The second edition of 'World Food India-2023’ will be organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, from 3-5 November, 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

• The Curtain Raiser Event to WFI-2023 was held today in National Media Centre, New Delhi. During the event, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras, and Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, launched the website, publicity brochure and promotional video for WFI-2023.
• Addressing the Curtain Raiser event, Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras emphasised that India is one of the fastest-growing economies with many investment opportunities, especially in the food processing sector.
• He outlined five pivotal elements of the WFI-2023 as Millets- ‘Shree Anna-The Super Food of India’, Innovation and Sustainability ‘Green Food’, White Revolution 2.0, making India an export hub and focus on technology and digitisation.

Tamil writer Sivasankari was on Thursday presented with the ‘Saraswati Samman’ 2022 for her book of memoirs Surya Vamsam.

• The award, instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation, was presented to her by former Union Minister M. Veerappa Moily. It carries a citation, a plaque and prize money of ?15 lakh.
• Surya Vamsam is a book of memoirs in two volumes. These two volumes together present not only the evolution of an innocent child into an acclaimed author but also unfold the transformation society has undergone in these seven decades, the award citation said.
• The work was selected by a Chayan Parishad (Selection Committee), headed by former Supreme Court judge Arjan Kumar Sikri.

Claudia Goldin has been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics for her research advancing our understanding of women’s work force participation.

• Goldin is the third woman, and the first female solo-winner, to be honored with the Prize—officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel and created in 1969. 
• A trailblazing economic historian and labor economist, Goldin is best known for her wide body of research on the history of American women in the labor market and the persistence of the gender wage gap.
• The Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University, Goldin is the former director of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s (NBER) Development of the American Economy program and currently serves as co-director of the NBER’s Gender in the Economy group.

Indian-origin professor Dr Joyeeta Gupta has received the Spinoza Prize, the highest distinction in Dutch science, at a ceremony in the Netherlands for her work in the field of climate change.

• The Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) was conferred with the prize by the Netherlands’ Minister for Education, Science and Culture Robert Dijkgraaf at The Hague on Wednesday.
• The Dutch Research Council (NWO) prize is worth 1.5 million euros, which Gupta intends to spend on scientific research and activities related to knowledge utilisation.
• According to the NWO citation, Gupta investigates how the distributional issues arising from climate change can be solved through good governance. She argues that the consequences of climate change have a direct impact on the relationship between rich and poor.

Axis Bank, one of India’s largest private sector banks, has partnered with Fibe (formerly known as EarlySalary) to introduce the country’s first-ever numberless credit card tailored for tech-savvy Generation individuals.

• The numberless credit card offers customers an enhanced security by eliminating the traditional card number, expiry date, and CVV printed on the physical card.
• This innovative design is expected to reduce the risk of identity theft or unauthorised access to customers’ card information, ensuring the utmost security and privacy. 
• The co-branded credit card offers industry-best features like cashback of flat 3 per cent on online food delivery across all restaurant aggregators, local commute on leading ride-hailing apps and entertainment on online ticketing platforms. 

The INS Sagardhwani, an oceanographic research vessel owned by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) under the DRDO, embarked on a two-month-long Sagar Maitri (SM) Mission-4 from South Jetty, Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi. 

• The Sagar Maitri initiative by DRDO aims to foster closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects and enhance scientific interactions, particularly in the field of ocean research, among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries.
• Under this initiative, DRDO introduced ‘MAITRI,’ which stands for ‘Marine and Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative.’
• This initiative focuses on establishing long-term collaborations with IOR countries in the domain of ‘Ocean Research and Development,’ as stated by the Defence Ministry in an official statement.

A Historic Voyage

In the Sagar Maitri program, INS Sagardhwani will retrace the footsteps of INS Kistna, which participated in the International Indian Ocean Expedition during 1962-65. The mission’s goal is to establish enduring scientific partnerships and collaborations with eight IOR countries, including Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

India and France discussed potential collaboration in niche areas such as cyberspace and artificial intelligence with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saying that strategic partnership between the two nations is more relevant today than ever and both sides are looking forward to taking it to "newer heights".

• Singh and French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu held extensive talks at the fifth annual India-France Defence Dialogue in Paris on Wednesday(11-10-2023) evening with a focus on enhancing defence industrial cooperation.
• "The two ministers discussed a wide range of topics from the assessment of regional situation to the ongoing military-to-military engagements, with a focus on enhancing defence industrial cooperation," the defence ministry said on Thursday.
• In a post on X, Singh described his meeting with Lecornu as "excellent".

The Indian Navy is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise “Chakravat” in Goa from October 9 to October 11. This exercise will address various issues, including climate change.

• AJHE-23 includes a seminar, a Table-Top Exercise, and a Multi-Agency Capability Demonstration.
• It will witness participation from various national agencies, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM), Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Agencies (NRSA), among others. 
• During the seminar planned on October 09, Subject Matter Experts will discuss emergent topics such as Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction: Practical Solutions, Disaster Response in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR): A Collaborative Approach, and NGO Collaboration in Disaster Reduction and Response: An Integrated Approach.
• An industrial display is scheduled for October 10 and October 11, where various HADR equipment will be showcased by FICCI, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, NDRF, SDMA, and NSRC.

The Indian Navy said it has institutionalised a "transformative" appraisal mechanism as the present system has an inherent limitation of a "top-down" approach.

• The new '360 degree appraisal mechanism' for promotion boards has been finalised with a focus on having an agile and adaptive human resource management framework, it said, noting the women and men in whites are central to the force's 'Ship First' approach and will continue to remain its greatest asset in the foreseeable future.
• "In that regard, the Indian Navy has institutionalised a novel transformative initiative of '360 degree appraisal mechanism' for various promotion boards," the Navy said in a statement.
• It said the present appraisal mechanism of periodic confidential reports by senior officers has an inherent limitation of a "top-down" approach as it does not cater for or quantify a leader's impact on subordinates.

Indian Navy and the State Bank of India on October 4 launched ‘Nav-eCash’ card, a unique e-cash card that can work in both online and offline mode.

• On the launch of Nav-eCash card, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said, “India is leading the world with over 100 billion digital financial transactions being recorded annually and the number is steadily growing.”
• This is a giant step as India eyes complete Self-reliance and digital transformation. The SBI Nav-eCash card will be implemented pan Navy.
• Taking inspiration from India’s growing digitalization, the Indian Navy initiated its first step as an idea by one of thier officers, Captain Vasu Dheeraj, towards a cashless and digital Indian Navy in 2020 by developing a business model and proof of concept with a startup for offline transactions at the high seas based upon a dual chip card system.
• The project has been brought to life by the State Bank of India, which took the initiative forward by embedding the offline solution into their existing online solution and paving way for the maiden trials on board INS Vikramaditya in 2021.

Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, attended an online programme organised by UNICEF on 11 October 2023, the UN International Day of the Girl Child, to commemorate the milestone of one million certifications of its Passport to Earning (P2E) programme. UNICEF’s global learning-to-earning solution, Passport to Earning (P2E), has skilled and certified more than one million young people in India in areas of financial literacy and digital productivity.

• This milestone marks a major step towards helping them gain skills relevant to the future of work and life. Notably, 62 per cent of all young learners who benefitted from P2E courses in India are adolescent girls and young women.
• In India, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, P2E provides free access to certificate courses in digital productivity, financial literacy, employability skills, and other in-demand, job-ready skills. The P2E solution also offers provisions for online, hybrid, and offline learning models.
• The digital learning platform aims to deliver long-term sustainable skilling to 5 million youth  in the age group of 14-29 in India by 2024 and then connect them to opportunities in job, self-employment and entrepreneurship to be financially independent.

