Day was adopted by the first session of
the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, hosted by the Government of Portugal in cooperation
with the UN in Lisbon from August 8-12, 1998.
iii.On 17th December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), endorsed the proclamation in its
resolution A/RES/54/120 entitled “Policies and programmes involving youth”.
iv.The first International Youth Day was observed on 12th August 2000.

Green Skills for Youth:
i.Green skills are Transversal and Technical skills composed of knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes
needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.
ii.Youth will endure severe climate events longer.
• 7 out of 10 young people want to be actively engaged in the green transition.
iii.Youth will experience significant changes in economic opportunities.
• Climate change threatens 40% of all jobs, that are heavily reliant on a healthy environment.
• By 2030, 8.4 million jobs will be created for young people by the green transition.
• Green jobs lead to more jobs. For each green job, 1.4 more jobs are created.
iv.Skills demand is exceeding supply.
• In 2030, 60% of young people will lack the skills necessary to thrive in the green economy.
v.There are disparities that must be addressed:
• To the Technology divide, 67% of youth do not have digital skills due to the lack of basic resources.
Be Seen Be Heard campaign:
i.The Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Body Shop International, England(United
Kingdom) based global beauty brand support the “Be Seen Be Heard campaign“, launched in 2022 to increase
the participation of youth in political arenas in all 75+ countries, where the Body Shop operates.
ii.The following report is based on the findings of the ‘Be Seen Be Heard Global Youth Survey conducted in
December 2021:
• Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of
2030.
• 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17-year-olds being the most optimistic about
this.
• Globally, only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 years old, and less than 1% of these young MPs
are women.
• Some 267 million young people are not in education, employment, or training, among them, two-
thirds are young women.
World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY):
i.The UNs’ youth agenda is guided by the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY).
ii.World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, an international strategy adopted
by UNGA in 1995, provides a policy framework and practical guidelines for national action and international
support to improve the situation of young people around the world.
iii.The WPAY covers 15 youth priority areas and contains proposals for action in each of these areas.
Youth2030, the UN Youth Strategy:
The World Youth Report on “Youth and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, prepared by the
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in 2018, provides insight into the role of young
people in sustainable development in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and related frameworks
• According to the report, by 2030, the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that
make up the 2030 Agenda, the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7%, to nearly 1.3
billion.
Youth 2030 Progress Report 2023:
i.Youth 2030 Progress Report 2023, represents a significant milestone, marking 5 years since the launch of
Youth2030, the UN Youth Strategy.
ii.The current report offers a comprehensive overview of the progress in the implementation of Youth2030. By
comparing baseline data from the United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) (2020) and UN entities (2021) with
the latest reported data in 2022.

2023 Event:
For the official commemoration of International Youth Day 2023, DESA organised a global webinar on 11th
August 2023 based on green skills for youth, in collaboration with the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for
Youth and Generation Unlimited.
World Elephant Day 2023 – August 12

World Elephant Day is annually celebrated on 12th August across the globe to increase public awareness of
the preservation and protection of elephants, the ‘Gentle Giants‘ worldwide.
• This day also highlights the challenges encountered by the elephants, including habitat loss,
poaching for ivory, human-elephant conflicts, and the need for better conservation efforts.
The theme of World Elephant Day 2023 observed on 12th August 2023 is “Ending the Illegal Wildlife Trade“.
• The 2023 theme emphasises the significance of stopping the illegal trade in elephants and other
animal products.
Background:
i.The idea of observing World Elephant Day was given by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark
of Canazwest Pictures and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary–General of the Elephant Reintroduction
Foundation in Thailand.
ii.The first World Elephant Day was officially founded, supported, and launched by Patricia Sims and the
Elephant Reintroduction Foundation on 12 August 2012.
• Since 2012, Patricia Sims continues to lead, support, and direct World Elephant Day, which is now
recognised and celebrated by over 100 wildlife organisations in countries across the globe.
Species of Elephant:
There are 3 species of elephants namely, African Bush Elephants, also known as African Savanna elephants
(Loxodonta africana), African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus).
Red List of IUCN:
i.According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the ‘African forest elephant‘ is now listed as ‘Critically
Endangered‘, and the ‘African savanna elephant‘ as Endangered.
ii.The Asian elephant has been listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List since 1986.
Key Facts:
i.As per IUCN assessments 2021, the African forest elephant numbers have fallen by more than 86% over a
period of 31 years and the population of African savanna elephants decreased by at least 60% over the last 50
years.
ii.As per the IUCN Asian Elephant Red List Assessment 2020 (Assessed in 2019), the population estimation as
of 2018, collectively across all range countries, suggests a global Asian Elephant abundance of 48,323–51,680
individuals in the wild.
Elephant population in India:
i.India is home to 60% of the Global population of Asian Elephants.
ii.The current population estimates indicate that there are about 50,000-60,000 Asian elephants in the world
and there are nearly 30,000 elephants in India.
iii.According to IUCN 2020 Assessment, there were around 29,964 numbers in India.
Project Elephant:
i.It was launched in 1992, intended to preserve habitat and establish elephant corridors, the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) provides technical and financial support for elephant
conservation and welfare and the support.
ii.It is to develop a comprehensive database of all captive elephants and will help control the illegal trade of
wild elephants.
• Elephant reserves are the fundamental management unit under Project Elephant. As on April 2023,
there are 33 elephant reserves spread over 80,778 sq kilometers across India.

Note: On April 2023, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘Gaj Utsav 2023’ at the Kaziranga National
Park (World Heritage Site (1985)) in Assam to mark 30 years of Project Elephant
Few Efforts of the Government of India for Elephants:
i.The Indian Government declared the elephant a National Heritage Animal of India, notedly Indian elephant
is accorded the highest degree of protection under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
• The Act bans the trade of all elephant ivory, and all ivory trade markets and carvings have been
closed in India since 1990.
ii.The Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, protects elephant habitats from loss and degradation.
iii.The Government is using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology for elephant corridors, to provide
food and water to the animals in the forests in order to reduce the human-animal conflict.
iv.The Gaj Yatra campaign is a nationwide awareness initiative that highlights the importance of securing
elephant corridors.
2023 Events in India:
On 12th August 2023, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEF&CC) addressed a gathering on the occasion of World Elephants Day in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and
emphasised mainstreaming biodiversity in India’s economic development to ensure ecological wellbeing and
sustainability.
Report on Elephant Corridors:
i.On the occasion, the Union Minister released the report on the Elephant Corridors of India prepared by
Project Elephant.
ii.The report is an outcome of field validation of all the identified elephant corridors in India in collaboration
with the State Forest Departments from elephant range states and spans nearly two years of concerted efforts.
iii.It encompasses 150 elephant corridors across India with corresponding maps and is intended to serve as an
important reference manual for the elephant corridors of India.
iv.It would help the State Governments in taking proactive measures for the preservation of these corridors, by
ensuring the unhindered elephants’ movement to avoid negative human-wildlife interactions.
Gaj Gaurav Awards 2023:
During the occasion, he conferred the Gaj Gaurav Awards 2023 to the awardees for their exemplary
contributions to the field of elephant conservation and management. The awards were conferred to:
• Alefnagar Joint Forest Management Committee, West Bengal;
• (Late) Bishwarrajan Panigrahi, (ex) protection squad in the Dhenkanal range of Odisha for his
exemplary services;
• Pitambara Gouda, watcher, elephant squad of Rayagada Forest Division in Koraput circle of Odisha;
• Deepak Sharma, Forest Guard, Assistant Gaj Yatra Team, Mahasamund Forest Division, Chhattisgarh;
• Dr Mirza Vaseem, veterinary officer, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka.
Highlights:
i.As part of the efforts of the MoEFCC and the Ministry of Railways, the State Forest Departments, and National
Institutions like the Wildlife Institute of India, about 110 critical stretches across the Railway network in India
that pass through elephant habitats have been identified.
• In these critical stretches, multipronged strategies are planned to minimize Railway-related
elephant collisions.
• The Ministry of Railways is examining, to replicate the technology-based intrusion detection system
along the tracks in Odisha and other States in India.
ii.For the first time ever, the MoEFCC has commenced carrying out management effectiveness and evaluation of
the Elephant Reserves across India. 4 elephant reserves across the four elephant-bearing regions of India have
been identified for piloting the process.
iii.In India, the Elephant Reserve network increased from 76,508 square kilometers to 80,777 square
kilometers, comprising of 33 Elephant Reserves during the last two years.

iv.The Union Minister also released the second edition of the Atlas of Elephant Reserves of India, which is
intended to provide basic information on all 33 Elephant Reserves of India.
v.He also Chaired the 19th Steering Committee meeting of Project Elephant in Odisha, and emphasised on
the need to mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
World Organ Donation Day 2023 – August 13

