Friday 8 October 2021

6th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

06 October 2021
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6th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 6th October October 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 15 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 15 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

National News

1. Vice President inaugurates Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre

  • Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre in the presence of Governor Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati in the state of Assam.
  • The centre was originally served as the residence of the British deputy commissioner of Kamrup. Nearly 150 years after it was constructed, the iconic DC Bungalow of Guwahati was opened to the public as a heritage centre.
  • After the British annexed Assam in 1826 (after the Treaty of Yandaboo), the post of DC was created for Guwahati in 1839.
  • Several sites were surveyed for DC residence before Barphukanar Tilla on the banks of the Brahmaputra, where cannons used in the Battle of Saraighat lay scattered, was chosen. Post-independence, it continued to be the DC’s bungalow until 2011.

2. PM Modi visits Azadi@75 Expo in Lucknow

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Azadi@75 – New Urban India: Transforming Urban Landscape’ Conference-cum-Expo in Lucknow at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan as a part of Azadi@75 celebrations.
  • The theme of the three-day event is “New Urban India”. It will culminate on October 07, 2021. The Conference-cum-Expo is organised by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • PM virtually handed over keys of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) houses to 75,000 beneficiaries in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and interacted with beneficiaries of the scheme of Uttar Pradesh.
  • PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 75 urban development projects of the state under Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT.
  • He flagged off 75 buses under FAME-II for seven cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Jhansi and Ghaziabad.
  • PM announced the setting up of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chair in Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow.

3. India joins Seychelles’ Tax Inspectors Without Borders programme

  • The Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) has launched its programme in Seychelles. India has been chosen as the Partner Administration for this programme. The country will be providing its Tax Expert in support of the initiative.
  • The focus of the 12-month programme will be on Transfer Pricing cases of tourism and financial services sectors.
  • TIWB is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), since its launch in 2015.
  • The aim of the initiative is to aid countries in strengthening their tax administration by transferring technical know-how and skills to the tax auditors through sharing of best audit practices.

State News

4. Alibaug white onion gets GI tag for health benefits

  • The famed white onion of Alibag in Maharashtra's Raigad district was given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag bringing worldwide recognition to its unique sweet taste, no-tears factor, as well as its medicinal properties.
  • The soil of Alibaug taluka has low sulphur content. The NABL-approved lab test report mentions low pungency, sweet taste, ‘no tear’ factor, low pyruvic acid, high protein, fat & fibre, etc.
  • The agriculture department here and Konkan Agriculture University had jointly submitted the GI application on January 15, 2019. On September 29 this year, the proposal was scrutinised in the Mumbai office of the Registrar of Patents and it was decided to confer GI tag on Alibag's white onion.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari;
  • Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai;
  • Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

Appointments News

4. CoinDCX ropes Amitabh Bachchan to raise crypto awareness

  • Crypto exchange CoinDCX has roped in Amitabh Bachchan as a brand ambassador to spread awareness about cryptocurrencies. Through this collaboration, CoinDCX wants to increase awareness around crypto and popularise it as an emerging asset class.
  • CoinDCX wants to ensure that crypto is accessible to everyone. The crypto industry in India is on an exponential climb, rising gradually over the previous few years, with millions of Indians emerging as early adopters of the crypto asset class.

5. Eric Braganza appointed as CEAMA president

  • The Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) has appointed Eric Braganza as its president for a two-year term. He succeeds Godrej Appliances Business Head and Executive Vice-President Kamal Nandi for the CEAMA chair.
  • Braganza, an alumnus of Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, has over 35 years and has held senior management positions in the consumer electronics and appliances industry in various companies.
  • Established in 1978, CEAMA represents the consumer electronics and home appliances industry and aims to enhance the development of the industry and its components manufacturing.