In a significant move to enhance the quality of education for school students in India, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has introduced the ‘Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas’ (SHRESHTA).

This program is designed to provide high-quality education to students from Scheduled Castes (SC) and expand the reach of development initiatives within SC-dominant areas in the education sector. 

Two Modes of Implementation

The SHRESHTA program will be operated through two distinct modes to cater to the educational needs of SC students.

Schooling under CBSE/State Board Affiliated Private Residential Schools

In this mode, meritorious SC students will have the opportunity to gain admission to select private schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and State Boards. To identify eligible candidates, the National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS) will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Successful candidates will be admitted to private residential schools in the 9th and 11th grades, allowing them to complete their education up to the 12th standard.

Eligibility Criteria

Around 3000 SC students with parents’ annual income up to 2.5 lakh will be selected annually based on their merit.

Admission in NGO Operated Schools

In this mode, schools and hostels operated by voluntary organizations (VOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will offer education up to the 12th grade. These schools and hostels, receiving grant-in-aid and demonstrating satisfactory performance, will continue to provide education under the SHRESHTA program.

Benefits of the Scheme

Students admitted under this scheme will have their entire fee waived off, including school fees (tuition fees) and hostel fees (mess charges). The admissible fees for each class are as follows: 9th: Rs.1,00,000, 10th: Rs.1,10,000, 11th: Rs.1,25,000, 12th: Rs.1,35,000.

YES Bank on Wednesday, October 4, announced that it has become the first bank in the country to issue an 'ONDC Network Gift Card'. This marks a shift in the way India shops and aims to revolutionise the shopping experience for Indian consumers.

• The ONDC Network Gift Card, issued in partnership with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), is at the forefront of democratising digital commerce.
• Unlike traditional gift cards, this concept empowers customers to utilise the gift card for purchasing products from any brand and any seller across a wide array of segments, including food, fashion, handicrafts, electronics, home essentials, health and wellbeing, the lender said.
• The ONDC Network Gift Card is open for sponsorship and utilisation by corporate and individual customers, enabling them to extend thoughtful gestures to their customers, employees, or for their loved ones. This card leverages the Rupay network and offers the flexibility to load up to Rs 10,000.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 5.0), the flagship routine immunization campaign of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will conclude all 3 rounds on 14th October 2023.

• IMI 5.0 ensures that routine immunization services reach the missed-out and dropped out children and pregnant women across the country.
• This year, for the first time the campaign is being conducted across all the districts in the country and includes children up to 5 years of age (Previous campaigns included children up to 2 years of age).
• IMI 5.0 campaign aims to enhance immunization coverage for all vaccines provided under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) as per the National Immunization Schedule (NIS).
• Special focus is on improvement of Measles and Rubella vaccination coverage with the aim of Measles & Rubella elimination by 2023 and use of U-WIN digital platform for Routine Immunization in pilot mode across all districts in the country.
• IMI 5.0 is being conducted in three rounds i.e., 7 -12 August, 11-16 September, and 9-14 October 2023 i.e., 6 days in a month with the inclusion of a Routine Immunization Day. All States/UTs except Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Punjab would conclude all the three rounds of IMI 5.0 campaign by 14th October 2023.

14 October 2023 is designated as National Dessert Day. Dessert is the final course of a meal and is often sweet.

The meal typically comprises sweet foods, though it could also contain other things. In western cultures, there are many different types of desserts, such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, pies, puddings, and sweets.

Due to its inherent sweetness, fruit is frequently served as dessert. This is just one example of how many different cultures around the world have their own variations of similar sweets.

National Dessert Day Significance

National Dessert Day has a sweet and straightforward past. While the precise beginnings of this joyous celebration are unclear, it is safe to assume that it developed as a means to honor the enormous range of delectable sweets that have graced tables all over the world for millennia. Since ancient times, people have enjoyed sweet delicacies produced from honey, fruits, and nuts.

The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was started in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.

• Held on every 13 October, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.
• In 2015 at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, the international community was reminded that disasters hit hardest at the local level with the potential to cause loss of life and great social and economic upheaval. Sudden onset disasters displace millions of people every year.
• Theme for 2023 : Fighting inequality for a resilient future. Let’s Break the Cycle! 

World Sight Day is observed across the globe on the second Thursday of October every year to raise awareness about blindness and vision impairment. 

• This year’s World Sight Day, which falls on Thursday 12 October 2023, is an opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the importance of eye care. 
• The day highlights the need for people to prioritize their eye health and calls on business leaders and employers to ensure that eye care is accessible, inclusive and available to workers everywhere.
• This year WHO is launching WHOeyes, a free app that provides a simple way for people to check their vision at home. 
• The theme for the global celebration of the day is 'Love Your Eyes At Work.

International Girl Child Day is observed annually on October 11.

• The day aims to focus on the importance of girls' education, their rights, and promoting gender equality. It urges the global community to move beyond reaffirming commitments and invest boldly in the action needed to make changes that could empower girls.
• The International Day of the Girl Child was first celebrated in 2012. It is marked annually on October 11. This year, it falls on Wednesday
• The theme of International Day of the Girl 2023 is "Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being," according to the official website of the United Nations.

Every year October 10 is observed as World Mental Health Day globally.

• The day marks the foundation of the World Federation for Mental Health in the year 1948.
• World Federation for Mental Health is an international membership organization which aims to prevent mental and emotional disorders, provide proper treatment and care and the promotion of mental health.
• World Mental Health Day 2023 theme is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’. According to WHO, “World Mental Health Day 2023 is an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.”

The government, in collaboration with the Indian Drugs Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), is set to commemorate the inaugural National Current Good Manufacturing Practice Day (cGMP Day) on October 10th. 

• This initiative aims to address and enhance the quality standards of pharmaceutical products manufactured in India, addressing concerns related to the quality of certain drugs produced in the country.
• These guidelines are essential for ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products.
• India’s pharmaceutical industry has faced scrutiny due to concerns about the quality of certain drugs, and this initiative aims to address these issues and enhance patient safety.

World Post Day is celebrated on October 9 each year. The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post's role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development.

• This day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) which was started in 1874 in Switzerland. 
• It is an opportunity to celebrate the importance of postal services in facilitating communication, commerce, and connectivity between people and businesses across the globe.
• The Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialised agency of the United Nations that coordinates international postal services, plays a significant role in promoting and organising World Post Day.
• The theme of World Post Day for this year 2023 is “Together for trust: Collaborating for a safe and connected future”.

On the eve of World Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, celebrated annually on October 8th, the Government of India held a half-day event to explore and leverage the boundless possibilities of hydrogen as a source of green and sustainable energy.

• The event, organized in New Delhi on October 7, 2023, by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, in association with Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited, brought together hydrogen experts from the industry, academia and government.
• On the occasion, the R&D Roadmap for the National Green Hydrogen Mission was unveiled by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.
• The roadmap, which provides for a budget of Rs. 400 crores, seeks to provide guidance for developing a vibrant research and development ecosystem which can help commercialize Green Hydrogen and contribute to India’s ambitious climate and energy goals.
• It focuses on developing new materials, technologies, and infrastructure to improve the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of green hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. The R&D program will also prioritize safety and address technical barriers and challenges in developing a hydrogen economy.

The mighty force protecting India's sky space, Indian Air Force, came into existence as the ‘Royal Indian Air Force,’ on 8 October, 1932. The day is marked with the organisation of grand parade and celebrations across the nation.