World Organ Donation Day is annually observed on the 13th August across the globe to spread awareness
about the importance of organ donation to save more lives and to make people aware of the misconceptions
about organ donation.
• This day also aims to spread awareness and increase the number of people volunteering to donate
their organs after death and to thank organ donors for their life-saving contributions.
The theme of World Organ Donation Day 2023 observed on 13th August 2023 is “Step up to volunteer; we
need more organ donors to fill the lacunae”.
• The theme focuses on demanding urgent attention from the local public to emphasises the
significance of pledging for organ donation, with the aim of alleviating the ever-growing demand for
organs.
Background:
i.The world’s first-ever successful living donor organ (Kidney) transplant was performed in 1954 in the United
States of America (USA).
• A man named, Ronald Lee Herrick donated his kidney to his twin brother, Richard Lee Herrick.
ii.The doctor who performed this surgery was named Dr. Joseph Murray. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology
and Medicine in 1990 for bringing advances in organ and cell transplantation in the treatment of human
disease.
iii.Dr. Joseph Murray shared with E. Donnall Thomas, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his development of
bone marrow transplantation, which could cure patients with advanced leukemia.
Types of Organ Donation:
There are 2 forms of organ donation: Living donation (donor is alive), and cadaver donation (donor donates
after death).
Note: A donation from a deceased organ donor can save up to 8 lives, and enhance over 75 more.
Organ Donation Day in India:
i.Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) is being observed on the 27th of November every year in India since 2010,
to promote the act of organ donation.
ii.IODD was started under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant
Organization (NOTTO) until 2022.
iii.From 2023, the day is being celebrated on August 3 to commemorate the first successful deceased donor
organ transplant in India on 3rd August 1994, which was also the first Heart transplant, after the promulgation
of “The Transplantation of Human Organ Act” on 8th July 1994.
iv.In India, a group of 20 surgeons led by Dr. P. Venugopal successfully performed India’s first heart transplant
at AIIMS, Delhi on August 3, 1994. Devi Ram, a 40-year-old was the recipient and the donor was a 35-year-old
woman. Devi Ram lived on for another 15 years.
Donate Organ Save Lives Campaign:
i.In 2023, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, an awareness campaign for organ donation “Angdaan Mahotsav”
has been started on 1st July 2023.
• As part of the campaign, 3rd August 2023 will be celebrated as IODD.
ii.The month of July 2023 was celebrated as Organ Donation Month, during which various awareness activities
will be organised.
• NOTTO in collaboration with the MyGov platform has organised a Poster Making Competition on
organ donation from August 3, 2023, to August 31, 2023.

Efforts of Government of India for Organ Donation:
i.On 8 July 1994, the Indian parliament passed a law called the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA)
that made deceased donor organ transplantation a reality in India by accepting brainstem death as a form of
death.
• The act also establishes the NOTTO and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTO)
to oversee organ donation and transplantation activities.
ii.National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) was launched in 2014 to create a national registry of organ
donors and recipients, establish more organ transplant centers, and raise awareness about organ donation.
iii.National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry was established in 2015, to maintain records of organ
donations and transplantation.
World Humanitarian Day 2023 – August 19

The United Nations (UN)’s World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed annually on 19th August across the
globe to pay tribute to humanitarian people around the world, who have committed their lives in order to
support or help others, particularly in times of crisis and conflict.
• The day is also dedicated to recognise humanitarian people and those who lost their lives working for
humanitarian causes.
WHD is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
2023 Campaign of WHD:
i.In 2023, the WHD campaign brings together the global humanitarian community to mark the 20th
anniversary of the attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.
ii.The 2023 WHD Campaign tagline is #NoMatterWhat.
iii.It represents that, Humanitarians have no other purpose than to save and protect lives and deliver the basic
necessities of life, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the communities they serve and bring hope, no matter
who, no matter where, and #NoMatterWhat.
Background:
i.On 11th December 2008, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution A/RES/63/139 and
proclaimed 19th August of every year as World Humanitarian Day (WHD).
ii.The first World Humanitarian Day was observed on 19th August 2009.
Why August 19?
i.The day commemorates the tragic bombing of the UN headquarters on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq in
2003, which claimed the lives of 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
ii.Sergio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian UN diplomat, who served as the United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights.
• He also served in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Bangladesh, Sudan, Cyprus,
Mozambique, and Peru.
Aid Worker Security Database (AWSD):
i.It records major incidents of violence against aid workers, with incident reports from 1997 through the
present.
ii.AWSD initiated in 2005, is a global compilation of reports on major security incidents involving deliberate
acts of violence affecting aid workers.
Key Points:
i.According to the Statistics from Humanitarian Outcomes:
• In 2022, 444 aid workers were attacked: 116 were killed, 143 wounded and 185 kidnapped. Of the aid
workers who died, 96% were national staff and 4% were international (expatriate) staff, more than half
(47%) were staff of national Non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
• AWSD 2023 Data shows that South Sudan has been the most dangerous place for aid workers for several
consecutive years.

ii.As per the UN OCHA’s Global Humanitarian Overview 2023, 1 in 23 people globally needs humanitarian
assistance and protection.
About United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
Under-Secretary-General– Martin Griffiths
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland, and New York, the United States of America
Founded on– 1991
World Photography Day 2023 – August 19

World Photography Day is annually observed on 19th August across the globe to celebrate the art, craft,
science, and history of photography. The day also promotes communication between people from different
cultures and countries, helping to enrich a sense of global community.
• World Photography Day commemorates the announcement of the Daguerreotype process of photography
by the French government as a ‘free gift to the world’.
The 2023 Theme of World Photography Day is “Landscapes“.
This day also represents the significant contribution of skilled photographers and encourages and inspires the
next generation of photographers.
World Photography Week:
It was introduced in 2022. It is a 2-week worldwide celebration of Photography, beginning a week before
World Photography Day, on 12th August, and running a week after, through 26th August.
On each day of World Photography Week, interested individuals can share a photo on their favourite social
media platforms, using the hashtag: #WorldPhotographyWeek.
Background:
i.In 1837, the first ever photographic process, the ‘Daguerreotype’ was developed by Louis-Jacques-Mandé
Daguerre, a French artist and photographer.
• He was the business partner of Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor, whose heliography method
is the forebear of the photographic process.
ii.The French Academy of Sciences officially announced the invention of the daguerreotype in 1839 to the
public.
iii.On August 19, 1839, the government of France purchased the patent for the invention and gave it as a gift,
“free to the world.” Later on, the day began to be marked as World Photography Day annually.
iv.The first official World Photography Day was observed on 19th August 2010. It was on this date that nearly
270 photographers shared their pictures in a global online gallery.
Daguerreotype Process:
i.The daguerreotype is a direct-positive process, creating a highly detailed image recorded on a copper plate
coated with silver iodide without the use of a negative.
ii.Latent images produced in-camera were developed by exposure to mercury vapor and were then fixed with a
strong salt solution.
iii.It became the first technique for making a camera image permanent.
Key Facts:
i.The first durable colour photograph was taken in the year 1861.
ii.The first digital photograph was taken in 1957 by Russell Kirsch, an American Computer Scientist,
• The photo was a digital scan of a shot initially taken on film.
iii.The first actual digital still camera was developed by Eastman Kodak engineer Steven Sasson in 1975.
Sadbahavana Diwas or Harmony Day 2023 – August 20

Sadbahavana Diwas, also known as Harmony Day, is annually celebrated on 20th August across India to
celebrate the birth anniversary of India’s 6th Prime Minister (PM) Rajiv Gandhi.
• Sadbahavana Diwas aims to encourage peace, national integration, and communal harmony among
all religions.

• The day offers a platform for the people to take the pledge to establish peace and harmony around
them.
The Sadbahavana Diwas 2023 marks the 79th birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, who was born
on 20 August 1944.
Note: ‘Sadbhavana‘ means ‘Goodwill’ in English.
Background:
i.In memory of Rajiv Gandhi, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) of the Indian National Congress (INC)
started the Sadbhavana Diwas and instituted the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 1992.
ii.The first Sadbhavana Diwas was observed in 1992, a year after Rajiv Gandhi was assasinated by a suicide
bombing in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu on 21st May 1991.
• 21st May, the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi was declared National Anti-Terrorism Day.
iii.Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award recognises people who have dedicated their lives to promoting
social harmony.
About Rajiv Gandhi:
i.Rajiv Gandhi was born on 20th August 1944, in Bombay (now Mumbai, Maharashtra). He was the grandson of
the first PM of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and son of Indira Gandhi, India’s first female PM.
ii.He became PM of India after the assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi in 1984.
iii.At the age of 40, he became the youngest PM of India, perhaps even one of the youngest elected heads of
Government in the world, and served from 31st October 1984 to 2nd December 1989.
iv.The Indian Government honoured him with the Bharat Ratna (posthumously) in 1991 for his public service.
Reforms during Rajiv Gandhi’s Period as PM:
i.In 1986, he suggested a National Education Policy (NEP) to upgrade and expand higher education in India.
ii.He launched a federal government-based institution, the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), to increase rural
society by offering free residential education from Class 6th to Class 12th in 1986.
iii.Rajiv Gandhi’s initiatives resulted in the establishment of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) in 1986 to
support the distribution of the telephone network.
• Rajiv Gandhi, the architect of digital India, is hailed as the ‘Father of Information Technology (IT)
and Telecom Revolution of India’.
iv.Under the Rajiv Gandhi government, the Parliament passed the Constitution (61st Constitutional
Amendment) Act, 1988 in Lok Sabha which lowered the voting age for elections to Lok Sabha from 21 years to
18 years by amending Article 326 of the Indian Constitution.
Observance of 2023 Sadbhavana Diwas:
Since the Sadbahavana Diwas 2023 (20th August 2023) falls on sunday, the annual Sadbhavana Pledge taking
event was orgnaised on 18th August 2023 in all Government Offices.
• The officials of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in the Ministry
of Social Justice & Empowerment facilitates led by Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal took the ‘Sadbhavana
Pledge’ in the Conference Room of Antyoday Bhawan, CGO Complex, Delhi.
• The Sadbhavana Pledge was taken in all government offices, to avoid violence and to support
goodwill among the people.
Akshay Urja Diwas:
i.The Akshay Urja Day or Akshay Urja Diwas is celebrated annually on 20th August. It is a significant
awareness campaign launched in 2004 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, to raise awareness about
the advantages of renewable energy and how to use energy resources efficiently in India.
ii.The initiative focuses on the adoption of various kinds of renewable energy forms, including solar, wind, and
biofuels through technological innovation and decentralised power production.
It also serves as a tribute to the former PM, Rajiv Gandhi, as it coincides with his birthday.

