Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 September 2024

Topic: Indian Economy

1. Southern states emerged as major contributors in India’s GDP.

• Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have emerged as major contributors to India’s GDP.
• Southern states contribute around 30% to India’s GDP.
• Telangana has also become a major player in India's economy.
• Maharashtra remains India’s largest contributor to GDP, but its share has declined to 13.3%.
• Maharashtra is not among the top five states in terms of per capita income.
• Bihar, despite being the third-most populous state, contributes only 4.3% to India’s GDP.
• Uttar Pradesh contributes about 9.5% in India’s GDP.
• West Bengal’s per capita income was above the national average in 1960-61 at 127.5% but its relative per capita income has declined to 83.7% in 2023-24.
• West Bengal's contribution is only 5.6% in 2023–24 in India’s GDP.

Topic: International Appointments

2. Jafar Hassan became the new Prime Minister of Jordan.

• Jordanian King Abdullah II appointed Jafar Hassan as the Prime Minister of Jordan.
• Islamic Action Front (IAF) has won 31 out of 138 seats. This made it the largest party in the elected lower house of parliament.
• After the parliamentary election, Hassan received the charge to form the government.
• He had served as planning minister before becoming King Abdullah II's chief of staff.
• He replaced Bisher Khasawneh, who had headed the government since October 2020.
• In Jordan, the King makes high-level appointments including the prime minister.

Topic: Space and IT

3. Indian Government approved mission to Venus after Moon and Mars.

• On September 18, the development of Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM)  approved by the Union Cabinet, which will be a major milestone in India's space exploration efforts.
• The aim of the mission is to explore Venus, the nearest planet to Earth, and is an important step beyond the Moon and Mars in the government's vision for planetary exploration.
• Venus is the closest planet to Earth and is thought to have formed under conditions similar to Earth, providing a unique opportunity to understand how planetary atmospheres can evolve very differently.
• India's Department of Space plans to launch the 'Venus Orbiter Mission' to study Venus' surface, subsurface, and atmosphere, and explore how the Sun influences its atmosphere.
• ISRO will be responsible for the development and launch of this spacecraft.
• This mission is likely to be completed during the available opportunity in March 2028.
• The "Venus Orbiter Mission" (VOM) has been approved for a total of Rs 1236 crore, of which Rs 824.00 crore would be used for the spacecraft.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

4. The progress of bilateral cooperation reviewed by India and the US in the 2+2 inter-sessional meeting.

• The progress of bilateral cooperation in areas including defence, technology, space cooperation, clean energy, and maritime domain awareness was reviewed.
• On September 16, the two sides took stock of progress during the bilateral 2+2 inter-sessional meeting held in New Delhi.
• During the meeting, the officials also had the opportunity to share their views on various regional and international issues.
• The 2+2 inter-sessional meeting laid the foundation for the next 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue to advance the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
• Joint Secretary (America) Nagaraj Naidu and Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Vishwesh Negi led the Indian delegation at the meeting.
• US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu and US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah P. Royal led the American delegation.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Telangana

5. New MSME Policy 2024 launched by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

• On September 18, the New MSME Policy 2024 has been launched by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to address six major challenges faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• This policy includes an investment of Rs 4 thousand crore in five years.
• The Chief Minister praised the policies of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao for opening up India's economy through liberalisation, privatization, and globalisation (LPG).
• The new policy is aimed at providing industrial opportunities to Dalits and women and to promote MSMEs.
• He said there is a gap between education and jobs, and there is a shortage of skilled workers.
• He said after discussions with Tata, a plan has been made to upgrade Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) with an investment of Rs 2,400 crore.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

6. Two MoUs on defence industry cooperation signed by SIDM with UAE partners.

• The Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM), the Emirates Defence Companies Council (EDCC), and EDGE Group UAE inked two MoUs on Defense Industry Cooperation in a historic effort to strengthen defence cooperation.
• These agreements are expected to pave the way for cooperation in several key areas, including joint development of unmanned systems, co-production of next-generation platforms, and exploration of critical minerals in third countries.
• This significant development came during the first India-UAE Defense Industry Partnership Forum held in Abu Dhabi on September 18.
• Organized by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi under the aegis of the Ministry of Defense, GoI, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense of the UAE, this historic forum brought together the defence industries of the two countries.
• During the forum, various initiatives and policies of the Indian Government to boost the defence manufacturing ecosystem and promote international collaboration were presented to the UAE delegation.
• Existing agreements, such as the 2003 Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding and the 2011 Security Cooperation Agreement, have laid a strong foundation for this growing partnership.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. The continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme has been approved by the Union Cabinet.

