Current Affairs One - Liner : 23rd October 2024

India and Pakistan agreed to extend the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Agreement for another five years on October 22, 2024. This extension allows Indian pilgrims uninterrupted access to the holy Gurdwara in Pakistan. India has also requested Pakistan to waive the $20 service charge for pilgrims.

The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be hosted by Odisha in Bhubaneswar from January 8 to 10, 2025. Jointly organized by the Odisha government and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the event celebrates the contributions of the overseas Indian community.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) members adopted the Rome Declaration on Water Scarcity in Agriculture on October 17, 2024, during the High-Level Rome Water Dialogue. The declaration aims to address water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.

On October 21, 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved the creation of the Chief General Manager (CGM) post in five more nationalized banks: Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, and UCO Bank. This aims to enhance their administrative structure and efficiency.
Paytm received NPCI approval to onboard new UPI users on October 22, 2024, after an 8-month ban. The ban was due to concerns over risk management and data protection. Following compliance, Paytm can now resume adding new UPI users, helping it regain market share.

The IMF projected India's GDP growth to be 7% for the fiscal year 2024-25. This forecast was released on October 22, 2024. It noted that growth would moderate from 8.2% in 2023 to 7% in 2024 and 6.5% in 2025 post-pandemic.
To promote exports, India removed the export tax on parboiled rice on October 22, 2024. This decision follows a previous reduction from 20% to 10% in September 2024. The move aims to boost exports and ease storage burdens amid expectations of a bumper crop.

The National-level Amaravati Drone Summit 2024 took place on October 22-23, 2024, at the CK Convention Centre in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh. Organized by the Andhra Pradesh Drone Corporation in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Drone Federation of India, the summit's theme was "Advancing the Future of Flight".
The 14th All India Home Guards and Civil Defence Conference was held on October 22-23, 2024, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, the theme was "Strengthening Home Guards and Civil Defence for a Secure and Developed India".

India launched its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, codenamed S4*, on October 16, 2024, in Visakhapatnam. It is armed with 3,500 km range K-4 nuclear ballistic missiles and has nearly 75% indigenous content. This addition bolsters India's nuclear deterrence and maritime security capabilities.

The International Day of Rural Women is observed on October 15, 2024. The theme for this year is "Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All". It celebrates the crucial role rural women play in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security, and eradicating rural poverty.
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is observed on October 13, 2024. This year's theme is "Empowering the Next Generation for a Resilient Future", focusing on the role of education in protecting and empowering youth to navigate and mitigate disaster risks.

BOBCARD, a subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, appointed cricketer Shreyanka Patil as its brand ambassador on October 8, 2024. She'll represent BOBCARD in campaigns, embodying its mission to "Reimagine Credit for Everyone in India."
On October 23, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India approved Pranav Chawda as the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s local banking unit for a three-year term. Chawda, currently heading commercial banking, will also oversee corporate banking.

Former First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, passed away on October 13, 2024, in North Macedonia. He was 69 years old. Salmond, who served as First Minister from 2007 to 2014.

Questions:

1 What is the IMF's projected GDP growth rate for India for the fiscal year 2024-25?

2 Who has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s local banking unit for a three-year term in 2024?