World Mosquito Day 2023 – August 20
World Mosquito Day is annually observed across the globe on 20th August to commemorate Sir Ronald Ross
a British doctor who discovered the relationship between mosquitoes and the transmission of malaria
between humans in 1897.
• The day aims to create awareness about the cause and prevention of Malaria.
• The observance also recognises the efforts of the health care officials and others who are combating
the diseases caused by Mosquitoes.
Ross’s Discovery & Nobel Prize:
i.On August 20, 1897, Ronald Ross discovered the malaria parasite while dissecting the stomach tissue of an
Female Anopheles mosquito. Later, he confirmed the growth of the parasite in the mosquito.
• Note: The discovery was made in Secunderabad (now in Telangana, India).
ii.His work showed how the parasite enters the organism and laid the foundation for the research on
malaria and methods of combating it.
iii.He received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for this work.
• He was the first Briton to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
About Ronald Ross:
i.Ronald Ross was born on 13th May 1857 in Almora, India (now in Almora, Uttarakhand, India).
ii.He has also developed mathematical models for the study of Malaria’s epidemiology.
iii.He was given the Honorary Membership of learned societies of most countries of Europe
iv.He served as Director in Chief of the Ross Institute and Hospital of Tropical Diseases and Hygiene,
established by the admirers of his work, and he remained in this position until his death(16th September
1932).
V.Ross wrote extensively on malaria including his book The Prevention of Malaria in 1911.
Significance:
Since 1930s, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a public research university in Bloomsbury,
London, the United Kingdom(UK), has been annually organising a commemorative event on 20th August to pay
tribute to Sir Ronald Ross.
About Malaria:
Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people through the
bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
5 species of parasites can cause malaria in humans and 2 of these species – Plasmodium(P.) and P. vivax – pose
the greatest threat.
WHO & Malaria:
Annually, World Health Organization (WHO) observes World Malaria Day on the 15th of April to raise
awareness of the global effort to control and ultimately eradicate malaria.
• The theme of World Malaria Day 2023 (15th April 2023) was “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest,
innovate, implement”.
• WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP) coordinates WHO’s global efforts to control and eliminate
malaria.
International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism 2023 – August 21
United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is
annually observed across the world on the 21st August to honour and support the victims and survivors of
terrorism and to promote and protect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• The day also aims to pay tribute to all the victims of the global curse of terrorism, at home and
worldwide.
21st August 2023 marks the 6th commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to
the Victims of Terrorism

The 2023 theme of the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is: “Legacy:
Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful Future.”
Background:
i.The Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/RES/17/8 of 16th June 2011, proposed the “Proclamation of 19
August of every year as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism”.
ii.On 19the December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution
A/RES/72/165 and proclaimed the 21st of August of every year as the International Day of Remembrance of
and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
iii.The first International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism was observed
on 21st August 2018.
Significance:
i.The day aims to encourage the UN Member States to have the primary responsibility to support victims of
terrorism and support their rights.
ii.It aslo provides technical assistance and capacity-building to Member States and victims’ associations in
better addressing the needs of victims of terrorism.
8th Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy:
i.On 22nd June 2023, the Member States undertook the 8th biennial review of the strategy, and UNGA adopted
it without a vote resolution (A/RES/77/298).
ii.It underlined the importance of the protection of terrorism victims’ rights, in particular of women, children
and those affected by sexual and gender-based violence committed by terrorists.
Note: The 9th review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2026 will then coincide with the 20th
anniversary of the adoption of the Strategy.
Pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy:
• Measures to address the conditions helpful to the spread of terrorism.
• Measures to prevent and fighting terrorism.
• Measures to build States’ capacity to prevent and fight terrorism, and to strengthen the role of the
UN system in that regard.
• Measures to ensure respect for human rights for all, and the rule of law as the fundamental basis of
the fight against terrorism.
2023 Event: Legacy: Finding Hope and Building a Better Future:
i.A high-level event entitled ‘Legacy: Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful Future’ was broadcasted on 21st
August 2023 on UN Web TV, to mark the 6th commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and
Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
• The UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the event, which featured opening remarks
by Mr Vladimir Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General for the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism
(UNOCT).
• The pre-recorded event also featured testimonies of victims/survivors of terrorism from India,
Uganda, the United States of America (USA), and the United Nations, who shared their experiences.
ii.The “Memories” exhibition is on display in the Visitor’s Lobby of UN Headquarters in New York, USA from
20th July 2023 to 1st September 2023 to commemorate the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to
the Victims of Terrorism.
• The exhibition is part of the activities organised by the Global Victims of Terrorism Programme, a
flagship programme of UNOCT and its Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT).
About United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT):
Under-Secretary-General– Vladimir Voronkov
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America (USA)
Established on– 15 June 2017

World Senior Citizen’s Day 2023 – August 21
World Senior Citizen’s Day is annually celebrated across the globe on 21st August to honour the efforts,
contributions, and achievements made by elderly people to society, families, and communities. The day also
recognises the issues that an elderly individual faces in old age.
• The day also aims to recognise and appreciate their participation in society in order to promote
their skills and knowledge.
Background:
i.The observance of World Senior Citizen’s Day was started in 1988, when Ronald Reagan, the 40th President
of the United States of America (USA) signed the Proclamation of 5847 on August 19, 1988, and declared the
21st of August every year as the “National Senior Citizens Day”.
ii.The Proclamation of 5847, which was signed on 19th August 1988 initially appeared as National Day of the
Third Age on 21st August.
• On 14th December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution
declaring 1st October as the International Day of Older Persons.
Who are Senior Citizens?
Senior citizens are generally people who have attained the age of 60 or people who have retired from their job.
Significance:
i.The day serves as a global opportunity to honour and appreciate the elderly people, recognising their
remarkable accomplishments, dedication, and invaluable wisdom.
ii.The day promotes intergenerational connections and advocates for better lives of senior citizens as they help
preserve the values and heritage of our society.
Initiatives of Government of India for Senior Citizens:
Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY):
i.Atal VayoAbhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), formerly National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC), was
revamped, renamed and subsumed in April 2021.
ii.The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is
the nodal department of the scheme, aimed at empowering senior citizens in India.
ii.This Plan takes care of the top 4 needs of the senior citizens namely financial security, food, health care, and
human interaction /life of dignity.
Sub Schemes/Components:
1.Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) and State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC),
for Shelter and Health for Senior Citizens.
2.Health and nutrition support for indigent elders: Government of India has launched ‘Poshan Abhiyan’ for
the Elderly, to provide nutrition support to the indigent elders, who are not staying in the Old Age Homes and
are victims of severe malnutrition
3.Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for
Senior citizens belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.
4.Livelihood and Skilling for Senior Citizens (Self HelpGroups (SHGs)): To provide the senior citizens ways
and means for achieving right to happy, healthy and dignified ageing through financial independence.
5.National Helpline, Awareness, Training and Capacity Building: Elder Line 14567 is a National Helpline
for Senior Citizens (NHSC) (toll-free number) launched on 1st October 2021 to provide free information, and
guidance to the senior citizens.
• It was set up by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E).
6.Promoting Silver Economy: To promote innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative
start-ups will be identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of
the elderly under this initiative.
7.Channelization of CSR Funds for eldely Care: To channelise the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
funds in an appropriate manner for elderly care projects.

National Award For Senior Citizens (Vayoshreshtha Samman):
i.Every year, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment confers the “National Award for Senior
Citizens (Vayoshreshtha Samman)” to eminent and outstanding senior citizens and institutions/organizations
on 1st October on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons.
ii.Iconic Mother Award: For women senior citizens who ignored all odds to raise accomplished children in
their chosen field.
International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
2023 – August 22
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on
Religion or Belief is annually observed across the globe on 22nd August to condemn the violence and acts of
terrorism against individuals of religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.
• 22nd August 2023 marks the observance of the 5th International Day Commemorating the Victims
of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
Background:
On 28th May 2019, The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/73/296 and
proclaimed the 22nd of August of every year as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of
Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
• The first-ever International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion
or Belief was observed on 22nd August 2019.
Significance:
i.The day highlights the importance to protect the fundamental right of all citizens to exercise their religion and
beliefs as well as the freedom to express their religious aspirations and views.
ii.The observance also aims to boost the protection given by state governments to strengthen the implement
the provisions to condone discrimination and intolerance based on religious and cultural differences.
iii.This day follows the annual observance of International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of
Terrorism on 21st August.
Note:
• 2023 also marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights
Defenders.
• 10 December 2023 also marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR).
Human Rights & Freedom of religion and belief:
i.Freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, and rights to freedom of assembly without
violence all depend on one another and reinforce one another.
• These are enshrined in Articles 18, 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ii.Upholding these rights will play a major role towards combating all forms of intolerance and discrimination
based on religion or belief.
About United Nations (UN):
Secretary General– António Guterres
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America(USA)
Established in 1945
World Water Week – 20 to 24 August 2023

World Water Week is annually observed across the globe during the last week of August with an aim to
examine the pivotal role of water in addressing several pressing global challenges such as water crisis, global
warming, biodiversity loss, and so on.
World Water Week 2023 takes place from 20-24 August 2023.