• On this day, IAF personnel who protect India's skies are honoured for their dedication, bravery and professionalism.
• Not only this, Indian Air Force showcases its prowess in the sky by conducting grand air shows at different locations of the country.
• On this day, several programmes are conducted including aerial displays, rallies, parades, and ceremonies. 
• To celebrate the day this year, IAF will conduct its annual Air Force Day parade at Prayagraj on Sunday(8 october 2023).
• Traditionally, the parade used to be held at the Hindon airbase near Delhi till 2021. However, it was taken out of the national capital in 2021. Last year, it was held in Chandigarh.

India’s industrial output surged at a 14-month high pace of 10.3% in August, from a 6% rise in July, aided by favourable base effects from last year when production levels had contracted 0.7% and the best manufacturing performance since this April.

• Electricity and mining rose a sharp 15.3% and 12.3%, respectively. Manufacturing output rose 9.3% in August, with just seven of 23 major segments recording a contraction compared with nine in July.
• The export-dependent apparel and chemicals sectors saw production dropped 17.1% and 4.3%, respectively. Computers and electronics’ output also fell 8.7%.
• Consumer goods’ production reflected a mixed trend, although durables’ output grew for the first time in three months, at 5.7%, and hit the highest levels since September 2022.
• Non-durable consumer items’ output jumped 9% year, but was 3.9% below July levels. Moreover, base effects played a role in their uptick, as durables’ output had dropped 4.4% last August, while non-durables had plummeted 9%.

India's retail inflation eased to 5.02 per cent in September on an annual basis as against 6.83 per cent in August, showed data released by the ministry of statistics on Thursday.

• On a monthly basis, the prices deflated 1.13 per cent. The food price inflation for September stood at 6.56 per cent as 9.94 per cent in August.
• The rural and urban inflation stood at 5.33 per cent and 4.65 per cent, respectively.
• Inflation rate for vegetable declined significantly to 3.39 per cent in September from 26.14 per cent in August. Cereal inflation stood at 10.95 per cent in the month of September. The fuel and light segment deflated 0.11 per cent in September.

India's economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year has been raised to 6.3 per cent from 6.1 per cent earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its October 2023 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report that was released on Tuesday, October 10.

• The global lender expects retail inflation in the country to rise to 5.5 per cent in fiscal 2023-24 before easing to 4.6 per cent in 2024-25. 
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected consumer price index (CPI)-based inflation for the current fiscal year at 5.4 per cent while gross domestic product (GDP) growth is seen at 6.5 per cent.  

India’s net direct tax collections grew 21.8% to ?9.57 lakh crore by October 9, surpassing over half of the Budget estimates for this year, with personal income tax revenues rising 32.5% and corporate taxes increasing 12.4%.

• While tax refunds amounting to ?1.5 lakh crore have been remitted to taxpayers so far, some refunds are being withheld on the basis of pending tax demands from the past that taxpayers are being given a chance to address.
• "Challenges with validating bank accounts of about 35 lakh taxpayers, who may have provided incorrect bank branch codes, are also posing a hurdle", said Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairperson Nitin Gupta.
• For refunds of up to ?5,000, the Income Tax (IT) department is not restricting payouts. However, over that threshold, taxpayers are being informed if there are any outstanding tax dues. On tax demands in some cases being raised from as far back as 2010-11,

India, and Tanzania to sign 15 agreements with an eye on $10 billion trade. Tanzania and India have shared a long history of strong, friendly, and cooperative relations.

• Their political ties, spanning from the 1960s to the 1980s, were largely influenced by their mutual commitment to anti-colonialism, anti-racism, various forms of socialism, and a shared desire for South-South Cooperation.
• Notably, former President Julius Nyerere held a revered status in India, receiving the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1974 and the International Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995.
• Throughout this period, India and Tanzania collaborated closely in international forums. However, following the post-Cold War era’s policy adjustments, both nations embarked on economic reform initiatives nearly simultaneously.
• These reforms aimed at fostering broader engagement on the global political and economic stage, nurturing international business relationships, and encouraging foreign investment.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), carried out by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), has reported that unemployment rate in urban areas of the country has shown a decrease during the period April-June 2023.  Unemployment rate in urban areas decreased from 7.6% in April-June 2022 to 6.6% in April-June 2023 for persons of age 15 years and above

• Similarly, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 and above and the worker-population ratio (WPR) have also improved during the period.
• This national survey processed details from 5,639 first-stage sampling units (FSUs) and 1,67,916 people from 44,190 urban houses.
• The LFPR in urban areas increased from 47.5% in April-June 2022 to 48.8% in April-June 2023. While it hovered around 73.5% for men during this period, for women, the LFPR increased from 20.9% to 23.2% during this period, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said in a release here on Monday.
• The WPR in urban areas increased from 43.9% in April-June 2022 to 45.5% for persons aged 15 and above. For men, it increased from 68.3% to 69.2% and for women, it increased from 18.9% to 21.1% during this period.

India’s unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 years and above has reached a six-year low at 3.2%, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2022-2023 released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

• This significant decline in joblessness signifies a positive trend in employment opportunities within the country. 
• The unemployment rate, often referred to as the joblessness rate, is a measure of the percentage of unemployed individuals in the labor force.
• It provides critical insights into the employment landscape of a nation. 
• To ensure more frequent and timely availability of labor force data, the NSSO initiated the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017. 
• This survey collects comprehensive data on employment and unemployment trends in India.  
• The reference period for the latest data spans from July 2022 to June 2023. During this period, the Unemployment Rate (UR) for individuals aged 15 and above at the national level decreased to 3.2%. This marks a significant drop from the 4.1% recorded in the previous year (2021-22).

India's fiscal deficit in the first five months of the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) stood at Rs 6.42 trillion, 36 per cent of the full-year target of Rs 17.87 trillion, data released by the Controller General of Accounts on Friday showed.

• In the same period in FY23, the fiscal deficit was 32.6 per cent of the full-year target. India aims to narrow its fiscal deficit to 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of the current financial year, against 6.4 per cent last year. 
• The primary deficit, which shows fiscal deficit without the interest payment, stood at Rs 2.75 trillion, 38.9 per cent of the full-year target of Rs 7.06 trillion. Last year, between April and August, it was 28.2 per cent of the budgetary estimate.
• Moreover, the revenue deficit at Rs 2.84 trillion was 32.7 per cent of the full-year estimate of Rs 8.70 trillion. The net tax revenue in the April-August period was Rs 8.04 trillion, or 34.5 per cent of the annual estimate, higher than Rs 7 trillion in the same period last year, according to the data.

• The GST Council on Saturday decided to reduce GST on molasses to 5 per cent, from 28 per cent, and exempt alcohol for human consumption from the levy. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh Deo, who is a member of the GST Council, said extra neutral alcohol (ENA) for industrial use will continue to attract Goods and Services Tax (GST). 
• "ENA (potable alcohol) for human consumption will be exempt from GST and the same will be communicated to the Supreme Court," Deo told reporters after the 52nd GST Council meeting.
• The tax rate on molasses, a by-product of sugarcane and used as raw material for alcohol production, has been reduced to 5 per cent from 28 per cent currently, Deo added.

Ircon International Limited and RITES Ltd under the Ministry of Railways, have been announced as the 15th and 16th Navratna among Central Public Sector Enterprise.

• Both the companies have been conferred Navratna status by the Ministry of Finance yesterday.
• With the grant of this status, the companies will benefit in enhancing their market credibility and in undertaking larger size Public-Private Partnership projects.
• On Friday(13-10-2023), the share price of IRCON surged to more than 6.66 per cent to Rs 144.95 and RITES saw a jump of 6 per cent to Rs 502.05 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

 Indian Oil Corporation’s board has greenlit a Rs. 1,660.15 crore equity investment for a 50% stake in Indian Oil NTPC Green Energy, a joint venture with NTPC Green Energy.