Defence News

6. 5th India-Japan Bilateral Maritime Exercise JIMEX-21 begins

  • The fifth edition of India – Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise JIMEX was held in the Arabian Sea from 06 to 08 October 2021.
  • The Indian Navy is represented by indigenously built Guided Missile Stealth Destroyer Kochi and Guided Missile Frigate Teg, P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft, integral helicopters and MiG 29K fighter aircraft.
  • JIMEX series of exercises between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) are being held since 2012.
  • JIMEX-21 aims to develop a common understanding of operational procedures and enhance inter-operability through the conduct of a multitude of advanced exercises, across the entire spectrum of maritime operations. It will further enhance the cooperation and mutual confidence between the two navies.

Banking News

8. SBI launches NAV-eCash card in collaboration with Indian navy

  • State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the launch of SBI’s NAV-eCash card on INS Vikramaditya, the largest naval aircraft carrier of India. The new journey envisioned for the card is set to change the payment ecosystem, while the ship is sailing with no dependency on utilisation of any form of cash to avail any of the services on board.
  • The new NAV-eCash card will facilitate both online and offline transactions. The card will obviate the difficulties faced by personnel onboard in handling physical cash during deployment of the ship at high seas.
  • The new journey envisioned in the form of a NAV-eCash Card will change the payment ecosystem while the ship is sailing with no dependency on cash for utilization of any of the services on board.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
  • SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.
  • SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

Awards News

9. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 announced

  • The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 was awarded jointly to Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan "for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis."  This has had a great impact on pharmaceutical research and has made chemistry greener.
  • The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021.
  • Catalysts are thus fundamental tools for chemists, but researchers long believed that there were, in principle, just two types of catalysts available: metals and enzymes.
  • Benjamin List and David MacMillan are awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 because in 2000 they, independent of each other, developed a third type of catalysis. It is called asymmetric organocatalysis and builds upon small organic molecules.

10. Prof Eric Hanushek and Dr. Rukmini Banerji awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize

  • Professor Eric A. Hanushek and Dr Rukmini Banerji have been awarded the 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Development for improving learning outcomes in schools at scale.
  • Yidan Prize is the world’s highest education accolade, in recognition of their ground-breaking work addressing a crucial piece of the education puzzle: improving quality of education and outcomes for learners at scale.
  • The Yidan Prize was founded by Charles Chen Yidan in 2016 to create a better world through education. Yidan Prize Laureate receives a gold medal and a sum of $3.9 million.

Science and Technology News

11. Centre launches ICMR’s drone-based vaccine delivery model ‘i-Drone’

  • The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, launched ‘i-Drone’, a drone-based vaccine delivery model for Northeast states. The i-Drone has been developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). i-Drone stands for ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach in North East.
  • The main objective of this tool is to facilitate vaccine delivery to tough and hard-to-reach terrains of India, and to improve healthcare accessibility to the last mile. Currently, the drone-based delivery project is being implemented in Manipur, Nagaland, and the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island.
  • ICMR collaborated with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur for conducting an initial study to test the capacity of drones to carry and transfer vaccines safely.

Sports News

12. Magnus Carlsen wins Meltwater Champions Chess Tour title

  • World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen has won the inaugural Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, to claim the non-fungible token (NFT) trophy and $1,00,000 in the finals.
  • The 10-month long online chess tournaments were held on chess24.com from November 22, 2020, till October 4, 2021. The tournaments are not rated by FIDE.
  • The MCCT tour comprised of 10 total tournaments. The 2021 Meltwater Champions Chess Tour was the most viewed online chess event in the history of the game. Magnus Carlsen is now considered as the undisputed best online chess player in the world.

Important Days

13. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021: October 01 to 31

  • Every year the Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is observed in the month of October, from 01 to 31. The annual international health campaign aims to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
  • The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness. Breast Cancer is a type of cancer that arises in the epithelium (lining cells) of the ducts or lobules in the glandular tissues of the breast.
  • In 2020 more than 2.3 million women across the globe were diagnosed with breast cancer. Around 50% of breast cancers develop in women, who do not have identifiable breast cancer risk factors other than gender and age (above 40 years).

