Current Affairs One - Liner : 27th & 28th October 2024

• National:
• On October 17, 2024, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) revised its grey listing criteria to focus on nations posing significant risks to the global financial system. This change aims to relieve pressures on least developed countries and target countries with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies.

• On October 17, 2024, Google announced new AI-powered partnerships to advance healthcare, sustainability, and agriculture in India. These initiatives include AI-driven solutions for diabetic retinopathy screening, urban waste management, and agricultural development, marking the fifth anniversary of Google’s Research Lab in Bengaluru.
• On October 8, 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) declared Namdapha National Park and Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh as Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ). This designation aims to enhance conservation efforts and protect the unique biodiversity of these areas.
• To reduce the burden on the Sasan lion safari in Gujarat, a new lion safari is being built in Barda. The Barda Wildlife Sanctuary and Phase-1 of the Barda Jungle Safari will be inaugurated on October 29, 2024, at Kapurdi Check Post in Devbhumi Dwarka.
• On October 28, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat. This facility will manufacture the C-295 military transport aircraft, marking India's first private-sector final assembly line for military aircraft.
• On October 24, 2024, Sarvam AI launched Sarvam-1, a new language model for 10 Indian languages and English. This open-source model addresses challenges like token inefficiency and poor data quality for Indic languages.
• On October 25, 2024, Meta partnered with IndiaAI to advance open-source AI innovation, research, and development in India. This collaboration includes establishing the Center for Generative AI, Srijan at IIT Jodhpur and launching the YuvAi Initiative for skilling and capacity building in collaboration with AICTE.
• On October 24, 2024, the Sports Ministry discontinued the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award for lifetime achievement. It will be replaced by the Arjuna Award (Lifetime). Grassroots coaches are now eligible for the Dronacharya Award, and the MAKA Trophy will recognize top-performing universities in the Khelo India University Games.
• Banking:
• On October 10, 2024, Piramal Payment Services Limited received approval from the RBI to launch its Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) service, Piramal Pay. This allows them to offer digital financial services across India, ensuring secure and convenient transactions.
• Between January and April 2024, Indians lost Rs 120 crore to digital arrest frauds. Scammers posed as law enforcement officers, demanding money for a "compromise" and "closure of the case". Many of these frauds originated from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
• The Uttar Pradesh Authority for Advance Ruling (UPAAR) has ruled that pre-paid vouchers are taxable at 18% under GST laws. The decision clarifies that these vouchers fall under the category of "goods" and are subject to GST at the time of issuance.
• Economy:
• India's coking coal imports for April–September 2024 reached a six-year high, totaling 29.6 million tonnes. This increase from 28.8 million tonnes last year is driven by higher steel production and greater demand for coking coal.
• Sports:
• On October 27, 2024, Yashaswini Ghorpade and Krittwika Roy won the women's doubles title at the World Table Tennis Feeder Cagliari 2024 table tennis tournament in Italy. They defeated the South Korean pair Yoo Siwoo and Kim Haeun 3-1 in the final.
• On October 18, 2024, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari won the 2024 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. He led the race from start to finish, securing a dominant victory.
• Index & Ranking:
• The 2024 Global Nature Conservation Index released by Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in collaboration with BioDB.com, ranked India 176th out of 180 countries with a score of 45.5 out of 100. The low ranking was due to inefficient land management and rising threats to biodiversity. Denmark was ranked first for its conservation efforts.
• Important Days:
• The Indian Army celebrated its 78th Infantry Day on October 27, 2024, with ceremonies in Leimakhong Military Station, Manipur, and Zakhama Military Station, Nagaland. The theme was "Celebrating the Bravery and Dedication of Infantry Soldiers".
• World Trauma Day is observed on October 17 to raise awareness about trauma and its effects on individuals and communities. The 2024 theme is "Workplace Injuries: Prevention & Management", emphasizing the importance of creating safe working environments and addressing occupational injuries.
• International Abhidhamma Divas is celebrated on October 17 to honor Buddha's teachings on Abhidhamma. The 2024 theme is "Celebrating the Teachings and Legacy of Buddha," emphasizing mental discipline and ethical conduct.
• Appointments:
• On October 26, 2024, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Deepak Agarwal, a 2000-batch IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, as the full-time Managing Director (MD) of NAFED for a five-year term.
• On October 25, 2024, Essar Group appointed Manu Kapoor as its Group Chief of Public Policy and Corporate Affairs. Kapoor, with over three decades of experience, will build and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders across various regions.
• On October 10, 2024, KAP Sinha was appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Punjab, succeeding Anurag Verma. A 1992-batch IAS officer, Sinha previously served as the Special Chief Secretary for Revenue, Agriculture, and Water Conservation.
• On October 9, 2024, Tom Fletcher of the UK was appointed as the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
• Awards & Honours:
• On October 28, 2024, Bhubaneswar was honored as the City with the Best Public Transport System at the 17th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Exhibition held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The award was received by Odisha Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra from Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal.
• On October 25, 2024, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a renowned conservation scientist from Assam, received The Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership from the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the 5th IUCN SSC Leaders' Meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Questions:

1 Who was appointed as the full-time Managing Director (MD) of NAFED on October 26, 2024?

• A) Rakesh Sharma
• B) Deepak Agarwal
• C) Sunil Mehta
• D) Anil Jain

Answer: B) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Deepak Agarwal, a 2000-batch IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, as the full-time MD of NAFED.

2 In the 2024 Global Nature Conservation Index, where was India ranked among 180 countries?

• A) 150th
• B) 180th
• C) 170th
• D) 176th

Answer: A) India was ranked 176th out of 180 countries in the 2024 Global Nature Conservation Index, reflecting challenges in biodiversity conservation and land management.