World Water Week 2022 was observed from 23 August – 1 September 2022
World Water Week 2021 was observed from 23-27 August 2021
• World Water Week is annually organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
The Theme of World Water Week 2023 is “Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise
World”
• The theme aims to encourage people to rethink the ideas and innovations needed to manage water
and explore solutions to water-related challenges globally.
Background:
i.World Water Week was initially started as the Stockholm Water Symposium in 1991 in Stockholm, Sweden.
ii.In 2001, the Stockholm Water Symposium was officially renamed the World Water Week in Stockholm.
Significance:
i.World Water Week is also an important meeting place for policymakers and institutions to accelerate
progress in international processes related to water, development, and climate.
ii.The World Water Week programme is co-created with leading international organizations to give access to
the latest trends and insights from many different fields such as:
• Sessions on topics ranging from agriculture to city planning, and wastewater treatment.
• SIWI Scientific Seminars arranged by World Water Week’s Scientific Programme Committee on
advancing both scientific and practical knowledge.
• Accelerators, which is a capacity-building programme run together with partner organizations
• Prize ceremonies.
2023 Events:
On World Water Week 2023, programmes full of sessions on topics like innovation, behavioural change,
technology, and governance will be available both on-site in Stockholm or online.
1.SIWI High-Level Panel:
The High-Level Panel is a platform that will discuss the interlinkages between environmental degradation,
climate change and peace. 2 annual stocktaking events gather world-leading experts on international policy
and security.
i.High-Level Panel to Follow up on the UN 2023 Water Conference:
As a part of the World Water Week 2023, SIWI and the Government of the Netherlands organised a High-Level
Panel on 22nd August 2023. This foscused on UN 2023 Water Conference and the recent High-level Political
Forum on Sustainable Development.
Awards:
During World Water Week, the SIWI honours outstanding water achievements and encourages innovative
water-wise action by awarding prizes such as the Stockholm Water Prize to long-time water heroes and
the Stockholm Junior Water Prize to young water champions of tomorrow.
Stockholm Water Prize 2023:
Professor Andrea Rinaldo, the world-renowned hydrologist from Venezia (Venice), Italy is awarded
the Stockholm Water Prize 2023 for his research on river networks, demonstrating their significance in the
spread of solutes, aquatic species, and diseases.
About Stockholm Water Prize:
i.It is the world’s most prestigious water award often described as the Nobel Prize of water. It has been
awarded to people and organisations for extraordinary water-related achievements since 1991.
ii.It is awarded by SIWI in cooperation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and presented by H.M King
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who is the official patron of the Prize.
• The winner of the Stockholm Water Prize is announced every year usually in March in conjunction
with World Water Day.
• A royal prize ceremony is held as part of World Water Week in August, where the Laureate plays an
important role.

About Stockholm Junior Water Prize:
i.It is a competition for students aged 15 to 20 who have developed research projects that can help solve major
water challenges.
ii.As a part of World Water Week, it has been held annually since 1997. The participants in the final round are
winners from nationally-held competitions.
• The prize is awarded to the winning student or group of students by The Prize’s patron HRH Crown
Princess Victoria of Sweden.
• Since 2020, SIWI invite the public to vote for the People’s Choice Award each year, recognising the
project they find the most inspiring.
Note: The winner of Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2023 is yet to be announced.
Related Observance:
The UN World Water Day coordinated by UN-Water is annually celebrated on 22nd March across the globe to
support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030, as
part of the 2030 Agenda.
About Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI):
Acting Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer– Karin Gardes
Headquarters– Stockholm, Sweden
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 2023- August 23
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is
annually observed on 23rd August, to remind people of the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade during
colonial rule and to raise awareness about the abolition of slave trading and related practices.
• This date also pays tribute to those who worked hard to abolish the slave trade and slavery
throughout the world.
The annual observance of the day is led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO).
Background:
i.In 1997, the UNESCO executive board on its 29th session of the General Conference adopted the resolution 29
C/40 and proclaimed the 23rd of August every year as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave
Trade and its Abolition.
ii.In 1998, a circular from the Director-General of UNESCO was sent to invite the Ministers of Culture of all
Member States to organise events every year on this day.
iii.The day was first observed in Haiti on 23rd August 1998 and Gorée Island in Senegal on 23rd August 1999.
Why August 23?
It was on that day, the self-liberated enslaved people on the island of Saint Domingue (today Haiti and the
Dominican Republic) rose up against French colonial rule, and played a crucial role in the abolition of the
transatlantic slave trade.
What is slave Trading?
i.The slave trade refers to the transatlantic trading patterns which were established as early as the mid-17th
century.
ii.The transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation of enslaved African people by slave traders, mainly
to the Americas.
iii.Trading ships would set sail from Europe with a cargo of manufactured goods to the west coast of Africa.
There, these goods would be traded, over weeks and months, for captured people provided by African traders.
Note: On 25th March 1807, the British government passed an Act of Parliament abolishing the transatlantic
slave trade, banning trading enslaved people throughout the British Empire.

Haitian Revolution:
i.Haitian Revolution, was a series of conflicts between 1791 and 1804 between Haitian slaves, colonists, the
armies of the British and French colonisers, and a number of other parties.
ii.The revolt commenced on the night of 22 to 23 August 1791 in Saint Domingue, which witnessed the
beginning of the revolution that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. It
ended in 1804.
iii.The rebel forces continued to fight for their freedom and on 1st January 1804, Haiti was declared an
independent republic.
iv.The Haitian Revolution created Haiti, the 2nd independent country in the Americas after the United States of
America (USA), which became independent in 1783.
v.The Haitian Revolution is the only successful slave revolt in history, and resulted in the establishment of Haiti,
the first independent black state in the World.
The Slave Route:
i.“Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty, and Heritage” Project was launched by UNESCO in 1994
in Ouidah, Benin to examine the foundations, forms of operation, and consequences of the slave trade and
slavery in different regions of the world.
ii.It is a flagship programme of UNESCO and the International Scientific Committee (ISC). The main function of
the ISC is to advise UNESCO on the implementation of the programme.
iii.The ISC of the project consists of 20 members appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO.
Note: In 2024, the Routes of Enslaved Peoples project will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
2023 events:
On 23rd August each year, the National Maritime Museum, in Greenwich, London, the United Kingdom (UK)
commemorates International Slavery Remembrance Day and the long struggle for liberation throughout the
world.
• The Museum has organised various events from talk shows to tours to commemorate the day.
Related Observance:
i.The UN International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave
Trade is annually observed on 25th March across the globe to honour and remember the victims, who
suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system.
ii.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established the Outreach Programme on the transatlantic
slave trade and slavery in 2007. The 2023 Theme of the Remembrance programme was “Fighting slavery’s
legacy of racism through transformative education”.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Director General– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France
Founded on– 6 November 1945
PM Modi Declared August 23 as “National Space Day” to marks Chandrayaan-3’s success

On 26th August 2023, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi declared that 23rd August of every year will be
observed as “National Space Day” in India to commemorate the soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the Moon.
• The announcement was made while addressing the team of Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) Scientists at the ISRO Telemetry Tracking & Command Network Mission Control Complex
(ISTRAC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
National Space Day:
The day will celebrate the spirit of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and inspire younger generations to get
involved in the field of science, technology, and space.
Key Highlights:
i.The PM praised the ISRO scientists for taking the ‘Make in India’ initiative to the moon.
ii.The PM also gave credit to the women scientists of ISRO for the success of India’s mission to the moon.

iii.The success of the mission has generated significant interest and potential for increased investments in
private space launches and satellite-based businesses.
Achievements:
The successful 3rd lunar mission has made India the 1st nation to reach near the Moon’s South Pole and
the 4th to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface.
• The other 3 nations were the United States of America (USA), Russia (formerly the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics), and China.
Note: The PM virtually witnessed the moment of the Vikram lander’s lunar landing from Johannesburg, South
Africa, where he was participating in the 15th Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Summit
from August 22-24 2023.
Click here to know more
PM Modi Names Chandrayaan-3 Landing Site as ‘Shiv Shakti’ & Chandrayaan-2 Crash Site as ‘Tiranga’
PM Narendra Modi also announced that the spot, where, the moon lander of Chandrayaan-3, landed on the
lunar surface will be known as ‘Shivshakti’ Point. He also announced that the point on the Moon
where Chandrayaan-2 crash landed in 2019 will be called as ‘Tiranga Point‘.
Note: The name “ShivShakti” is a reference to the Hindu deity Shiva, which is associated with power and
strength. The name “Tiranga” refers to the Indian flag, which is a symbol of national pride.
Key Points:
i.The PM suggested that this ‘Shivkshakti’ point will motivate future generations to utilise science to improve
the well-being of humanity.
ii.The ‘Shakti’ in the name ‘Shiv Shakti’ comes from the hard work, inspiration, and empowerment of the
women scientists in the mission.
iii.The name of the crash landing site of Chandrayaan-2, which left its footprint on the lunar surface, is ‘Tiranga
Point’, which was India’s first contact with the surface of the Moon.
Recent related News:
On May 29, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the GSLV-F12/NVS-01
mission and placed a second-generation Navigation Satellite, NVS-01, into geosynchronous transfer orbit
(GTO).
Chairman– S. Somanath
Formed on– August 15, 1969
National Sports Day 2023 – August 29

The National Sports Day, also known as Rashtriya Khel Divas, is annually celebrated across India
on 29th August to mark the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, the legendary Indian field hockey
player, who is regarded as the greatest field hockey player in history.
• He was popularly known as “The Wizard” or “The Magician of hockey” for his skill in ball
control. He was born on 29th August 1905 in Allahabad, British India (Present day Prayagraj,
Uttar Pradesh).
29th August 2023 marks the celebration of the 12th National Sports Day(Rashtriya Khel Divas).
Significance:
• The day aims to create awareness on the significance of sports towards a healthy life and
honour and recognise the sportspersons of India.
• The day also offers a platform to sporting legends who brought glory to India on the
International stage.