Indian Oil Corporation’s board has given the green light for an equity investment of ?1,660.15 crore, securing a 50% stake in the joint venture company Indian Oil NTPC Green Energy. This strategic move aligns with their commitment to renewable energy initiatives.

Joint Venture Details:

The joint venture was established in June, bringing together Indian Oil Corporation and NTPC Green Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of power producer NTPC.
The collaboration aims to develop renewable energy-based power projects, specifically focusing on solar PV and wind technologies.

Investment Purpose:

The approved funds will be utilized to set up state-of-the-art renewable energy power plants.
These plants will play a crucial role in meeting the round-the-clock power requirements of upcoming projects within IndianOil refineries.

Key Points:

The equity contribution of ?1,660.15 crore solidifies Indian Oil Corporation’s 50% stake in the IndianOil NTPC Green Energy joint venture.
The investment plan, now approved, paves the way for the development of cutting-edge renewable energy projects, emphasizing solar PV and wind solutions.
The initiative reflects a significant stride toward sustainability, indicating Indian Oil Corporation’s commitment to clean energy and reducing its carbon footprint.
By meeting the power demands of their refineries through renewable sources, Indian Oil Corporation takes a proactive step towards environmental responsibility.

Zomato has gone live with an app called Xtreme, a logistics service that will allow merchants to send and receive parcels, and marks the firm's debut in the segment. 

The move is aimed at diversifying Zomato's revenue stream, reported Moneycontrol and Business Standard. 

About Zomato Xtreme:

• The app is only for intra-city packages and these can have a maximum weight of 10 kilograms; the packages have a starting price of ?35.
• As is the case with the Gurugram-based company's food delivery service, merchants get to live track their shipments. Also, more than 300,000 delivery partners have already registered under the app.
• For now, only Android smartphone users can use Zomato Xtreme, which is yet to show up on the Apple Store. It is unclear whether an Apple version is planned or not.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, has reclaimed the title of the richest Indian, surpassing Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, who experienced a substantial decline in wealth due to the scathing Hindenburg Research report, as per Hurun India Rich List 2023.

• Hurun India and 360 ONE Wealth on Tuesday released the 360 ONE Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2023. This is the 12th annual ranking of the richest individuals in India.
• Reliance Industries has made cumulative investments exceeding $150 billion in the last decade, surpassing any other corporation in India, the report said.
• During this period, Mukesh Ambani's wealth has surged from Rs 1.65 lakh crore in 2014 to nearly Rs 8.08 lakh crore in 2023, marking an impressive four-fold increase.
• Gautam Adani (61), the chairman of Adani Group, slipped to the second position with a wealth of Rs 4.74 lakh crore. Cyrus S Poonawalla (82), the founder of Serum Institute of India, has maintained his position at number three, with a total wealth amounting to Rs 2.78 lakh crore as of 2023.

Automotive retail in September showcased robust double-digit year-on-year (YoY) growth of 20 per cent, and except for tractors, which witnessed a 10 per cent decline, all other categories experienced growth, with two-wheelers (2W) seeing a 22 per cent increase, three-wheelers (3W) 49 per cent, passenger vehicles (PV) 19 per cent, and commercial vehicles (CV) up by five per cent.

• According to monthly retail sales data shared by the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Associations (FADA), PV sales grew 19 per cent YoY to 3,32,248 units during the month, as compared with 2,79,137 units in the corresponding month last year.
• Two-wheeler sales also grew 21.68 per cent YoY to 13,12,101 units in September, as against 10,78,286 units in the same month last year. 
• Three-wheeler sales grew 48.58 per cent YoY to 1,02,426 units last month, as compared with 68,937 units in September 2022, the FADA report said.

Palestinian demonstrations amid a rise in antisemitic acts since Hamas attacked Israel over the weekend. President Emmanuel Macron urged French people not to allow the war in the Mideast erupt into tensions at home.

• Soon before Macron spoke in a televised address to the nation about the Mideast conflict, Paris police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters who had defied a ban and demonstrated against the Israeli government.
• Fighting in the Middle East in the past has led to tensions in France, which is estimated to have the world’s third-largest Jewish population after Israel and the U.S., and the largest Muslim population in Western Europe.

India launches ‘Operation Ajay’ to evacuate Indian national from Israel-Hamas conflict zone.

• File PicIndia has launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return from Israel of its citizens who wish to return. In a social media post External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said, special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place.
• He said, Government is fully committed to the safety and well-being of Indian nationals abroad. Indian Embassy in Israel said, it has emailed the first lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight.
• It said, messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights. The Embassy said, it has been working constantly to help fellow citizens in Israel through a 24-hour helpline. It urged people to remain calm and vigilant and follow the security advisories. 
• In view of the ongoing developments in Israel and Palestine, a 24-hour Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs to monitor the situation and provide information and assistance.
• The Representative Office of India in Ramallah has also set up a 24-hour emergency helpline.

An eight-foot-tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi has been unveiled at Tolstoy Farm, the commune that he had started during his tenure as a lawyer here in South Africa in the early 20th century.

• The larger-than-life clay statue, unveiled by the High Commissioner of India, Prabhat Kumar, now joins large busts of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, both commissioned by sculptor Jalandharnath Rajaram Channole, from the Sevagram Ashram in India.
• Kumar recalled that Gandhi’s friend Herman Kallenbach had donated the farm to establish a self-sufficient commune.
• The envoy said that the same community spirit had to be re-established at Tolstoy Farm as he commended the Mahatma Gandhi Remembrance Organisation (MGRO) and its head, Mohan Hira, for what they had done to revive Tolstoy Farm.
• Hira, now 84, almost single-handedly started a drive to restore Tolstoy Farm. For his efforts, Hira received the Pravasi Bharatiya Award, India’s highest civilian award for Diaspora Indians, in January this year.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 82-kilometre railway track, connecting Dhaka to Bhanga, as part of the "Padma Bridge Railway Link Project."

• She opened the rail route unveiling a plaque by pressing a button at a civic rally at Mawa Railway Station in Munshiganj in presence of PM's younger sister Sheikh Rehana.
• Padma Bridge Rail Link Project (PBRLP), is being implemented to build a 172-km rail line from Dhaka, the capital city, with the southwestern district of Jessore through Padma Bridge at a cost of Tk 39,247 crore.
• It is being executed by Bangladesh Railway (BR) in collaboration with China Railway Group Limited (CREC), a Chinese construction company, and the Corps of Engineers of the Bangladesh Army acting as the construction supervision consultant.

India and Saudi Arabia have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Riyadh. This significant agreement encompasses various critical areas such as Electrical Interconnections, Green/Clean Hydrogen, and Supply Chains. This bilateral cooperation will pave the way for further advancements and collaborations between the two nations in these sectors.

The MoU was signed between the visiting Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India, Shri R.K. Singh and the Minister of Energy, Government of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud on the sidelines of the MENA Climate Week in Riyadh.

• This MoU aims to establish a general framework for cooperation between the two countries in the field of electrical interconnection; exchange of electricity during peak times and emergencies; co-development of projects; co-production of green / clean hydrogen and renewable energy.
• It will also be establishing secure, reliable and resilient supply chains of materials used in green / clean hydrogen and the renewable energy sector.

India and Switzerland celebrated 75 years of friendship and collaboration in a three-day event called 'Swiss Himalayan Bounty' in Uttarakhand.

