Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 September 2024

Topic: National News

1. India earned 16 medals and Medallions of Excellence at the World Skills 2024 competition in Lyon, France.

• The awards include four Bronzes in Patisserie and Confectionery, Industry 4.0, Hotel Reception, and Renewable Energy.
• In addition, the Indian delegation received 12 medallions of excellence.
• Ashwitha Police, who competed in the patisserie and confectionary category, also received the Best of the Nation Award.
• Other medal winners include Dhrumilkumar Dhirendrakumar Gandhi and Sathyajith Balakrishnan (Industry 4.0), Joethir Adithya Krishnapriya Ravikumar (Hotel Reception), and Amaresh Kumar Sahu (Renewable Energy).
• More than 1400 people from over 70 nations competed in skill categories during the event. India competed in 52 skills.
• The 47th World Skills Competition was held from September 10 to 15, 2024.

Topic: International News

2. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was re-elected with 84.3% of the vote.

• Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune won a second term with 84.3% of the vote.
• Tebboune was challenged by Youcef Aouchiche of the Socialist Forces Front and Abdellah Hassan Cherif of the Movement for Society for Peace.
• Algeria held its presidential elections on September 7, 2024. They were initially scheduled for December 2024.
• Tebboune was elected in December 2019 during Hirak's massive pro-democracy protests.
• Algeria's president is elected in two rounds. If no candidate obtains a majority of the votes in the first round, a second round is conducted.
• Algeria is a country in North Africa. Algiers is its capital and largest city.
• Nadir Larbaoui is its Prime Minister. Type of government is unitary semi-presidential republic.

Topic: National Appointments

3. Amrit Mohan Prasad has been appointed as the Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

• He is a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of 1989-batch and of officer of Odisha cadre.
• He is currently working as Special Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• His appointment as Director General, SSB is for a tenure up to the date of his superannuation on August 31, 2025.
• The vacancy occurred after SSB chief Daljit Singh Chaudhary was appointed DG of the Border Security Force (BSF) on August 28.
• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB):
  • Sashastra Seema Bal is one of the Central Armed Police Force under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • It was formed in 1963. It is tasked with guarding Nepal- Bhutan border.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

4. Global Bio-India 2024 fourth edition was successfully concluded.

• The fourth edition of Global Bio-India 2024 was organized by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.
• Global Bio-India 2024 was organized under the theme: Biotech Innovation’ and ‘Bio-manufacturing’ and its impact on the Bioeconomy.
• It was organized from 12th – 14th September, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
• This was the largest representation of biotechnology stakeholders of India and international biotech community.
• On this occasion, contributions to the biotech industry were recognized with awards, namely:
  • BIRAC Innovators Awards
  • Best Startup Exhibitor Awards
  • Best Incubator Exhibitor Awards
  • BioE3 Competition Awards

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. NPS-Vatsalya Scheme will be launched by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 18.

• In accordance with the Union Budget 2024–25 announcement, NPS-Vatsalya will be launched in New Delhi on September 18 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
• An online platform for subscribing to NPS Vatsalya, the release of the scheme brochure, and the distribution of Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) cards to new minor subscribers will also be launched by the Union Finance Minister.
• Under its launch in New Delhi, NPS Vatsalya programs will be organized simultaneously at about 75 locations across the country.
• Other locations will join in through video conferencing, and PRAN subscriptions will also be distributed to new minor subscribers at that location.
• NPS Vatsalya will allow parents to ensure long-term wealth while saving for their children's future by investing in a pension account.
• NPS Vatsalya offers flexible contribution and investment options, allowing parents to invest as little as Rs 1,000 annually in the name of the child, making it accessible to families from all economic backgrounds.
• This new initiative has been launched to secure the financial future of children, which is an important step in the pension system of India.
• This scheme will be run under the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Polity

6. 'One Nation, One Election' will be implemented during the tenure of this government.

• The concept of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, dubbed "One Nation, One Election", will be implemented during the current term of the Narendra Modi government.
• The government hopes to get support from all political parties, especially the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies.
• The census exercise, which was not done since 2011, will also start soon.
• The issue of holding simultaneous elections was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a few months of coming to power in 2014.
• A committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had also considered the issue during the previous tenure of the Modi government.
• It recommended holding simultaneous elections to Parliament and Assemblies followed by local body elections within 100 days.