Background:
The government of India(GoI) declared that 29th August of every year will be observed as National Sports
Day, starting from 2012, to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
• The first National Sports Day was celebrated on August 29, 2012.
About Major Dhyan Chand:
Career:
Dhyan Chand exclusively played army hockey tournaments and regimental games between 1922 and 1926
and later he was selected to play for the Indian Army team which toured New Zealand in 1926.
He played a major role in India’s 3 Olympic gold medals, in 1928(Amsterdam, Netherlands), 1932(Los
Angeles, California, the United States of America-USA) and 1936(Berlin, Germany).
• In 1934, He was made the captain of the Indian hockey team and subsequently captained the
gold-winning team at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.
From 1926 to 1949 he played internationally and scored around 570 goals in 185 matches.
Books: He published his autobiography titled “Goal” (Sport & Pastime, Madras) in 1952.
Awards: The government of India honoured him with Padma Bhushan(for Sports), India’s third highest
civilian honour, in 1956.
Honours:
In 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced the renaming of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna,
India’s highest sporting honour, as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
In 2002, Dhyan Chand Award For Lifetime Achievement In Sports And Games was instituted to
honour those sportspersons who have contributed to sports.
• The award is given only to the disciplines included in the events like Olympic Games,
Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup
along with Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports.
In 1980, GoI issued a commemorative postage stamp and a First Day Cover in honour of Dhyan Chand.
He remains the only Indian hockey player to have a stamp in his honour.
International Day against Nuclear Tests 2023 – August 29

The United Nations (UN) International Day against Nuclear Tests is annually observed across the globe
on 29th August to create awareness about the harmful effects of nuclear weapon tests or other nuclear
explosions.
• The day also promotes the cessation of nuclear tests as one of the vital parts of achieving the
goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/64/35 on 2
December 2009 and proclaimed the 29th August of every year as the International Day against Nuclear
Tests.
ii.The resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan along with several sponsors and
cosponsors.
iii.The first-ever International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed on 29th August 2010.
Why August 29?
The observance of International Day against Nuclear Tests commemorates the closure of
the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site in Kazakhstan on 29 August 1991.
Nuclear Test:
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine the performance, yield, and effects of
nuclear weapons.

The long-term environmental effects of nuclear testing are contamination of surface soil and groundwater,
land disturbances in the form of craters or partially collapsed mountains and the addition of radionuclides
to sediments in seabeds.
Since 1945, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have affected people, poisoned the air and destroyed
landscapes around the world.
1st Nuclear Test:
The world’s 1st nuclear explosion occurred on 16th July 1945. A plutonium implosion device was tested at
a site in Los Alamos, New Mexico, on the plains of the Alamogordo Bombing Range, known as the Jornada
del Muerto.
The test was code-named as “Trinity”.
• The test was conducted by the United States Army, following which, the United States of
America bombed Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
India’s 1st Nuclear Test:
Operation Smiling Buddha, also known as Pokhran-I was the first successful nuclear weapons test of India.
The test was conducted on 18th May 1974 in the Indian Army’s Test Range in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
This marked the emergence of India as a nuclear power.
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT):
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is one of the main mechanisms for eradicating nuclear
weapons testing, adopted by the UNGA on 10th September 1996.
At present, 186 countries across the globe have signed the treaty and 178 have ratified it.
All the states with significant nuclear capabilities should ratify the treaty for it to enter into force.
Note: India has decided not to sign the CTBT, since it views nuclear weapons as a protective barrier
against security threats from neighbouring countries (Pakistan & China).
Related observances:
The UN observes 26th September of every year as the “International Day for the Total Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons”, to promote the total elimination of nuclear weapons, through the mobilization of
international efforts.
About the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) :
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is one of the six principal organs of the UN
• Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago elected 78th UNGA president
77th UNGA President– Csaba Korosi
Headquarters– New York, United States of America(USA)
National Small Industry Day 2023 – August 30

National Small Industry Day is annually observed across India on 30th August to celebrate the invaluable
contributions made by the small-scale industry(SSI) towards the development and growth of India. .
• This day also aimed to promote small businesses nationwide and offer job opportunities to the
unemployed for the betterment of their lives.
Background:
i.On 30th August 2000, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Prime Minister of India, announced a comprehensive policy
package for the Small Scale Industries(SSI) sector during the first-ever National Conference on SSI organised by
the Ministry of SSI and the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries (ARI).
• The policy helped small businesses with the development of infrastructure and technology.
ii.Since then the Government of India (GoI) has formally celebrated 30th August as National Small Industry
Day.

Role of Small-Scale Industries in India:
i.Small-scale Industries contribute to income generation both at the individual and national levels by providing
opportunities in the form of both self-employment and entrepreneurship.
ii.India’s MSME sector had a contribution of nearly 30 per cent to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) in FY22
and a 43.6 per cent share in exports in FY23.
iii.Small Industries play an important role in promoting exports. They produce a wide range of products and
services that may be imported into other countries, which helps in generating foreign cash, and growing
business relationships abroad.
Note: Hence the SSI sector is a significant part of the Indian economy and constitutes ~95% of industrial units,
40% of manufacturing output, employment for over 17 million people, and 35% of all exports, and contributes
over 30% of GDP.
Related International Observance:
The United Nations (UN)’s Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Day is annually observed across the
world on 27th June to raise awareness about MSMEs contribution in achieving the 2030 Agenda of UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o MSMEs):
Union Minister – Narayan Tatu Rane (Rajya Sabha- Maharashtra)
Minister of State – Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma (Constituency – Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh)
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2023 – August 30

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is annually
observed on 30th August across the world, to commemorate and pay respect to those who have undergone
enforced disappearances.
• This day also aims to provide effective access to justice for victims of enforced disappearance.
Background:
i.On 21st December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/65/209
and proclaimed the 30th of August of every year as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced
Disappearances.
ii.By the same resolution, the UNGA also adopted the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons
from Enforced Disappearance (ICPED).
iii.The first-ever International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed on the 30th of
August 2001.
Enforced Disappearances:
i.It involves actions by state agents or authorized individuals that result in the arrest, detention, abduction, or
any form of liberty deprivation. This heinous act violates human rights and international law.
ii.The definition is as defined in the ICPED and the Preamble of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons
from Enforced Disappearance.
Note: Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have vanished during conflicts or periods of
repression in at least 85 countries.
Human Rights that are Regularly Violated by Enforced Disappearances:
• The right to recognition as a person before the law;
• The right to liberty and security of the person;
• The right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment;
• The right to an identity;
• The right to an effective remedy, including reparation and compensation;
• The right to know the truth regarding the circumstances of a disappearance.
Cumulative elements:
Enforced Disappearances are characterised by 3 cumulative elements (defined in A/HRC/16/48/ADD.3):

i.Deprivation of liberty against the will of the person;
ii.Involvement of government officials, at least by acquiescence;
iii.Refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the
disappeared person.
International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP):
i.It is a treaty-based intergovernmental organisation that seeks to ensure the cooperation of governments on
missing person cases from conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, and other causes, and to assist them in
doing so.
ii.It is the only international organization exclusively mandated to address the issue of missing persons and
also supports the work of other organisations in their efforts.
iii.It also encourages public involvement in its activities and contributes to the development of appropriate
expressions of commemoration and tribute to the missing.
2023 Events:
i.On 30th August 2023, ICMP’s Western Balkans program organised a global campaign to light 12,000 virtual
candles representing the remaining missing persons in the Western Balkans.
• Western Balkans is a term used in the European Union (EU) to refer to 6 countries in Southern and
Eastern Europe that are covered by EU enlargement policy.
• The 6 countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and
Serbia.
ii.In an effort to address the issue of missing migrants, the ICMP is collaborating with the International
Organization on Migration (IOM) and other relevant agencies.
• This initiative aims to comprehensively assess the scope of missing migrants and implement
effective measures to locate and identify them.
About International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP):
Director-General– Kathryne Bomberger
Headquarters– The Hague, The Netherlands
APPS & WEB PORTAL

Jharkhand CM Launches Mobile App to Track Elephant Movement
On 28th July 2023, Jharkhand Chief Minister (CM) Hemant Soren launched Jharkhand elephant Tracker, a
mobile application-based elephant movement tracking system on the occasion of the 74th Van Mahotsav in
Ranchi to reduce human-elephant conflicts in Ranchi, Jharkhand .
• The mobile app will help villagers and the forest department of Jharkhand to track elephant
movements so that precautionary measures could be taken in advance.
Key points:
i.2 applications have been developed by the forest department, one for use by common citizens, and the other
for department officials.
ii.Using the app, villagers can view the precise location of an elephant or a herd which will be fed by the forest
department field staff using their internal database.
iii.The elephant movement information will also be spread out through FM (Frequency Modulation)channels.
iv.The app is developed by Bravishmah Infotech Private Limited.
Assam CM Launched Amrit Brikshya Andolan app & Theme Song, Wood-Based Industries
Registration Portal
On 2nd August 2023, Assam Chief Minister(CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma launched
the Amrit Brikshya Andolan web portal/mobile application, the theme song for the Amrit Brikshya Andolan and