• The three-day event, 'Swiss Himalayan Bounty', held last week at a homestay in Satoli village at an altitude of 6,000 ft near Mukteshwar in Nainital district, had participants ranging from various NGOs, stakeholders and beneficiaries of the partnership between the two nations.
• Olivier Fink, deputy head of mission at the Swiss embassy in New Delhi, was presented with a delectable selection of Kumaoni, Indian and Swiss cuisine, to the accompaniment of live music.
• "Swiss-Indian partnership has been marked with many success stories and this event is one of them," the deputy head said.
• The highlight was the showcasing of achievements of rural women of Champawat district who have benefited from projects supported by Swiss Himalayan Amity (SHA), a Switzerland-based organisation.

Indian diplomats celebrate their professional holiday, Indian Foreign Service Day, on October 9. It commemorates the founding anniversary of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), a central civil service responsible for India’s representation abroad.

• The history of the Indian Foreign Service dates back to 1783, when the board of directors of the British East India Company created the Indian Foreign Department responsible for conducting business with foreign European powers. 
• As a result of the 1843 administrative reform carried out by the governor-general of India, the Secretariat of the Government was divided into four departments: Home, Foreign, Military, and Finance.
• All the external and internal diplomatic relations were entrusted to the secretary of the Foreign Department. The Government of India Act 1935 established the External Affairs Department directly subordinate to the governor-general.
• In 1944, the Secretary of the Planning and Development Department suggested the establishment of a separate diplomatic service. The Indian Foreign Service was officially created two years later on October 9, 1946. Subordinate to the Ministry of External Affairs, it was entrusted with the diplomatic, consular and commercial representation of India overseas.

The number of deaths from the devastating earthquakes that struck Afghanistan have surged past 2,400 even as immediate international aid is yet to reach the country due to governments wary of dealing directly with the Taliban.

• In a press conference on Sunday, Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Taliban’s ministry of disasters, said the death toll from two 6.3-magnitude earthquakes had increased to 2,445, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in the history of Afghanistan.
• Mr Sayeeq also revised down the number of injured to “more than 2,000”. Earlier, he had claimed 9,240 people had been injured in the tremors that struck the Herat province.
• While the world rushed to send aid after earthquakes rocked Syria, Turkey and Morocco this year and killed thousands, the Taliban official said “many are still trapped” under the rubble in Afghanistan days after the tremors struck one of the world’s poorest countries.

Israel has formally declared war on Hamas, setting the stage for a major military operation in Gaza as fighting continues to rage on Israeli soil.

• Tanks and personnel carriers could be seen on the move near the Israel-Gaza border, after Hamas – an Islamist militant group – launched an unprecedented and highly coordinated surprise assault this weekend that has so far killed over 700 Israelis.
• Saturday was the deadliest day in decades for Israel and came after months of surging violence between Palestinians and Israelis, with the long-running conflict now heading into uncharted and dangerous new territory.
• Questions remain over how the Israeli military and intelligence apparatus appeared to be caught off guard in one of the country’s worst security failures.
• Hamas claims to be holding “over 100” Israeli hostages, including high-ranking officers, and continued to fire rockets into Israel throughout Sunday. Another Palestinian armed group, called Islamic Jihad, said on Sunday it is holding at least 30 hostages in Gaza.

Russia indicated that it was moving swiftly towards revoking its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) after President Vladimir Putin held out the possibility of resuming nuclear testing.

• Putin said on Thursday Russia’s nuclear doctrine – which sets out the conditions under which he would press the nuclear button – did not need updating but that he was not yet ready to say whether or not Moscow needed to resume nuclear tests.
• The Kremlin chief said that Russia could look at revoking ratification of the CTBT as the United States had signed but not ratified it. 
• Russia’s top lawmaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, then said the State Duma lower house of parliament would swiftly consider if there was a need to revoke Russia’s ratification of the treaty. 
• The comments by Putin and Volodin suggest that Russia is seriously considering revoking ratification of the treaty, which bans nuclear explosions ?by everyone, everywhere.

The European Commission has taken a significant step by freezing all development aid to Palestinians, totalling 691 million euros ($729 million). This move comes as a response to the escalation of violence in the region, marking a substantial policy shift. 

Louise Gluck, a celebrated poet who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2020, has passed away at the age of 80.

• The Swedish Academy, responsible for Nobel Prize selection, praised Louise Gluck's poetry for its unreserved examination of family and childhood using a distinct and austere beauty. Her poems were typically concise, often spanning less than a single page.
• During her lifetime, Louise Gluck authored a total of 12 poetry collections along with numerous essay volumes.
• In 1993, Gluck received a Pulitzer Prize for her poetry compilation "The Wild Iris," with the eponymous poem delving into themes of suffering and richly weaving in natural imagery.

Shiv Bajrang Singh assumed charge as the Executive Director of Indian Bank .

• Prior to his elevation, Mr. Singh was the Chief General Manager at Bank of India. He has served as Zonal Manager of Ludhiana and Raigad Zones of the Bank and also as Chairman of Aryavart Bank(RRB).
• During his career, he has contributed to various aspects of banking, including HRM, MSME, business process re-engineering, branch banking and treasury, the public sector lender said in a statement.
• Mr. Singh possesses extensive banking experience acquired both in India and internationally, including his tenure at Bank of India’s New York Branch

Pankaj Bohra, a chartered accountant from Ahmedabad, has assumed the role of national president of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). 

• IACC, a 55-year-old chamber of commerce with 14 offices in India and 27 partner organisations in the US, is engaged in the promotion of bilateral trade and investments between India and the US. “Today bilateral trade between India and USA emerging as the largest trading partner of India.
• The bonds between the two nations are stronger than ever and are ready to enter into a new orbit,' said Bohra (59).
• With a professional experience spanning over four decades, Bohra currently serves as the senior partner at Pankaj Bohra & Co., Chartered Accountants.

Navneet Munot, MD and CEO of HDFC Asset Management, has been elected as the Chairman of Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).

• Navneet Munot is a Chartered Accountant and a CFA charter holder and has over three decades of experience in financial services.
• The Board of AMFI also elected Mr. Anthony Heredia, MD and CEO, Mahindra Manulife Mutual Fund as the Vice-Chairman of AMFI. Mr. Anthony Heredia is a Chartered Accountant and has over 26 years of experience in the investment management industry.
• The new Chairman and Vice Chairman will take charge from October 16, 2023.
• AMFI was incorporated on August 22, 1995, as a non-profit organisation. As of now, all the 44 asset management companies that are registered with SEBI, are its members.

British filmmaker Terence Davies, whose work plumbed his troubled upbringing, has died “after a short illness,” his friends announced on his Instagram page. He was 77.

• The filmmaker, who died at home on Saturday, achieved acclaim for his fictionalized autobiographies “Distant Voices, Still Lives” and “The Long Day Closes,” as well as literary adaptations, including Edith Wharton’s “The House of Mirth” starring Gillian Anderson and “The Deep Blue Sea” with Rachel Weisz.
• More recent works include “A Quiet Passion,” an Emily Dickinson biopic starring Cynthia Nixon in 2017, and “Benediction,” the 2021 Netflix drama toplined by Jack Lowden, about British war poet Siegfried Sassoon’s journey for personal salvation.
• “It’s always a shock when people say my films are depressing,” Davies told the Los Angeles Times in 2017.

Reliance Retail has appointed former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador of JioMart, the retail giant announced on Friday.

• The e-commerce platform will also roll out its JioUtsav campaign on October 8, ahead of the festive season in India.
• This campaign will feature Dhoni in a 45-second film where he will be seen celebrating the joys of and the buzz during the festivities to capture for moments that he might have missed, the company said. 
• The 42-year-old cricketer said that the JioUtsav campaign is an ode to the celebration of India and its people.