Obituaries News

14. Atal Vajpayee's Former Private Secretary Shakti Sinha passes away

  • Shakti Sinha, former bureaucrat, and academician who was private secretary to late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, passed away. Sinha, an IAS officer of the 1979 batch, was also former Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).
  • He worked closely with Vajpayee between 1996 and 1999 and had written a memoir titled Vajpayee: The Years That Changed India.

Miscellaneous News

15. GI tagged sweet dish Mihidana has been exported to Baharain

  • The first consignment of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged sweet dish Mihidana, from Bardhaman, West Bengal has been exported to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
  • This initiative is part of the effort to promote indigenous & Geographical Identification (GI) tagged products of India globally. The product was exported by APEDA registered M/S DM Enterprises, Kolkata.
  • West Bengal’s Bardhaman got the GI tag for the Mihidana sweetmeats in 2017. A GI tag is a sign denoting a specific geographical origin and possesses qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

07th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

07 October 2021
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7th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 7th October October 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 14 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 14 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

National News

1. Centre approves setting up 7 PM MITRA Parks in 5 years

  • The Centre has approved the setting up of seven new mega textile parks, or PM MITRA parks across the country in an effort to help furthering the growth of the textile sector in the economy and position India strongly on the Global textiles map.
  • The Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Parks (PM MITRA) will be based on the 5F vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The ‘5F’ Formula consists of Farm to fibre; fibre to factory; factory to fashion; fashion to foreign.
  • These parks will be set up at Greenfield and Brownfield sites in different States by a Special Purpose Vehicle which will be owned by the State Government and Government of India in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. The total outlay for the project has been set at Rs 4,445 crore for five years.

State News

2. Andhra government launched 'Swechha' programme

  • Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the 'Swechha' program to tackle the stigma attached to menstruation, prioritize female personal hygiene, and encourage a healthy dialogue of information.
  • ‘Swechha’ (meaning freedom) is intended to ensure affordable access to health and menstrual hygiene in adolescent girls and women.
  • The state government will provide good quality branded sanitary napkins to female students at government educational institutions free of cost.
  • Ten sanitary napkins will be given every month to about 10 lakh adolescent girls studying from 7th-12th grades in all government schools and intermediate colleges across the state at a financial outlay of INR 32 crores.
  • A total of 120 napkins per year is allotted to every female student, even during summer vacations, the students will be supplied with their quota before they leave school.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

3. India's first e-fish market App Fishwaale launched in Assam

  • Assam Minister for Fisheries, Environment and Forest and Excise, Parimal Suklabaidya launched an App Fishwaale, India's first e-fish market. Table size fish such as bhangon, mrigal and rohu and freshwater and seawater frozen fish (icebox) will be available coupled with dry fish packets, dry fish raw, fish pickles and processed fish products.
  • Developed by Aqua Blue Global Aquaculture Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with the fisheries department at a function held at Sri Madhabdev Bhawan auditorium, the minister called the app “a one-stop solution for aquaculture” that will help both the buyers and sellers.
  • This platform will help the fish farming community get a reasonable price for their produce and lead to the elimination of middlemen.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Assam Governor: Jagdish Mukhi;
  • Assam Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Economy News

4. Moody’s upgrades India’s rating outlook to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’

  • Rating agency Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded India’s sovereign rating outlook to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’, on October 05, 2021, following an improvement in the financial sector and faster-than-expected economic recovery across sectors.
  • Moody’s expects real GDP growth to average around 6 per cent over the medium term, reflecting a rebound in activity to levels at potential as conditions normalise.
  • While it retained India’s rating at Baa3, reflecting the lowest investment grade rating, Moody’s said it expects real GDP to surpass pre-pandemic levels of 2019-20 this year itself, as the ongoing economic recovery is picking up steam with activity upticks broadening across sectors.
  • It expects 2021-22 to record 9.3% growth in GDP, followed by 7.9% next year.

