- National:
- The Raj Bhasha Kirti Puraskar 2022-23 is the most prestigious award offered by the Indian government for “achievements in implementing the official language”.
- India has indeed won the bid to host the prestigious 17th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) in New Delhi in 2027. The successful bid was presented by India’s leading research and academic institutions, the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) and IIT Delhi, during the ongoing 16th ICCC in Bangkok.
- Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena launched the Vigilance Complaint Information Management System (VCIMS) portal on September 21, 2023. This portal is a first-of-its-kind online platform in the country that will help in speedy action with transparency and secrecy in dealing with and monitoring complaints on corruption
- UPNEDA and SIDBI signed an MoU to promote green projects on September 21, 2023.The MoU aims to make direct financing options available for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Uttar Pradesh for solarisation of residential units at Ayodhya and for bio-energy and renewable project financing.
- The Defence Procurement Board (DPB) discussed the Indian Navy’s proposal for acquiring a second Vikrant-like aircraft carrier. The proposed aircraft carrier is expected to displace 45,000 tonnes and is estimated to cost around 40,000 crore.
- The Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Labour, headed by veteran Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, has expressed concern that both the Labour Ministry and the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) are not fully prepared to provide extended coverage as envisaged under the Code on Social Security.
- The Goa government has recently approved the 'Goa State Shack Policy 2023-2026’. This policy allows the erection of temporary beach shacks, deck beds, and umbrellas for the upcoming three tourist seasons.
- India has indeed achieved a significant sanitation milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II. As of now, 75% of villages in the country have declared themselves ODF Plus. This means that these villages have not only maintained their Open Defecation Free (ODF) status but also implemented solid or liquid waste management systems.
- The 6th Edition of the ‘NeSDA – Way Forward Monthly Report for States/UTs’ was released by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).14,736 e-services are provided across States/UTs, which is an increase of 6.2% (869) services from July Report.
- The National Health Authority (NHA) is hosting the ‘Arogya Manthan’ event to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and the second anniversary of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The two-day event took place on 25th and 26th September 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Economy:
- The Income Tax Department in India has recently asked taxpayers to respond to its intimation regarding outstanding tax demands from previous years. This is to facilitate faster clearance of refunds for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
- TATA Projects, a leading technologically led Indian EPC company, has announced its collaboration with Micron Technology to construct an advanced semiconductor assembly and test plant in Sanand, Gujarat. This project is a significant milestone and the largest investment under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has indeed issued recommendations to bolster the telecom infrastructure in the Northeast. The recommendations aim to enhance regional telecom infrastructure and bridge the digital gap.
- World:
- According to the World Bank, poverty in Pakistan has surged from 34.2 percent in the fiscal year 2022 to a staggering 39.4 percent in the last fiscal year. This means that approximately 95 million people are living below the poverty line.
- NASA’s first asteroid samples have successfully landed on Earth after being released from the spacecraft. The samples were fetched from deep space and parachuted into the Utah desert, marking the end of a seven-year journey. The spacecraft that carried out this mission is known as Osiris-Rex.
- The Indian and US armies have started a two-week war game in Alaska. This exercise, called Yudh Abhyas-23, involves complex drills covering various military skills.
- Sports:
- The Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls team of Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh won the silver medal at the Asian Games 2022. This was India’s first medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
- The Indian shooting team of Ramita, Mehuli Ghosh, and Ashi Chouksey indeed secured a Silver Medal in the 10m Air Rifle Women’s team event at the Asian Games 2023.
- Obituary:
- Bharatanatyam exponent Saroja Vaidyanathan passed away at the age of 86. She was battling cancer for some time. She passed away at her residence in the early hours of Thursday, just two days after her 86th birthday.
- Awards:
- Dr. Swati Nayak, an Indian scientist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), has indeed been named the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Norman E Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application.
- Appointments:
- Shri Vivek Bhasin, a Distinguished Scientist and Director of the Nuclear Fuels Group (NFG) at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has taken over as the 14th Director of BARC. He succeeded Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy
- Nihar Malaviya, an Indian-origin publishing executive, has been named the permanent CEO of the New York-based international publishing group Penguin Random House. He had been serving as the interim CEO for nine months.
- Important Days:
- The International Day of Sign Languages 2023 will be celebrated globally on Saturday, September 23. The theme for this year is "A World Where Deaf People Can Sign Anywhere".
- Books:
- IAS officer Sonal Goel has recently launched her book “Nation Calling” at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi. The book was unveiled by the Chief Guest Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Earth Sciences.
- Banking:
- Axis Bank has launched a new platform called ‘NEO for Business’ specifically designed for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This platform is a comprehensive digital proposition that caters to the real, current, and emerging Transaction Banking needs of MSMEs.
- Utkarsh Small Finance Bank has indeed launched an innovative service called Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) that uses UPI on its ATM networks. This service is in line with the Reserve Bank of India’s directive in May 2022, urging all banks to provide ICCW options at their ATMs.
Questions:
Q.1 Who has been named the permanent CEO of Penguin Random House?A. Nihar Malaviya
B. Thomas Rabe
C. Markus Dohle
D. Simon Schuster
Q.2 What is the Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) service launched by Utkarsh Small Finance Bank?
a. service that allows customers to deposit cash without a card
b. service that allows customers to transfer money without a card
c. service that allows customers to withdraw cash without a card using UPI on ATMs
d. service that allows customers to check their balance without a card