Udaipur, often referred to as the ‘City of Lakes’, is on the cusp of gaining a prestigious recognition as India’s first wetland city. The Rajasthan government is working diligently to earn this title for the city.

• The Environment and the Forest Department has chosen Udaipur based on the criteria set by the Ramsar Convention of International Importance.
• The city is already a part of the restoration project of the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP), an initiative of the central government.
• The wetlands and lakes in the Udaipur have traditionally been managed by the tourism and local self-government departments. The Environment and Forest Department is now pursuing international recognition for Udaipur by nominating it to the Ramsar Convention.
• This move is aimed at bringing the city up to international standards in terms of wetland conservation.
• Udaipur is surrounded by five major lakes, namely Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Nagar and Doodh Talai, justifying its claim to fame as the ‘City of Lakes’.

A forest arena titled ‘Miniature Eastern Ghats’ (MEG) will come up in about 30 acres of reserve land belonging to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department in the limits of Greter Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits.

• The facility is being set up adjacent to the ACA-VDCA cricket stadium along the old NH-16 road. The MEG, a part of the Eastern Ghats Biodiversity Centre project, will be opened for public from November, 2023.
• The main entrance gate, designed with images of animals, welcomes the people to the sprawling green oasis located opposite the newly laid Law College Road towards the Vizag-Bheemili beach road.
• Miniature Eastern Ghats’ is a one-stop place for the flora found in the Eastern Ghats. It is the first such project in Andhra Pradesh to attract the nature lovers and tourists.

A Puja Special Tram will run from Tollygunge to Ballygunge in Kolkata in commemoration of the UNESCO Heritage Tag to Durga Puja and to celebrate the 150 years of Kolkata tramways.

• The outer walls of the first bogie feature hand-painted artwork paying tribute to 'Kumartuli,' the traditional potters' neighborhood in North Kolkata renowned for sculpting Durga idols.
•  The artwork also includes representations of the 'Sindoor Khela' and 'Dhunuchi' dances. 
• Inside the bogie, the makeover includes Puja decor with cane installations, Alpona art, and a museum-style visual narrative. 
• Engaging interactive features and QR codes enable visitors to delve into "People of Puja" stories, providing an opportunity to discover the individuals behind the Durga Puja celebrations while enjoying the tram ride.

The RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 5.4 crore on Paytm Payments Bank for not complying with KYC directions and other guidelines pertaining to cybersecurity and payments banks.

• RBI had conducted a special scrutiny from a KYC/AML (anti-money laundering) perspective.
• The scrutiny brought out several areas of non-compliance, including failure to identify beneficial owners of entities onboarded for providing payout services, lack of monitoring of payout transactions and risk profiling, breaching regulatory balance ceilings, delayed reporting of a cybersecurity incident, and failure to implement device binding control measures related to SMS delivery receipts.
• RBI also had issues with its video-based customer identification process (V-CIP) infrastructure and could not identify those logging in from outside the country.
• The bank was issued a show-cause notice. After considering its response to the notice and oral submissions during a personal hearing, RBI determined that the charge of non-compliance was substantiated, leading to the imposition of the penalty.

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday announced doubling the lending limits for gold loans under the bullet repayment scheme for urban cooperative banks to Rs 4 lakh.

• It has been decided to increase the existing limit for gold loans under the bullet repayment scheme from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh in respect of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) who have met the overall target and sub-targets under the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) as on March 31, 2023. 
• RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said. A bullet repayment scheme is one where a borrower repays interest and the principal amount at the end of a loan tenure without worrying about repayment during the loan tenure.
• Das, who had a meeting with the top brass of UCBs recently, said the measure is in line with the RBI’s earlier announcement of providing "suitable incentives" to UCBs that have met the prescribed PSL targets, wherein a lender is mandated to devote a certain part of its overall lending for the marginalised sector.
• Later in the day, the RBI in a circular said, it has been decided to increase the monetary ceiling of gold loans that can be granted under the bullet repayment scheme, from to Rs 4 lakh for those UCBs, who have met the overall Priority Sector Lending target and sub-targets as on March 31, 2023, and continue to meet the targets.

A NASA probe launched into space Friday on a 2.2-billion-mile journey to a huge, metal-rich space rock in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

• The Psyche spacecraft lifted off atop one of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rockets at 10:19 a.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The probe will now spend years traveling into deep space en route to an asteroid also named Psyche, which may have once been part of the core of a “planetesimal,” a type of small celestial body that is a crucial building block of rocky planets in our solar system.
• The mission is the first to study a metal-rich space rock up close. Scientists are keen to investigate the asteroid Psyche because it could help them answer some of the enduring mysteries about how the solar system came to be.
• When the spacecraft arrives at the asteroid in 2029, its onboard instruments will examine its chemical makeup, study its mineral composition and scour for evidence of an ancient magnetic field.

Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe has broken its own record. Achieving a speed of 635,266 kilometres (394,736 miles) per hour, it’s now the fastest thing to be built by humans. On 27 September, during its 17th loop around the sun, it broke its 2021 record of 586,000 kilometres (364,621 miles) per hour achieved during its 10th solar flyby.

• The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 to collect data about the outer corona, the outermost layer of the Sun.
• The corona is hotter than the layer immediately below it. The reason for this coronal heating has been an unsolved puzzle for scientists.
• By 2025, the probe is scheduled to complete 24 loops around the sun. At its closest approach, the spacecraft will come within about 3.8 million miles of the Sun. “If the distance between Earth and the Sun was the length of a football field, the spacecraft would be around 4 yards from the end zone,” Nasa explains in a press statement.

The KCP Ltd is all set to hand over the Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT) – Crew Module Structure to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) which is currently working on the Gaganyaan mission, said M Narayana Rao, President of Heavy Engineering, KCP.

• ISRO will commence unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission for which the preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) are underway, the Indian space agency said. 
• The Gaganyaan mission is aimed at developing a human-habitable space capsule that will carry a three-member crew into an orbit of 400 km (250 miles) for three days, before returning to safety in a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, who made India proud by clinching Olympic and world titles, has been announced as one of the 11 nominees for the prestigious 2023 World Athlete of the Year award.

• The selection of nominees was made by an international panel of athletics experts, representing all six continental areas of World Athletics.
• These nominations highlight the remarkable achievements of athletes during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, various one-day meeting circuits, Label road races, and other global events, as stated by the sport's international governing body.
• Chopra joins an elite group of athletes vying for the award, including shot putter Ryan Crouser from the USA, pole vaulters Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, 3000m steeplechaser Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco, Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway (1500m/5000m), marathoner Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya, decathlete Pierce LePage of Canada, sprinter Noah Lyles of the USA, race walker Alvaro Martin from Spain, long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece, and 400m hurdler Karsten Warholm, also from Norway.

India's talented young batsman Shubman Gill is named the ICC Player of the Month for September after his run-scoring performances in his country's Asia Cup campaign and subsequent ODI series against Australia, while Sri Lankan icon Chamari Athapaththu wins the ICC Player of the Month for September takes the monthly crown after her T20I batting and bowling exploits last month earned her side their first series win on English soil.