Banking News

5. Kotak Bank gets approval from the government to collect direct, indirect taxes

  • Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL) has received approval from the government for the collection of direct & indirect taxes, such as income tax, Goods and Services Tax (GST) etc, through its banking network.
  • With this, the bank becomes the first scheduled private sector bank to receive approval after the announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allowing all banks to participate in the government-related business.
  • After technical integration, KMBL customers will be able to pay their direct and indirect taxes straight from KMBL's mobile banking or net banking platforms as well as through KMBL's branch banking network, resulting in immense ease and convenience for customers.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Kotak Mahindra Bank Establishment: 2003;
  • Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
  • Kotak Mahindra Bank MD & CEO: Uday Kotak;
  • Kotak Mahindra Bank Tagline: Let’s Make Money Simple.

6. RBI grants license to NARCL under Sarfaesi Act

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL) the licence to register as an asset reconstruction company (ARC). The Licence is given under Section 3 of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act 2002.
  • As per Section 3 of the SARFAESI Act, a company can carry the business of asset reconstruction only after obtaining a certificate of registration from RBI and, having the owned fund of not less than Rs 2 crore or such other amount not exceeding 15% of total financial assets acquired or to be acquired by the securitisation company or reconstruction company.
  • The NARCL has been incorporated under the Companies Act, and public sector banks will hold 51 per cent in NARCL.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

Business News

7. BharatPe launches 'buy now, pay later' platform, postpe

  • Fintech company BharatPe, announced its entry into the ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) category with the launch of ‘postpe’. The new platform provides credit to customers to buy now, but pay later from anywhere.
  • Customers using the postpe platform can download the app from Play Store and avail interest-free credit limit of up to Rs 10 lakh. The company said that postpe is not only limited to big-ticket purchases but can also be used for micro-purchases, making it the first of its kind.
  • BharatPe stated that it aims to facilitate a loan book of $300 million on postpe in the first 12 months for its lending partners. The fintech company added that customers can shop across offline as well as online and repay easily through EMIs.
  • All a customer has to do is scan the QR code through the postpe app and pay using credit. Users can also pay through a postpe card that will be accepted across millions of offline as well as e-commerce platforms. Cashbacks and rewards are also on offer.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Chief Executive Officer of BharatPe: Ashneer Grover;
  • Headoffice of BharatPe: New Delhi;
  • BharatPe Founded: 2018.

Awards News

7. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 announced

  • The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 was awarded to Abdulrazak Gurnah born in Zanzibar and active in England, "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents." The Nobel Prize in literature is awarded by the Swedish Academy, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • The Tanzanian novelist was born in Zanzibar in 1948 and has since lived in the UK and Nigeria. He writes in English, and his most famous novel is Paradise, which was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1994.
  • Gurnah currently lives in the UK and taught English Literature at the University of Kent. Until recently, he was Professor of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent, Canterbury and has published ten novels and a number of short stories.

Sports News

9. Germany unveils Euro 2024 championship logo

  • Germany has unveiled the logo for soccer’s 2024 European Championship during a ceremony with a light show in the stadium that will hold the final.
  • The logo features an outline of the Henri Delaunay Cup — the bulbous tournament trophy — set on a coloured oval outline that resembles the Olympiastadion’s roof.
  • It features colours from the flags of UEFA’s 55 member nations, set in 24 slices around the trophy to represent the 24 teams that will ultimately qualify for the tournament in Germany.
  • Logos for each of the 10 host cities; Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart were also presented. The tournament is due to be played in June and July 2024 with the match schedule to be confirmed next year.

10. ISSF Junior Championships: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar wins gold

  • Young Indian shooter, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar smashed the world record in the final to win gold in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event at the ISSF Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru.
  • The youngster then bettered the junior world record in the final with a score of 463.4, finishing nearly seven points ahead of second-placed Frenchman Lucas Kryzs, who won the silver with a score of 456.5. Gavin Barnick of the USA won bronze with a score of 446.6.

Ranks and Reports News

11. Health Minister released “The State of the World’s Children 2021” report

  • Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has released UNICEF’s global flagship publication “The State of the World’s Children 2021; On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health in New Delhi.
  • The report details the significant impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health.
  • This is very vital to address mental health as an important aspect for creating a healthy society. Mansukh noted that teachers are very important stakeholders for addressing mental health issues along with parents and family.
  • UNICEF India Representative Dr Yasmin Ali Haque presented some key findings of the report.
  • As per the report, around 14 per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds in India, or 1 in 7 of them, reported often feeling depressed or having little interest in doing things.

Important Days

12. World Cotton Day: 07 October

  • World Cotton Day (WCD) is observed globally on 7th October. The international day aims to celebrate the advantages of cotton, ranging from its qualities as a natural fibre to the benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption.
  • WCD Day was initiated by the Group of Cotton-4 countries namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali to reflect the importance of cotton as a global commodity.
  • The initiative of World Cotton Day was born in 2019, when four cotton producers in sub-Saharan Africa– Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali, known as the Cotton Four -proposed the World Trade Organization a World Cotton Day celebration on October 7.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • World Trade Organization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • World Trade Organization Founded: 1 January 1995.
  • World Trade Organization Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Obituaries News

13. Arvind Trivedi, best known for his role as ‘Raavan’ in Ramayan, passes away

  • Veteran television actor Arvind Trivedi, who is famously known for his iconic role of demon-king Raavan in Ramanand Sagar’s TV serial Ramayan, has passed away. He was 82.
  • He was also part of the political field, as an MP from Sabarkatha constituency in Gujarat, and had served the Parliament from 1991-96. He served as the acting chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) from 2002 to 2003.

Miscellaneous News

14. Palghar’s famed Wada Kolam rice gets GI tag

  • A variety of rice widely grown in Wada in the Palghar district has been given a ‘Geographical Indication’ tag, which will give it a unique identity as well as wider markets.
  • Wada Kolam, also known as Zini or Jhini rice, is a traditional variety grown in the Wada tehsil of Palghar, with the grain being off white in colour.
  • Wada Kolam rice commands a price of Rs 60-70 per kg in domestic markets and has a sizeable demand overseas as well. Wada Kolam has been grown in Palghar for years. It is known for its small grain, aroma, taste and for being light for digestion. It is gluten-free. However, it is a low yielding crop.

8th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

08 October 2021
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8th October 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 08th October October 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 17 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 17 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news.

National News

1. PM Narendra Modi dedicates to nation 35 PSA Oxygen Plants

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 35 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Plants to the nation through video-conferencing, during an event at AIIMS Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
  • These 35 PSA Oxygen Plants have been established under PM CARES, across 35 States and Union Territories. Now all districts of the country will now have commissioned PSA Oxygen Plants.
  • As per the data, a total of 1,224 PSA oxygen plants have been funded under the PM-CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situation) fund across the country till date and of these, more than 1,100 plants have already been commissioned providing an output of over 1,750 MT oxygen per day.

Appointments News

2. PL Haranadh takes charge as Chairman of Paradip Port Trust

  • P L Haranadh, an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer of the 1994 batch, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Paradip Port Trust (PPT).
  • Haranadh has worked in various capacities, during his 27 years of service, which includes 22 years in the Indian Railways and 5 years in the Ministry of Shipping. Paradip Port Trust (PPT) is the lone major port in Odisha.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • Paradip Port Trust Headquarters: Paradip, Odisha;
  • Paradip Port Trust Opened: 12 March 1966.

3. E. R. Sheikh becomes first Director-General of the Ordnance Directorate

  • E.R. Sheikh has assumed charge as first Director-General of the Ordnance Directorate (Co-ordination and Services). It is the successor organization of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).
  • He has contributed to the establishment of the modern production line system for the manufacture of small arms ammunition at the Ordnance Factory Varangaon. He led the successful development of the Bi-Modular Charge System for artillery ammunition.

Economy News

4. RBI Monetary Policy: Status Quo on rates

  • The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept the repo rate unchanged in the fourth bi-monthly policy meet for the financial year 2021-22 headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has maintained the status quo. The meeting was held between October (6 to 8). The remaining will take place in December (6 to 8) and February (7 to 9, 2022).

The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and bank rates remain unchanged:

  • Policy Repo Rate: 4.00%
  • Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%
  • Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 4.25%
  • Bank Rate: 4.25%
  • CRR: 4%
  • SLR: 18.00%

RBI Monetary Policy Highlights & Key Decisions:

  • FY22 GDP growth forecast maintained at 9.5%.
  • CPI inflation is projected at 5.3% for the current fiscal year.
  • Bond purchases under G-SAP stopped.
  • Open market operations to continue as needed.
  • Internal ombudsman plan for non-bank lenders.
  • On-tap special LTRO of 3 years worth Rs 10,000 crore for small businesses extended till Dec 31.
  • Framework planned for retail digital payments in offline mode.
  • Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) limited upped from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh
  • No compulsion for banks to park money in variable reverse repo rate (VRRR).

5. World Bank Projects Indian GDP to grow at 8.3% in FY22

  • The World Bank has estimated India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the current fiscal year 2021-22 to grow by 8.3% in its latest economic update for South Asia.
  • India's economy, South Asia's largest, is expected to grow by 8.3 per cent in the fiscal year 2021-22, aided by an increase in public investment and incentives to boost manufacturing,”.
  • The World Bank said in its update on South Asia, titled 'Shifting Gears: Digitization and Services-led Development.

6. Fitch cuts India’s FY22 GDP growth forecast to 8.7%

  • Fitch Ratings has cut India’s economic growth forecast to 8.7% for the current fiscal but raised GDP growth projection for FY23 to 10%, saying the second COVID-19 wave delayed rather than derail the economic recovery.
  • Fitch Ratings said India’s ‘BBB-/Negative’ sovereign rating “balances a still-strong medium-term growth outlook and external resilience from solid foreign- reserve buffers, against high public debt, a weak financial sector and some lagging structural factors”.

Business News

7. Tata Group wins bid for Air India

  • Tata Group, the progenitor of the Air India airline, reclaimed it, nearly 60 years after it was nationalised. Tata Sons bid ₹180 billion for the government's 100% stake in Air India.
  • The government is seeking to sell 100 per cent of its stake in the state-owned national airline, including Air India's 100 per cent shareholding in AI Express Ltd and 50 per cent in Air India SATS Airport Services Private Ltd.
  • JRD Tata founded the airline in October 1932 and it was at that time called Tata Airlines. This marks the return of Air India to Tata fold after 68 years. The government nationalised the airline in 1953. With this, the airline will go back to the Tatas who have a long history with the national carrier.

Ranks and Reports News

8. India slips 6 ranks on Henley Passport Index 2021

  • India’s rank has slipped by six places from last year to 90 on the Henley Passport Index 2021, which lists the world’s most travel-friendly passports Japan and Singapore hold the first rank on the passport index.
  • The index covers 227 destinations and 199 passports. The index comes at a time when countries are easing travel restrictions for international visitors after almost two years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The rankings are based on the survey of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) data. 

Top 5 countries in the Index:

  • Rank 1: Japan, Singapore
  • Rank 2: Germany, South Korea
  • Rank 3: Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain
  • Rank 4: Austria, Denmark
  • Rank 5: France, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden

World’s 5 least powerful passports:

  • Afghanistan
  • Iraq
  • Syria
  • Pakistan
  • Yemen

9. Mukesh Ambani tops Forbes India Rich List 2021

  • The Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani has topped the Forbes India Rich list for 2021, released. The list ranks India’s 100 richest Indians. He has retained his position as the wealthiest Indian for the 14th consecutive year on the Forbes India list, since 2008.
  • The tycoon added $4 billion to his net worth in 2021, to bring his total fortune to $92.7 billion. The second spot has been retained by Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, with a net worth of $74.8 billion. Tech tycoon Shiv Nadar acquired the third spot with net worth of $31 billion.

Summits and Conferences News

10. Centre organises 'Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour and Conference'

  • Union Minister of State for Tourism, Ajay Bhatt has flagged off the "Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour" from Safdarjung railway station (part of Delhi Suburban Railways).
  • Ministry of Tourism in association with the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has organized the Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour as part of the Union government’s "Dekho Apna Desh" initiative.
  • The tour will cover the visit of prominent Buddhist sites and conferences at Bodhgaya and Varanasi. The event is likely to be attended by around 125 delegates including tour operators, hoteliers, media and officials of the Ministry of Tourism and state governments.

Awards News

11. The Nobel Peace Prize 2021 announced

  • The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”.
  • Maria Ressa uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines. Dmitry Muratov has for decades defended freedom of speech in Russia under increasingly challenging conditions.

12. Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank bags two national awards

  • Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), sponsored by Canara Bank, has bagged two national awards (‘APY Big Believers’ and ‘Leadership capital’) for significant enrolment under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) from the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
  • KVGB Chairman P. Gopi Krishna received awards from PFRDA Chairman Supratim Bandopadhyay.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank founded: September 12, 2005.
  • Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Headquarters: Dharwad, Karnataka.
  • Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Chairman: Puttaganti Gopi Krishna.

13. Indian hockey players sweep FIH Stars Awards

  • Indian hockey players swept the 2020-21 edition of the FIH Stars Awards, the international hockey federation (FIH) announced.
  • The winners were decided based on an online poll conducted from August 23 to September 15 which saw national associations, represented by their respective national captains and coaches, players, media and hockey fans cast their votes.

FIH Stars Awards 2020-21: Winners list

  • Player of the Year: Harmanpreet Singh (men) and Gurjit Kaur (women)
  • Goalkeeper of the Year: PR Sreejesh (men) and Savita Punia (women)
  • Rising Star of the Year: Vivek Sagar Prasad (men) and Sharmila Devi (women)
  • Coach of the Year: Graham Reid (men) and Sjoerd Marijne (women)

Books and Authors

14. A book title "Economist Gandhi" by Jaithirth Rao

  • Indian Entrepreneur and writer Jaithirth Rao, popularly known as Jerry Rao, has come out with a book on Mahatma Gandhi titled “Economist Gandhi: The Roots and the Relevance of the Political Economy of the Mahatma”.
  • Jaithirth Rao is the founder and former CEO of the software company Mphasis. The book examines Mahatma Gandhi’s economic philosophy and his hidden facet personality- thoughts on economics and capitalism. The book has been published by the Penguin Random House India.

Important Days

15. Indian Air Force Day observed on 08 October

  • Indian Air Force Day is celebrated every year by the Indian Air Force on the 8th of October. This year Indian Air Force celebrated its 89th anniversary.
  • Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932 by the British Empire as the Royal Indian Air Force.
  • The name was changed to Indian Air Force in 1950. The IAF was founded on October 8, 1932, and the force has participated in several crucial wars and landmark missions. It was officially established as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India’s aviation service during World War II with the prefix Royal.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • Chiefs of Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

16. World Egg Day 2021: 08 October

  • World Egg Day is celebrated worldwide on the ‘Second Friday of October’ month each year since 1996. This year’s World Egg Day will take place on Friday 8 October and will mark the 25th anniversary of the event.
  • The 2021 celebration will centre around the brilliant versatility of the egg and its multitude of benefits to people at every stage of life. The theme for 2021 World Egg Day is “Eggs for all: Nature’s perfect package”.
  • World Egg Day was established at Vienna 1996, when it was decided to celebrate the power of the egg on the second Friday in October each year. The day helps to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their importance in human nutrition.

17. World Investor Week 2021: October 04-10

  • The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is preparing to launch its fifth annual World Investor Week (WIW) from 4 to 10 October 2021.
  • The World Investor Week (WIW) is an initiative promoted by the IOSCO to raise awareness about the importance of investor education and protection and highlight the various initiatives of securities regulators in these two critical areas.
  • The key messages of the IOSCO WIW campaign in 2021 will be based on two themes: 1) sustainable finance and 2) frauds and scams prevention. The IOSCO WIW campaign continues to gain support among a growing number of jurisdictions, stakeholders and major international organizations.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams: 

  • IOSCO Headquarters: Madrid, Spain;
  • IOSCO Secretary General: Paul P. Andrews;
  • IOSCO Founded: April 1983.