the Wood-based Industry (WBI) registration web portal at the event held at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati,
Assam.
Amrit Brikshya Andolan:
i.It is a massive tree plantation drive that aims to plant one crore commercial saplings across Assam on 17th
September 2023 which provides a major boost to Assam’s green economy and will help against climate change
and also increase the income of Assam’s farmers.
• The Government of Assam aims to plant 3 crore commercially-viable saplings in 2024 and increase
the target to 5 crore saplings in 2025.
ii.During the plantation drive, 40 lakh members of women Small Help Groups(SHG) from Assam will plant two
saplings each, totaling 80 lakh and the rest, over 20 lakh, will be planted by Anganwadi workers, tea garden
workers, government officials, police, forest battalions, and the public.
iii.By registering on the “Amrit Brikshya Andolan” app or portal, individuals can collect saplings from
distribution stations, planting them and uploading geo-tagged pictures. A reward of Rs 100 will be credited to
their bank accounts, with an additional Rs 200 given if the sapling survives for three years after being planted
on 17th September 2023.
iv.The initiative strategically emphasizes agroforestry and Tree Outside Forest (ToF), fostering sustainable
land use and economic diversification.
v.Plantation includes 23 valuable species like Teak, Boga Chandan, Agaru, Gamari, Hollock, Tita Sopa, and Bogi
Poma. These offer economic potential and opportunities for local communities to enhance their livelihoods.
Website for registration of the Wood-based Industry (WBI):
i.A website for registration of the WBI was also launched for ease of doing business in the sector.
ii.The portal was launched for the implementation of the Assam WBI (Promotion and Development) Rules
2022.
iii.It helps to streamline the functioning of the WBI in Assam and increase employment opportunities.
iv.The Assam Wood-based Industries (Promotion & Development) Rules 2022, replacing the earlier Assam
Wood-based Industries (Establishment & Regulation) Rules of 2000, aim to foster the growth of indigenous
wood-based industries.
About Assam:
Chief Minister- Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor- Gulab Chand Kataria
Airport- Silchar Airport, Tezpur Airport
Festival- Bohag Bihu, Kati Bihu
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches Digital Portal of CRCS office in Pune
On August 6, 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Cooperation,
launched a digital portal of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) office in Pune,
Maharashtra.
This launch is on the lines with Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar se
Samriddhi”, strengthening cooperative movement in India, deepening its reach to the grassroots and to
enhance the performance, productivity and profitability of cooperative societies.
• The CRCS office, under the Ministry of Cooperation, is responsible for administering the Multi-State
Co-operative Societies (MSCS) Act 2002. This portal will ease the functioning of over 1550 MSCS in
India and promote a digital ecosystem for new registrations.
Objectives of Portal:
i.Promote ease of doing business in the cooperative sector and streamline processes
ii.Implementing completely paperless applications
iii.Enabling digital communication
iv.Improving analytics and management information system

Key Points:
i.This portal will aid in the registration of new MSCS, simplifying their operations and creating a more efficient
and transparent digital ecosystem.
ii.It will also incorporate recent amendments to the MSCS Act, 2002, ensuring automatic compliance with the
updated rules.
iii.Using the portal, applications and service requests will be processed quickly through an electronic workflow.
It will have security features like OTP-based user registration and validation checks to ensure compliance with
the MSCS Act and Rules.
• Hearings will be conducted through video conferencing, and registration certificates will be issued
electronically.
iv.The portal will have various modules for different tasks like registration, amendment of bye-laws, filing
annual returns, handling appeals, conducting audits, inspections, inquiries, arbitrations, winding up,
liquidation, ombudsman services, and elections.”
Note: For the development of this portal, a ‘Hackathon’ competition was organized to invite youth participation
and ideas, while feedback was gathered from National and MSCS.
Participants:
It was attended by Chief Minister(CM) of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde and Union Minister of State (MoS) B L
Verma, Ministry of Cooperation, among others.
i.On 8th June 2023, the Government of India has taken 5 important decisions revolving around Primary
Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), a basic unit and the smallest cooperative credit institution in India that
works on the grassroots level (gram panchayat and village level).
ii.The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has prepared the “Model Prisons Act 2023” which will replace
“The Prisons Act, of 1894”, a 130-year-old British-era law, to overhaul the prison administration that will focus
on the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.
About Ministry of Cooperation:
Union Minister– Amit Shah (Constituency- Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat)
Minister of State– B L Verma (Rajya Sabha- Uttar Pradesh)
MoHFW Launched e-CARe Portal To Avoid Delays in Transporting Human Remains

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, launched e-CARe (e-Clearance for Afterlife
Remains) portal for conducting dead body/human remains clearance procedures electronically which is
expected to transform the government functioning to a more efficient mode.
• The portal will bring together all stakeholders into a single interface. Moreover, a dedicated Nodal
Officer will be present round-the-clock within the facility.
• Indira Gandhi International Airport(New Delhi, Delhi), will serve as the nodal centre for all
international airports in the country.
• It is developed as a standard reusable product amenable to replication across the governments.
About e–CARe (e-Clearance for Afterlife Remains):
Ensuring uniformity throughout the process will remove any subjectivity that could arise from individual
Airport Health Organizations (APHOs).
• The airport Health Officer will perform clearance through email in collaboration with the
transporting airlines.
Background:
i.Public health clearance of dead body/human remains clearance brought from abroad is necessary as
per Indian Aircraft (Public Health) Rules 1954 and International Health Regulations, 2005.
ii.The delay is commonly due to the need for document clarifications, involving email scrutiny by multiple
stakeholders, as well as discrepancies arising from varying international time zones.

Documents required:
For the purpose of obtaining public health clearance for all human remains arriving at Indian airports, the
following documents must be provided:
i.Certificate of Embalming
ii.Death Certificate
iii.No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Indian Embassy
iv.Cancelled Passport Copy
v.Certificate of Human Remains Packaging in accordance with World Health Organisation(WHO) guidelines
Optional documents:
• Certificate or endorsement from the consignee
• Additional Supporting Documents (such as Medical History or other documents as requested)
Additional info:
i.The initial 48 hours, updates would be shared with the relevant officials every 12 hours during the first 36
hours. Subsequently, escalation would occur every four hours for the following 12 hours, aiming to prevent
clearance delays.
ii.The details regarding any entry would be communicated through email, SMS, and WhatsApp to the Central
International Health Division, the Nodal Officer, APHOs, consignees, and the airlines.
Gujarat CM launched ‘Sinh Suchna’ Web App On World Lion Day

Gujarat Chief Minister(CM) Bhupendra Patel launched the Sinh Suchna Web application on the occasion of
World Lion day celebrated on 10th August 2023.
• The purpose of the mobile app is to help the state forest department track the movement of lions to
prevent incidents of human-animal conflict.
Other Launches:
• Bhupendra Patel launched the ‘Lion Anthem Film’ which is produced by Ekta Janmay Chokshi and
directed by Rohan Trivedi. The music has been composed by Nishit Mehta, sung by Brijraj Gadhvi
while Parth Tarpara is the lyricist.
• He also launched two books namely ‘The King of Jungle – Asiatic Lions of Gir’, written by Indian
Foreign Service (IFS) officer Sakkira Begum and ‘Hu Gir no Savaj’ by Shri Arvind Goswami.
Events organised:
The main event was organised in Sasan, the headquarters of Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
(GNPWLS) in Junagadh district of Gujarat.
About Asiatic lion:
i.The Asiatic lions are found only in Gujarat.
• The Asiatic lions comprise the world’s second most population of wild lions after African lions.
ii.India’s National Emblem is adapted from the Lion Capital of the Ashoka Pillar in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh.
iii.Lion was chosen as the emblem for Make in India initiative (2014).
Conservation of Lion:
Project Lion:
In recognition of endangered status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)’s Red List of
threatened species, the Union government has allocated Rs 2,900 crore under Project Lion for the
conservation of Asiatic lions.
• As part of the project, plans are underway to establish a lion breeding centre, an isolation facility,
installation of CCTV cameras, procurement of radio collars, acquisition of drones and additional
resources to ensure prompt medical care for the lions.
• Project Lion proposes Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat as second home for Asiatic lions
Note: The effort by the Govt of Gujarat also led to an increase in the lion population from 411 in 2010 to 674 in
2020. Furthermore, the lion territory expanded from Gir forest, now encompassing an area of 30,000 sq km.

Additional Info:
i.The Chief Minister additionally disclosed plans for the establishment of a lion safari park near Una town
within the Gir Somnath district of Gujarat. This initiative aims to alleviate the pressure on the Gir National Park
located in Sasan-Gir.
ii.On the occasion, Prime Minister also launched “Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal” to secure & restore lions’
habitats.
CJI Announces Launch of ‘Suswagatam’ Portal for E-passes to Enter SC

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud launched ‘SuSwagatam’, a web-based and
mobile-friendly application which enables advocates, visitors, interns and others to register themselves online
and get e-passes to enter the Supreme Court of India(SC).
• This will enable a user to avoid long queues, and obtain a paperless entry pass (e-pass) for access
to the Supreme Court of India.
• This was launched under the guidance of CJI DY Chandrachud to promote citizen-friendly access to
justice delivery systems.
The portal was tested as a pilot project since 25th July 2023 and has received positive feedback from the users.
Partition Horrors Remembrance Day 2023 – August 14

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day or ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas‘ is annually observed across India
on 14th August to remember of the struggles and sacrifices during the partition of India into India and
Pakistan in 1947.
The day also remembers the lives lost during the partition and those who were forcibly displaced from their
ancestral homes.
• 14th August 2023 marks the 3rd observance of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
Background:
On 14th August 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced that 14th August of every year will be
observed as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” to inspire us to eliminate discrimination, animosity and ill-
will and to promote strengthen unity, social harmony and human sensibilities.
The first ever Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was observed on 14th August 2021.
History of the Partition:
The Partition was the division of British India into two independent Dominions: Hindu-majority India and
Muslim-majority Pakistan. This resulted in extensive migration, with Muslims heading to Pakistan and Hindus
and Sikhs moving to India. This migration was marked by violence, loss of life, and appalling conditions.
Women experienced abductions, sexual assaults, and trafficking. People endured hunger, disease, and walked
without basic necessities like shelter, food, and water.
• The Partition of India was rooted in the demand for a separate country for Muslims, led
by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League.
• In 40 days, the British judge Cyril Radcliffe drew revised boundaries on either side of the Indian
subcontinent.
• The Partition of India was announced by Lord Louis Mountbatten on June 3, 1947 who assumed
the role of the last viceroy of India on 24 March 1947.
Key Points:
i.The partition caused one of the largest migrations in human history, affecting about 20 million people.
Millions of families had to abandon their ancestral villages/towns/cities and were forced to start anew as
refugees
ii.The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has also mandated its affiliate schools to observe August
14 as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day and organise an exhibition to mark the occasion.