• Both players will be crowned according to votes cast by global fans registered with icc-cricket.com and an expert panel of ICC Hall of Famers, former international players and media representatives.
• The 24-year-old started the month with half-centuries against Nepal and Pakistan before scoring in triple figures against Bangladesh.
• Both players will be crowned after voting by registered fans from around the world and an expert panel of ICC Hall of Fame members, former international players and media representatives.
• Read Full Article: https://www.bdcrictime.com/shubman-gill-named-icc-players-of-the-month-for-september.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session on 14th October 2023 at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

• The IOC session serves as a key meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Important decisions regarding the future of Olympic games are made at the IOC Sessions. India is hosting the IOC session for the second time and after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC’s 86th session was last held in New Delhi in 1983.
• The 141st IOC Session, being held in India, embodies the nation’s dedication to fostering global cooperation, celebrating sporting excellence, and furthering the Olympic ideals of friendship, respect, and excellence. It provides an opportunity for interaction and knowledge sharing among the various sports related stakeholders.
• The session will also be attended by President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Thomas Bach and other members of IOC, along with prominent Indian sports personalities and representatives from various sports federations, including the Indian Olympic Association.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the Olympic Museum has aligned with Reliance Foundation to build on the success of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India and signed a new cooperation agreement.

• This agreement underscores the organisations’ shared priority to promote Olympic values through sport among young people.
• The new cooperation was agreed upon by IOC President Thomas Bach and Nita Ambani, IOC Member in India and Reliance Foundation Founder Chairperson, during a visit to the Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) football academy in Mumbai.
• During the ceremony, President Bach and Mrs Ambani exchanged pennants representing OVEP and Reliance Foundation and joined students in leaving their handprints on a new Olympic Values Pledge Wall, marking a commitment to be a positive role model both in sports and in day-to-day life.

Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum set a world record to win Chicago Marathon men’s title in an unofficial time of two hours and 35 seconds.

• The 23-year-old shattered the old world record of 2:01:09 set by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge to win the 2022 Berlin Marathon. 
• It was Kiptum’s third victory in as many starts over the 26.2-mile distance. He won on his debut last December at Valencia and then in London Marathon last April. 
• It marked the third time a men’s world record had been set on the streets of Chicago but the first time since Morocco’s Khalid Khannouchi in 1999.
• Before the finish, Kiptum was waving and blowing kisses at spectators before raising his arms in triumph at the finish line.

India ended with at 107 medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The country finished in the fourth spot in the medals standings with 107 medals, 28 of which are golds (38 of the remaining are silvers while 41 are bronze). With this, the Indian contingent officially went past their best tally ever at the Asian Games, crossing the 70-medal mark set in Jakarta-Palembang in 2018.

• On Saturday, the final day of events before Sunday’s closing ceremony, the Indian team won medals in archery (three), kabaddi (two), badminton and men’s cricket. They also won a bronze medal in women’s hockey and 2 silver medals in men’s and women’s chess events.
• Notably, while India has won medals from 20 sports, 51 of their medals have come just from two sports – athletics (29) and shooting (22). In Hangzhou 2023, India’s golds have come from ten sports: athletics, cricket, shooting, squash, tennis, equestrian, hockey, badminton, kabaddi and archery. 
• So far, Aishwary Pratap Singh (four medals, two of which were gold) and Esha Singh (one gold, three silver) are India’s top medal earners at Hangzhou.

India achieved the magical figure of 100 medals at the ongoing Asian Games after the women’s kabaddi team defeated Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a thrilling final to clinch gold in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday(7 October 2023)

• India was held to a 34-34 draw by the same opponent in the group stage but the women in blue managed to run down the clock with a one-point lead at the end in the summit clash.
• The Indian team led 14-9 at half-time courtesy a super raid from Pooja. It extended the advantage to seven points after the match resumed before Chinese Taipei reeled off five straight points.
• Chinese Taipei, the 2018 bronze medallist, inflicted the first all out of the match on India to go 21-19 up after trailing 14-19 at one stage. 
• With time running out and the score reading 24-24, Pooja got a crucial touch point following a successful review. The women in blue kept calm in the final two raids to run down the clock and seal the victory. 
• India, the 2010 and 2014 champion, reclaimed the gold medal after a shock defeat against Iran in the 2018 final. 
• At the ongoing Asian Games, India has 25 gold, 35 silver and 40 bronze medals.

The Indian men's kabaddi team emerged victorious after an hour of arguments to reclaim its Asian Games title, beating defending champions Iran 33-29 in a controversial final, which was temporarily suspended.

• The women's team survived by the skin of its teeth as it beat Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a dramatic final for the country's 100th medal. There was hardly anything separating the two teams in the men's summit clash at 28-28 with one minute and five seconds left on the clock.
• But controversy erupted in the last minute when Indian skipper Pawan Sehrawat went in for a do-or-die raid.
• Sehrawat went into the lobby (out of bound) without a touch. However, Amirhossein Bastami and three other Iranian defenders rushed towards the Indian in an attempt to push him out, leading to confusion and mayhem.

Star men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty earned India's first-ever badminton gold medal at the Asian Games with a straight-game win over South Korea's Choi Solgyu and Kim Wonho here on Sunday.

World number 3 Satwik and Chirag, who had become the first Indians to win the Asian championships in 58 years in March this year, extended their sensational run with a 21-18 21-16 win over Choi and Kim, ranked 15th, to achieve their crowing glory.

It was also India's first medal in men's doubles in 41 years since Leroy D'sa and Pradeep Gandhe won a bronze in 1982 edition.

An international, high-speed passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai in the northern province of Sri Lanka, has resumed as of Saturday, October 14, 2023, after a gap of nearly four decades.

• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal and Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports, E.V. Velu, flagged off the craft from the Nagapattinam port on Saturday.
• The high-speed craft (HSC) Cheriyapani, embarked on its journey around 8.15 a.m. from the Nagapattinam port with 50 passengers and 12 crew members headed by Captain Biju George, on board. 
• In video messages, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe hailed this diplomatic effort and highlighted the importance of launching the ferry service between the two nations.

On October 10, 2023, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the Rozgar Prayag Portal and ‘Yuva Uttarakhand App’ in the ‘Uttarakhand Youth Festival-2023’ program organized in Dehradun. He also launched self-employment centers in employment offices.

Key points

• On this occasion, the Chief Minister also gave appointment letters to 17 candidates selected through employment fairs. He also visited the exhibitions organized by various departments.
• While addressing the youth in the program, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the process of getting information and applying for the posts to be filled through outsourcing in various government departments through the Rozgar Prayag portal will be simple, while through this portal, youth will also be able to get information about outsourcing posts in various departments.
• State’s Skill Development and Employment Minister Saurabh Bahuguna said that skill development of youth is necessary for the development of Uttarakhand. With this thinking, Youth Mahotsav is being organized to connect the youth with skill development and employment.
• He said that the stalls of all the departments have been set up so that the youth can get all the information about the schemes of the state government.

Kerala’s first 3D-printed building, a 380 sq ft, one-room summer house, is all set for a formal inauguration on October 10 on the Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra (Kesnik) campus at PTP Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram.

• Designed as a demonstration project, AMAZE-28 – as the summer house is named – was completed in 28 days.
• The project was carried out by Tvasta, a Chennai-based construction tech start-up launched by IIT-Madras alumni, with which Kesnik has inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU).
• AMAZE-28 stands on a concrete platform on a small mound on the Kesnik campus. Kesnik director and chief executive officer Febi Varghese said it was the first 3D-printed building in Kerala.
• For its 3D-printing constructions, Tvasta used a patented concrete mix as the construction material. It is deposited layer by layer using a robotic arm which has a nozzle at its tip. The arm is guided by a three-dimensional digital model of the building.
• The demo project cost ?11 lakh to build. The roof of the structure uses conventional building technology.
• Using this technology, a 1,500-1,600 sq ft home can be completed – right from the foundation to handing over of the key – in about two to two-and-a-half months.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared the Gangetic Dolphin as the state aquatic animal and emphasised the need to maintain the purity of ponds and rivers.