Topic: State News/Odisha

7. PM Modi launched Subhadra scheme in Bhubaneswar.

• Subhadra scheme is Odisha government’s flagship initiative.
• It is the largest women-centric initiative in Odisha. It is aimed at supporting more than 1 crore women.
• Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries of ages between 21 and 60 will get 50000 rupees over five years.
• Beneficiaries will get 10,000 rupees annually in two equal instalments by means of Aadhaar-linked, DBT-enabled bank accounts.
• At the time of launch event, PM Modi initiated 1st fund transfer to more than 10 lakh women beneficiaries.
• He laid the foundation stone of railway projects worth more than 2,800 crore rupees.
• He also laid the foundation stone of National Highway Projects of over 1000 crore rupees.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy 

8. PM Modi virtually flagged off India’s first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail.

• He inaugurated developmental projects worth more than 8,000 crore rupees at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad.
• Along with flagging off India’s first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail between Ahmedabad and Bhuj, he also flagged off six other Vande Bharat Trains.
• These trains include Nagpur to Secunderabad, Kolhapur to Pune, Agra Cantt to Banaras, Durg to Visakhapatnam, Pune to Hubballi, and the first 20-coach Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to Delhi.
• PM also released the plans for launch of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail in other parts of the country in future.
• Middle-class households will benefit from Namo Bharat Rapid Rail's convenient intercity rail connectivity.
• The Prime Minister praised Gujarat's infrastructure development.
• He stated that Gujarat will give India the first Made in India transport aircraft in the near future.
• Mr Modi also approved over 30,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin and released the first installment for these homes.
• He virtually laid the foundation stone for the quadrupling of the railway lines Samakhiali-Gandhidham and Gandhidham-Adipur.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

9. PM Modi inaugurated the Tuticorin International Container Terminal at VOC Port.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Tuticorin International Container Terminal at VOC Port in Tamil Nadu.
• It will be operated by the JM Baxi Group and has a draft of 14.20 m, a length of 370 m, and spans 10 hectares.
• It has the capacity to handle 6 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of containers.
• This facility would play a crucial role in reducing logistics costs and saving foreign exchange for India.
• This terminal has a workforce of 40% women, reflecting women-led development in the maritime sector.
• PM Modi also mentioned that the government has invested more than 7,000 crore in developing an Outer Harbour Container Terminal.
• Tamilnadu has become a major hub for maritime trade with three major ports and seventeen non-major ports.
• VOC Port has been recognised as a green hydrogen hub and a nodal port for offshore wind energy.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. GST Council formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) to suggest GST rates on health and life insurance products.

• A 13-member Group of Ministers (GoM) will suggest a GST rate on premiums of various health and life insurance.
• Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is the convenor of the GoM.
• At the 54th GST Council meeting on September 9, a GoM was set up to decide the GST rate on health and life insurance products.
• Currently, 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) is on insurance premiums.
• The Group of Ministers (GoM) will submit its report by October 30, 2024.
• In 2023-24, the centre and states collected Rs 8,262.94 crore through GST on health insurance premiums.

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

11. 'Samvidhan Mandir' inaugurated by Jagdeep Dhankhar in Industrial Training Institutes in Maharashtra.

• The Samvidhan Mandir virtually inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar from the institute premises at 433 Industrial Training Institutes across Maharashtra.
• Mr Dhankhar was on a two-day visit to Maharashtra.
• On 15 September, Dhankhar presided over the inauguration of the Samvidhan Mandir at Elphinstone Technical High School and Junior College in Mumbai.
• The event was organised by Maharashtra Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department under the chairmanship of minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha.
• ITIs are post-secondary schools established to provide training in various trades.

Topic: Space and IT

12. Chamran-1 satellite launched by Iran amid western concerns over missile technology.

• On September 14, Chamran-1 research satellite successfully launched into orbit by Iran using a QAIM-100 rocket developed by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
• The launch is a milestone in Iran's aerospace programme.
• The 60-kg Chamran-1 satellite was placed in a 550-km orbit and is designed to test "hardware and software systems for orbital maneuvering technology."
• The Qaem-100 rocket, a solid-fuel, three-stage vehicle, was earlier used for another successful satellite launch in January.
• The satellite launch comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• The launch has faced scrutiny and criticism from Western countries over concerns that the technology could be used for ballistic missile development.
• The launch is also significant because it is the first under Iran's new reformist President Massoud Pezeshkian, after his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash earlier this year.

Topic: Indian Economy

13. InCred Financial Services received the first ESG rating from ICRA ESG.

• InCred received an “Impact 57, Moderate” rating for improvement in adopting comprehensive sustainability practices.

• ICRA ESG Ratings Ltd has assigned its first Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rating from InCred Financial Services Ltd.
• An ESG Impact rating between 40 and 59 indicates that the entity has a moderate commitment to ESG principles.
• The ESG-assigned ratings help investors to assess the non-financial risks and opportunities associated with entities.
• These ratings also help the rated entity gain a better understanding and diagnostics of its ESG impact.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

14. President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate 8th India Water Week 2024.

• The 8th India Water Week 2024 will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu at Bharat Mandapam.
• The theme of the event is – Partnership and cooperation for inclusive water development and management.
• Around four thousand delegates including two hundred foreign delegates from 40 countries will participate in this event.
• More than one hundred exhibitors and startups will showcase their ideas in the water sector during the exhibition.
• The good water management will accelerate the economic growth of India.
• It will act as a global platform to elicit ideas and opinions from global-level decision-makers, researchers, experts, innovators and stakeholders.