Key Points:
i.The two states have since gone through further reorganization: the Dominion of India is today the Republic of
India (since 1950); while the Dominion of Pakistan was composed of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (since 1956)
and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (since 1971).
ii.As per Central Government data, about 6 million non-Muslims moved out from West Pakistan and 6.5 million
Muslims moved out from the Indian part of Punjab, Delhi and other regions, into West Pakistan.
iii.The estimate of those killed has varied from 500,000 to over 1,000,000. The generally accepted figures are
around 500,000.
About Pakistan:
Capital– Islamabad
Currency– Pakistani Rupee
Prime Minister– Shehbaz Sharif
Kerala Govt Launches ‘Athidhi Portal’ to Register Migrant Workers

Kerala government has launched a user-friendly web portal named ‘Athidhi Portal’, for the registration of
migrant workers in Kerala. The portal will establish a unique identification system to streamline the
registration process.
• The portal will allow the government to address the grievances against sexual crimes allegedly
committed by migrant workers.
Features:
• Contractors and Employers,who bring in temporary workers can register temporary workers on the
portal.
• Guest employees can also independently register to ensure inclusion.
• Enrolling officer verifies the details entered in portal and assigns a unique ID.
• Setting up Help desks at railway stations for guest worker registration.
Benefits:
i.The portal will serve as a centralised platform to collect and manage information about workers, ensuring
they have access to essential social security benefits.
ii.The portal will gather data regarding the employees and make sure they get social security.
• Currently migrant workers are regulated according to the provisions of the Inter-State Migrant
Workers Act of 1979.
Ration Right Card:
i.The Kerala government is utilising the Ration Right Card of the ‘One Country One Ration Card‘ initiative to
enumerate guest (migrant) workers in the state.
ii.The Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Kerala, introduced the Ration
Right Card, which serves as a channel for guest workers, who face challenges in obtaining ration products in
their own state.
• The Aadhaar-linked ration distribution will also contribute to the count of guest workers.
About Kerala:
Chief Minister– Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor– Arif Mohammed Khan
Stadium– EMS Stadium (Outdoor), Jimmy George Indoor Stadium
CWC Chairman Kushvinder Vohra launches FloodWatch App for Real-Time Flood Forecasts
Kushvinder Vohra, Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC), launched FloodWatch, a mobile
application to provide real-time flood information and forecasts for up to 7 days to the general public by using
mobile phones.
• This initiative is an innovative solution to enhance flood information dissemination and
preparedness.

• FloodWatch, developed by the CWC, is a user-friendly app which offers both readable and audio
broadcast.
• It presents information in 2 languages: English and Hindi.
Features:
i.A key feature of the app includes real-time flood monitoring where users can stay updated about the current
flood situations throughout India.
ii.The app utilizes data about near real-time river flow that is updated almost in real-time from various sources.
iii.It also provides flood forecasts for the nearest location to the users. By visiting the Home Page, users can
easily access flood advisories for the station closest to them.
iv.Other features include the Interactive Map, which allows users to check either the CWC Flood Forecast (up to
24 hours) or the Flood Advisory (up to 7 days) by directly selecting a station on the map.
• In an alternate way, users can search for the name of a specific station using the search box. Once a
station is chosen from the dropdown menu, the map zooms in on its location.
v.The app also provides State-wise and Basin-wise Flood Forecasts (up to 24 hours) or Flood Advisories (up to
7 days). This information can be accessed by selecting specific stations, states, or basins from the dropdown
menu.
Indications:
i.The app has a map of India with coloured circles at water stations across India and the current risk of
flooding.
ii.A ‘Green’ circle indicates ‘Normal’; Yellow, Above Normal; Orange, ‘Severe’ and Red, ‘Extreme’.
iii.Clicking on a circle provides the current water level at the station, the display includes the highest water
level ever recorded at the station and clearly depicts the danger level, and the warning level.
About Central Water Commission(CWC):
CWC, formerly known as Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission (CWINC), is an attached
office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, under the Department of Water Resources, River Development (RD), and
Ganga Rejuvenation (GR).
Chairman– Kushvinder Vohra
Established in 1945
YES BANK Introduces Mobile App ‘iris by YES BANK’

Yes Bank Limited(Ltd) launched ‘iris by YES BANK’ , a state-of-the-art mobile banking application which was
developed in collaboration with customer feedback.
• It is the bank’s first Direct to Consumer platform,allowing new and existing customers to access more
than 100 features and services.
• The app demonstrates the bank’s commitment to fostering a digitally empowered ecosystem and
showcases its dedication to delivering top-notch digital solutions.
Key Features:
The unique collaborative mobile app comprises a sleek and intuitive user interface with features such as
opening a savings account,
ii.applying for a Credit Card,
iii.availing instant personal, business and auto loans,
iv.booking recurring and fixed deposits,
v.Customised investment(in mutual fund) & insurance options.
Security Features: The app incorporates security features like Biometric Authentication, Sim-Binding and 2-
factor Verification

About YES Bank Limited(Ltd):
Managing Director(MD) & Chief executive Officers (CEO) – Prashant Kumar
Tagline –Experience Our Expertise
Canara Bank launches UPI interoperable Digital Rupee Mobile App

Canara Bank launched its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Interoperable Digital Rupee mobile application,
called the “Canara Digital Rupee app”, as a part of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Central Bank Digital
Currency (CBDC) pilot project.
• Canara Bank is now the first among the public and commercial sector bank to provide this feature in
its CBDC mobile app, Canara Digital Rupee app.
• The app has been created in accordance with RBI guidelines and is powered by advanced blockchain
technology to ensure great security and efficiency.
Features:
i.Customers will be able to scan merchant UPI Quick Response (QR) codes using the Canara Digital Rupee app
and make digital currency payments with the release of this unique feature.
ii.It enables merchants to accept digital currency payments in addition to UPI-based payments, utilising their
existing UPI QR codes without the need for a separate onboarding process for CBDC.
iii.The app features multi-factor authentication and encryption to safeguard transactions and protect user data.
iv.The app will allow customers to experience the benefits of rapid and secure transactions using RBI’s digital
money.
v.Customers may now simply deal in digital currency with the Canara Bank Digital Rupee mobile application,
which is currently available for both Android and iOS users.
• According to RBI regulations, digital currency is legal tender, therefore the launch of this app is a big
step towards the use of digital currency in India.
Accessibility of the Application:
i.The facility is now being given on a trial basis to bank customers and merchants in 26 locations across India.
All whitelisted clients in these 26 cities can access the Canara Bank Digital Rupee app.
ii.If a customer is not whitelisted, they will be prompted to request for whitelisting during app installation.
iii.Within 24 hours, the customer will receive a message from the bank for whitelisting, after which they will be
able to install the app.
About Canara Bank Limited :
Canara Bank was established as Canara Hindu Permanent Fund Ltd. in 1906 and was renamed as Canara Bank
Limited in 1910.
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- K.Satyanarayana Raju
Nationalised in 1969
Tagline– Together we can
UP Launches Manav Sampada Portal to Bring Transparency to Employee Activities

The government of Uttar Pradesh(UP) launched the Manav Sampada portal to ensure transparency in the
work of all the officers and employees of all 74 departments in the UP government.
• Section 5, a new division will be established within the Personnel department to oversee the
operations and manage the portal.
• National Informatics Centre (NIC) will oversee the security of the portal to ensure cyber safety.
Manav Sampada Portal:
i.By 1st October 2023, the service details of the personnel will be updated on the portal.

• The service details include appointment, joining, dismissal, leave management, merit-based online
transfer system, annual appraisal report management, salary withdrawal and service book management.
ii.The details of the complete posting profiles of the personnel like disability, husband and wife being in
government service and serious illness etc. will also be provided on the portal.
iii.Salaries for every officer and employee will also be released on the basis of consolidated and certified data
gathered from the Manav Sampada portal and the DDO(Drawing & Disbursing Officer) portal.
iv.The portal will also provide a platform to conduct the annual assessment of all the employees and this will
also facilitate merit-based online transfers.
v.All categories of leave will exclusively be approved through the portal and information regarding personnel
training will also be accessible through this portal.
Key Points:
The UP government has also instructed the officials to declare their movable and immovable assets on the
portal before December 2023.
• Failing to comply with this instruction, the officers will face consequences such as denial of promotion.
• The officers and employees should update the details of their property once every 5 years.
About Uttar Pradesh(UP):
Chief Minister– Yogi Adityanath
Governor– Anandiben Patel
Bird Sanctuary– Vijay Sagar Bird Sanctuary; Hathinala, Renukut (Sonbhadra)
Stadium– Eklavya Sports Stadium; Late Mohan Choubey Pahalvan Sports Stadium
Delhi Govt Launches Portal to Empower Citizens to Protect Forests, Wildlife

Delhi Environment and Forest Minister Gopal Rai launched a portal (evanlekh.eforest.delhi.gov.in) to
boost the awareness about the protection of forest and wildlife sanctuary areas in Delhi.
i.Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform, it helps to visualize data effectively, and also,
users can generate KML (Keyhole Markup Language) files on the portal.
• KML files are a type of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file format used to display
geographic data in an Earth browser, such as Google Earth or Google Maps.
i.It currently provides information on various aspects, including protected forest areas, reserve forest
areas, morphological details, wildlife sanctuaries, buffer areas of wildlife sanctuaries, and administrative
boundaries of the Department of Forest and Wildlife.
ii.The portal’s future enhancements will include unclassified forest areas, areas with tree felling
permissions, areas targeted for compensatory plantation and afforestation, plantation sites by greening
agencies, locations requiring approvals for non-forestry activities, soil moisture conservation details, and
Indian State of Forest Report-based green cover information.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Launches National Sports Federations Portal on National
Sports Day
On the occasion of National Sports Day 2023 (29th August 2023), Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur,
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) launched the National Sports Federations(NSFs) portal during
the event organised at the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium, New Delhi, Delhi.
• The portal is in line with the Government of India’s vision for Digital India which will ensure ease of
business and good governance.
About the portal:
i.It is a unified online portal and a single window system for the NSFs for processing of annual renewal of
recognition of NSFs, elections of NSFs etc.
ii.It will replace the existing system of physical mode of submission of documents by NSFs and ensure better
coordination among the Department of Sports and the NSFs.

Highlights of the event:
i.Union Minister Anurag Thakur also launched the 3rd edition of Fit India Quiz and other initiatives during the
event.
ii.He also launched the Information booklet on Sports Infrastructure Projects sanctioned under the Khelo India
Scheme.
• The book highlights the sports infrastructure that has been developed and is in the pipeline in
various States and Union Territories(UTs) of India.
iii.He also felicitated the Indian men’s 4x400m relay team, who finished 5th in the 2023 World Athletics
Championships held at Budapest, Hungary.
• The team finished 5th clocking in at 2:59:92s, creating a new Asian and National Record.
iv.An online application submission and processing portal was launched which will be utilized for handling all
the application for creation and upgradation of sports infrastructures and demand for sports equipment under
the Khelo India Scheme.
• This portal will be available for grantees, States, UTs for submission of their proposals of financial
support from September 1, 2023.
Attendees:
The event was attended by almost 500 school children from various schools in New Delhi as well as several
elite athletes and officials from the MYAS, Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the National Sports Federations
(NSFs).
ENVIRONMENT
108th Foundation Day of ZSI: 3- days Programme held with Special Focus on ‘Mission Life’
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) inaugurated
a 3-day celebration programme of the 108th Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) Day with Special Focus on
‘Mission LiFE‘ (Lifestyle for Environment) at Nicco Park in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Inauguration of Animal Taxonomy Summit (ATS) 2023,
its a first of its kind in our country, was organised by ZSI
as part of the programme , where 400 delegates across
India and abroad including the Natural History Museum,
London, the United Kingdom (UK) were participated.
Key People:
Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State (MoS), MoEFCC; Chandra
Prakash Goyal, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary; Dr
Dhriti Banerjee, Director ZSI; Dr Ashiho Asosii Mao, Director,
Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
Mission LiFE:
i.It is an India-led global mass movement introduced by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at the 26th United
Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, The United Kingdom (UK) in
November 2021.
ii.In 2022, the PM launched the Mission LiFE for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle at the Statue of Unity in
Gujarat.
Three Phases of Mission LiFE:
Each phase requires a fundamental shift in the approach towards sustainability.
• Phase I – Change in Demand
• Phase II- Change in Supply
• Phase III- Change in Policy

Book Release:
As a part of the event, 6 books were released:
• Animal Discoveries: New Species and New Records 2022; Plant Discoveries 2022; Faunal Diversity
of 75 Ramsar Wetlands of India; Records of Zoological Survey of India-Special Issue of ATS 2023; 75
Endemic Birds of India and Fauna of India-108 DNA Sequences.
Signing MoUs:
ZSI signed 3 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for research and academic collaboration as follows:
i.MoU was signed with the Royal Government of Bhutan to conduct a population assessment of the Red Panda,
through a non-invasive method.
ii.MoUs were signed with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur in Rajasthan and the University of
Burdwan, West Bengal for research collaborations and student exchange programmes.
Key Highlights:
i.The efforts of ZSI for establishing globally well-known protected areas such as Silent Valley National Park
(Kerala), Namdapha Tiger Reserve (Arunachal Pradesh), Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (Tamil Nadu) and Great
Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and many others were appreciated.
ii.The Union Minister also mentioned ZSI’s significant role in providing technical inputs for amending the
Wildlife Protection Act.
iii.The MoS emphasised ZSI to focus on the research and conservation of important wetlands of Gangetic plains
of India as ‘Sarovar Mitra’, by initiating a programme for citizen scientists for better data dissemination and
conservation awareness.
‘75 Endemic Birds of India’, a Publication from ZSI: 78 species of birds are found only in India
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) on commemorating its 108th Foundation Day, released
a publication titled ‘75 Endemic Birds of India‘ during the 3 days programme held in Kolkata, West Bengal.
As per the publication, 78 (about 5%) of birds found in India are Endemic and are not reported in other parts
of the world.
• There is a rich diversity of 10,906 bird species in the world, and of them, India is home to 1,353,
which represents approximately 12.40% of global bird diversity.
Key Points:
i.According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorisation in its Red List of
Threatened Species, 25 of the 78 bird species, which are found only in India, are classified as
‘Threatened’; 3 species are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’; 5 are categorised as ‘Endangered’, and 17 as
‘Vulnerable’, while 11 are categorised as ‘Near Threatened’.
ii.Of the 78 species, 3 species have not been recorded in the last few decades. They are:
• Manipur Bush Quail (Perdicula manipurensis); Himalayan
Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa),and Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus).
iii.28 bird species, the highest number of endemic species have been recorded in the Western Ghats, 25 species
are endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 4 species to the Eastern Himalayas and one each to the Southern
Deccan plateau and Central Indian Forest.
iv.Some of the interesting species recorded in India’s bio-geographic hotspot are the Malabar Grey
Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus); Malabar Parakeet (Psittacula columboides) from Western Ghats; Nicobar
Serpent Eagle (Spilornis klossi), Andaman Barn Owl (Tyto Deroepstorffi) from the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered 2 new species of jumping spiders from
southern India, namely, Phintella dhritiae from Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary in
Karnataka and Phintella platnicki from Salem district of Tamil Nadu (TN).
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):
Director– Dhriti Banerjee

It was established on 1st July 1916 to promote survey, exploration and research leading to the advancement
in our knowledge of various aspects of an exceptionally rich life of the erstwhile ´British Indian Empire´.
Delhi LG Launches Blockchain Technology for Integration into DFSL E-Forensic App
Vinai Kumar Saxena,Delhi Lieutenant Governor(LG) launched Blockchain Technology in the Inter-Operable
Criminal Justice System (ICJS) for electronic-forensic application(e-forensic app) of the Delhi Forensic Science
Laboratory (DFSL) and Delhi Police at Raj Niwas, official residence of the LG in Delhi.
• With this, Delhi FSL will be the first institution of its kind in India to utilize blockchain technology
“for transparent and tamper-proof (protected against unauthorized changes) digital evidence
recording.”
• Access will be restricted to authorized individuals in four analysis stages, maintaining data integrity,
ensuring transparency, accountability, and enhanced security by preventing any tampering.
• Integrating Blockchain Technology into DFSL’s e-forensic app guarantees that all physical evidence
submitted from the crime scene to the DFSL will remain free of human interaction and tampering.
• Additionally, this integration will automate the complete forensic workflow, commencing from the
police to the FSL.The data entered by the Investigating Officer at the police station level will be
transmitted to the FSL disclosing the details such as FIR, name of parties, etc.
• This technology has the potential to store various documents like land records, birth and death
certificates, caste and income certificates in individual digital lockers. It offers limitless capacity and no
time constraints on storage duration.
State of India’s Birds 2023: 60% of bird species in India declined over 30 yrs
According to the report titled “State of India’s Birds 2023: Range, Trends and Conservation Status”, out of
the 338 bird species studied in India, 60% of bird species have declined over the past 30 years.
• The 2023 report is the 2nd iteration of the State of India’s
Birds report.
• The report was produced as a partnership between 13
organisations which includes the Bombay Natural History
Society(BNHS), the Wildlife Institute of India(WII), and the
Zoological Survey of India(ZSI).
About State of India’s Birds 2023:
The report was created to assess the conservation status of the
migratory species that regularly occur in India.
Note: “State of India’s Birds 2020” was the 1st attempt to assess
the conservation status of the majority of India’s bird species.
Method: The primary data of the report is based on the 30 million observations uploaded by Indian
birdwatchers to eBird, an online birding notebook
Assessment: The assessments rely on 3 indices:
i.2 indices are related to the change in abundance,
• long-term trend (change over 30 years)
• current annual trend (change over the past 7 years)
ii.The 3rd index is a measure of distribution range size within India.
Highlights:
i.The 2023 report has assessed a total of 942 species of Indian birds and long-term trends could be determined
for 338 species.
ii.The current annual trends could be determined for 359 species, of which 142 have declined (64 rapidly), 189
are stable, and 28 have increased.
• Around 40% (142) of the 359 species evaluated for change over the last 7 years have declined.

iii.In terms of habitat, birds of grasslands and other open habitats, wetlands, and woodlands are declining
rapidly.
iv.In terms of diet, compared to omnivores or fruit-and-nectar eaters, the carnivores, insectivores, and
granivores are declining more rapidly.
migratory species, particularly the species endemic to the Western Ghats, Sri Lanka region are declining more
rapidly than the non-migrant species.
v.Threats: Factors such as land-use change, urbanisation, ecosystem degradation, monocultures, disease,
infrastructure development, pet trade, hunting, pollution, and climate change are some of the major factors
affecting the birds in India.
Key Points:
i.According to the report, the past decades have witnessed around 150% increase in the abundance of peafowl
across India.
ii.178 species, including Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Tufted Duck, Greater Flamingo,
Sarus Crane, Indian Courser and Andaman Serpent Eagle were classified as “high conservation priority” and
require immediate attention.
iii.14 species, including Indian Roller, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Common Sandpiper, have
declined by 30% or more and have been recommended for the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Red List reassessment.
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MoE Announces Launch of Smart India Hackathon 2023

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India’s First AI School Launched in Kerala

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Award Awardee (Name & Rank)

President’s Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished IG (Inspector General) Manoj Vasant Baadkar, TM

Comdt (JG) Anurag Shukla (0853-M)

DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Manoj Bhatia

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Project Tiger and Project Elephant Merged as PT&E