• Gangetic Dolphins are usually found in rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Ghaghra, Rapti, and Gerua.
• The estimated population of these dolphins just in Uttar Pradesh stands somewhere at around 2000. UP CM said, "It's important for both tourists and local residents to refrain from using plastic, as it harms our water and nature."
• The Chief Minister proposed that individuals from villages connected to the Tiger Reserve should be trained to be a guide as this will generate employment opportunities and raise awareness within the community.
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) teams and the Forest Department have recently started counting dolphins with the help of GPS in Garh Ganga in the Harpur district. 

The Maharashtra government has given the green light to two significant welfare schemes aimed at benefiting its citizens. These schemes, designed to support families with annual incomes up to Rs one lakh and farmers across the state, are set to make a substantial impact. 

Lek Ladki Yojana – Empowering the Girl Child

Also known as the Dear Daughter scheme. Under this program, the government will provide financial assistance to families with girl children. The scheme is designed to address the financial burden on families and prevent the dropout of girl children from schools. 

The Lek Ladki Yojana offers financial support at various milestones in a girl’s life. The government will provide Rs 5,000 at the time of the girl child’s birth, followed by Rs 6,000 when she is admitted to school, Rs 7,000 when she reaches class 7, and Rs 8,000 when she gets admission to college. Upon turning 18 years old, the girl will receive a significant sum of Rs 75,000. In total, each girl child will receive Rs 1.01 lakh, contributing to her future aspirations and endeavors.

Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana – Supporting Farmers

Simultaneously, the government has approved the disbursement of funds to farmers under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana. This scheme aims to provide financial relief to the state’s farming community. Approximately 90 lakh farmers in Maharashtra will benefit from this program, receiving an annual payment of Rs 6,000.

Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) India Limited, a Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSE) under the Ministry of Coal, has emerged victorious in securing an 810 MW Solar PV project capacity from Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Nigam Limited (RRVUNL).

• The entire 810 MW capacity was successfully acquired by NLCIL through a tender floated by RRVUNL in December 2022, read the Ministry of Coal press release.
• The project is set to be developed at RRVUNL's 2000 MW Ultra Mega Solar Park in Pugal Tehsil, Bikaner District, Rajasthan. 
• The Letter of Intent for this prestigious project has been issued by RRVUNL, representing a significant leap forward in NLCIL's commitment to clean and sustainable energy solutions.
• The land required for the project and the power evacuation system connected to the State Transmission Utility (STU) will be provided by RVUNL, streamlining the project's development timeline, read the press release.

Twenty-two people have drowned while bathing in rivers and ponds in Bihar in separate incidents, officials said on Sunday(8 October , 2023)

• The incidents took place in the last 24 hours when a majority of them were bathing for Jivitputrika festival, during which women fast for the well-being of their children, they said.
• Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of the kin of the deceased.
• "Five have drowned in Bhojpur, four in Jehanabad, three each in Patna and Rohtas, two each in Darbhanga and Nawada, one each in Kaimur, Madhepura and Aurangabad in the last 24 hours," according to a statement issued by the chief minister's office.

Work is underway on a war footing to develop Ayodhya as Uttar Pradesh’s first “solar city” ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, likely to be in January.

• The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Department (UPNEDA) has undertaken the task to develop the temple town into the state’s first “solar city”, officials said. 
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and about 10,000 dignitaries from across the country are expected to attend the “pran pratishtha (consecration)” ceremony, likely to be held on January 22, Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairperson Nripendra Mishra told PTI a fortnight ago. 
• Officials said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is personally monitoring the ongoing work in Ayodhya.
• After inspecting the work to electrify the temple town with solar power in May, the chief minister said, “Ayodhya is the capital of Suryavansh. So, here, electricity will come not from other sources but from renewable solar energy.

In preparation for the upcoming Assembly elections, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced the establishment of three new districts in the state: Malpura, Sujangarh, and Kuchaman City.

This decision has been made in response to public demand and the recommendations of a high-level committee. With the addition of these districts, Rajasthan now boasts a total of 53 districts.

The decision to create these new districts is driven by the desire to address the needs and requests of the state’s citizens. It also aligns with the recommendations of a high-level committee tasked with evaluating the necessity for district expansion.

Expanding Administrative Boundaries

The addition of these new districts is expected to enhance governance and make governmental services more accessible to local residents. Previously, many individuals had to travel long distances to reach district headquarters for various purposes.

The inaugural edition of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) – NITI Aayog State Workshop Series on Enabling Women-led Development through Entrepreneurship was organized at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Auditorium, Goa on 3rd October 2023. The workshop was held in collaboration with the Government of Goa with a focus on the western region of the country.

• The workshop recorded over 500 participants, including women entrepreneurs, local self-help groups (SHGs) and clusters, government officials, industry representatives, incubators/accelerators, financial institutions, philanthropic foundations, and more.
• The primary focus was deliberating on a hub-and-spoke model aimed at extending women-led development to grassroots levels, covering the last mile. Eminent dignitaries, including Dr.PramodSawant, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, and Shri B.V.R Subramanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, graced this landmark workshop.
• Dr PramodSawant, Honorable Chief Minister, Government of Goa, stated that the Goa State Vision 2047 will be prepared with help from NITI Aayog.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the 9th G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) in the national capital today, October 13, Friday. Notably, Canada is missing from the P20 and Parliamentary Forum program list. 

• This came amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
• The summit is being hosted by the Parliament of India under the broader framework of India's G20 Presidency. The theme of the 9th P20 Summit is 'Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future.'
• Prime Minister's Office said that the event will be attended by Speakers of Parliaments of G20 members and invitee countries.
• The P20 Summit will focus on the following four subjects - Transformation in People's Lives through Public Digital Platforms; Women-led development; Accelerating SDGs; and Sustainable Energy Transition.

The 8th BRICS International Competition Conference will be held in New Delhi from today, October 11.

• Chairperson of Competition Commission of India (CCI) Ravneet Kaur said, the theme of the conference is New issues in competition law and policy, dimensions, perspectives, and challenges. She said, the conference is a seminal event to be held in India after a decade.
• Ms Kaur said, more than 600 delegates from the competition authorities of BRICS and non-BRICS nations, competition law experts, non-government advisors and domestic invitees are expected to participate in the conference.
• She added that the heads of BRICS competition authorities will address the closing ceremony on Friday and sign a Joint Statement. 

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami while welcoming Union Cooperative Home Minister Amit Shah at FRI Dehradun said that Uttarakhand got the opportunity to host the 49th All India Police Science Congress, it is a matter of pride for the state.

• The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the target of making India a developed nation in the next 25 years.
• For which it is necessary to progress in every field. Therefore, such events become even more important for developing the capacity of police forces.
• In the present scenario, crime and criminals have gone far beyond the traditional systems, organized crimes are increasing and in the cases of cyber crimes, modern technology like Artificial Intelligence is also being used by the criminals.
• The police force needs to be equipped with advanced technology and efficient means along with technical and mental efficiency. For this, special assistance is being provided to the state governments by the Central Government under the leadership of the Home Minister.

Ministers representing the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs) have come together to issue a powerful joint declaration, known as the Dakar Declaration on Climate Change 2023. This declaration outlines their collective expectations and priorities for the upcoming 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The COP28 is scheduled to be held from November 30, 2023, to December 12, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Dakar Declaration stands as a call for immediate and resolute action on several critical fronts:

Key points from the declaration:

1. Urgent Global Emissions Reductions:

2. Increased Climate Finance:

3. Operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund:

4. Ambitious Global Stocktake:

5. Responsibility and Historical Emissions:

6. Alignment with 1.5°C Goal:

7. UNFCCC Centralized Carbon Market Mechanism:

8. Limiting Warming to 1.5°C:

9. Accelerating Climate Action: