- National:
- The country has reached a major milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II, with 75% of the villages achieving ODF Plus status.
- The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Digital Lenders Association of India (DLAI) to support the country’s fintech sector. The agreement aims to develop standard protocols for digital lending partnerships, including alliances between banks and Lending Service Providers (LSPs).
- The Finance Ministry of India has retained its 6.5% gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate for the Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24), allaying fears of worsening economic activity in the second quarter.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has indeed successfully conducted the CE20 E13 engine hot test for the Gaganyaan mission. This marks a crucial step towards the Gaganyaan qualification and the 22-tonne thrust qualification.
- The Indian Railways has indeed tightened safety rules for the operation of private trains and coaches. They have issued fresh guidelines for catering services and security checks.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) has formally inducted the C-295MW transport aircraft into service. This aircraft will gradually replace the HS-748 Avro transport aircraft. The first C-295MW was inducted into service in a formal ceremony at the Hindon Air Force Station.
- Biswanath Ghat in Assam has indeed been selected as the Best Tourism Village of India 2023. This selection was made from amongst 791 applications from 31 states and Union Territories.
- The Electronics and IT Ministry has indeed rebuffed Moody’s report on Aadhaar. The Ministry asserted that there have been no breaches reported from the unique ID system’s database till date, dismissing concerns about security and privacy in a centralized system.
- Economy:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has indeed asked Regulated Entities (REs), which include commercial banks and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), to display information regarding borrowers whose secured assets have been taken into possession by the REs under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act.
- The India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. It took place at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, Madhya Pradesh on 26-27th September 2023.
- Sports:
- The Indian women’s cricket team clinched a gold medal at the Asian Games during their inaugural appearance. They triumphed over Sri Lanka by a margin of 19 runs in a hard-fought, low-scoring final held on a challenging pitch.
- Marco Bezzecchi of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team won the inaugural MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023. The race took place at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. Bezzecchi put on a dominant performance, finishing the race in 36:59.157s.
- Obituary:
- Former Italian President Giorgio Napolitano passed away on September 22, 2023. He was a long-serving Italian president and a pillar of stability in his country’s politics. He was the first former Communist to become Italy’s president.
- Important Days:
- World Rivers Day in 2023 will be celebrated on September 24. This global event is observed every last Sunday in September. It was first observed in 2005, following the launch of the Water for Life Decade by the United Nations.The theme for World Rivers Day 2023 is "Rights to Rivers".
- Antyodaya Diwas is annually observed across India on September 25 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The term ‘Antyodaya’ means the “rise and development of the last person in society”, one of the concepts promoted by Deendayal Upadhyaya.
- Appointments:
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has indeed appointed Bhargav Dasgupta as Vice-President for Market Solutions. This appointment is for a period of 3 years. In his new role, Mr. Dasgupta will be responsible for managing the operations of ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department and Office of Markets Development and Public–Private Partnerships.
Questions:
Q.1 Who organized the India Smart Cities Conclave 2023?a. Ministry of Home Affairs
b. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
c. Ministry of Urban Development
d. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Q.2 Who has been appointed as the Vice-President for Market Solutions at the Asian Development Bank (ADB)?
a. Ratan Tata
b. Anand Mahindra
c. Mukesh Ambani
d. Bhargav Dasgupta