• The Union Cabinet allocated Rs. 35,000 crore for it till the 15th Finance Commission Cycle up to 2025-26.
• This decision aims to control price volatility of necessary commodities for consumers and to guarantee farmers receive fair prices.
• To increase its efficacy, the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) are combined into one program, the PM-AASHA scheme.
• The Price Support program (PSS), Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS), and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) will now be a part of the integrated program.
• The purchase of copra, oilseeds, and notified pulses at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will account for 25% of the country's output beginning in the 2024–2025 growing season.
• This change aims to increase the amount of these crops purchased at MSP.
• For the 2024–2025 season, the government intends to purchase all of Tur, Urad, and Masur, therefore the procurement ceiling will not apply to them.
• Additionally, the government has raised to Rs. 45,000 crore its guarantee for the purchase of oilseeds, copra, and pulses.
• With an extended implementation period of four months, the Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS) coverage for recognised oilseeds has been enhanced from 25% to 40% of state production in an effort to further support farmers.
• Farmers would get compensation under the system for the gap between MSP and market price and up to 15% of MSP will be covered by the central government.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

8. World Food India 2024 started from 19 September 2024 in New Delhi.

• It is a four-day mega event. It will continue till 22 September 2024.
• More than 90 countries, 26 States and Union Territories, and 18 Central Ministries are taking part in the event.
• Japan is a partner country. Vietnam and Iran are taking part as focus countries.
• World Food India 2024 is 3rd edition of India’s biggest food summit.
• Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched 1st edition of World Food India in 2017.
• The second edition World Food India was organised in 2023.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Union Cabinet approved the Rs. 9,197 crore Bio-RIDE scheme.

• The Union Cabinet has approved the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) scheme with an outlay of 9,197 crore.
• Two umbrella schemes under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have been merged into a unified initiative known as the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) scheme.
• The main aim of the Bio-RIDE scheme is to foster innovation and encourage bio-entrepreneurship.
• Its main aim is to accelerate research, enhance product development, and bridge the gap between academic research and industrial applications.
• A new component called Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry has been included in the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) scheme.
• This new component will help India achieve the goal of creating a circular bioeconomy by developing Indigenous solutions.
• Bio-RIDE will also play an important role in making India’s bioeconomy of $300 billion by 2030.

Topic: Space and IT

10. Government approved the development of the first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1).

• India will become third country with its own space station by setting up Bharatiya Antariksh Station very soon.
• The Union Cabinet has approved expansion of India’s Gaganyaan program.
• It includes the development of the first unit of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS-1) and the integration of new technologies and missions to support the BAS.
• BAS-1 will act as a platform for testing and validating new technologies crucial for the station's construction and operation.
• The revision of the Gaganyaan Programme includes additional requirements for the station and precursor missions.
• The total budget for the revised Gaganyaan program has been increased to ₹20,193 crore.
• The Gaganyaan project envisages human spaceflight capability of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission.
• At present, the International Space Station (ISS) and China’s Tiangong Space Station (TSS) are the two active space stations orbiting Earth.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

11. The MoUs signed by REC with renewable energy companies for projects worth ₹1.12 lakh crore.

• REC Ltd, one of India's infrastructure financing companies, signed non-binding MoUs with renewable energy developers for projects worth about Rs 1.12 lakh crore.
• The MoUs were signed during the 4th Global Renewable Energy Investors Summit & Expo (RE-INVEST 2024) in Gujarat.
• These projects, scheduled for implementation over the next five years, cover a wide range of renewable energy initiatives.
• This includes solar and wind hybrid systems, round the clock (RTC) power, floating solar plants, ultra-mega renewable energy parks, hydroelectric power, and advanced energy storage solutions such as battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped storage.
• Apart from this, projects related to green ammonia and hydrogen, solar cell/module manufacturing and other innovative technologies are also part of the MoU.
• Held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from September 16–18, 2024, the RE-INVEST 2024 event brought together policymakers, investors, business leaders, and government officials to discuss the future of renewable energy.
• REC Ltd plans to support the country's target of increasing non-fossil based generation capacity from 200 GW to 500 GW by 2030.
• In line with this, REC announced a "Shapath Patra,", pledging to grow its renewable loan book to over Rs 3 lakh crore by 2030.

Topic: Defence

12. In the LCA Tejas aircraft fleet, Squadron Leader Mohana Singh became the first female fighter pilot.

• Squadron Leader Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot to join the elite 18 'Flying Bullets' squadron, operating a squadron of India's indigenously built 'Made in India' LCA Tejas fighter jets.
• Squadron Leader Singh, one of the country's first women fighter pilots, has once again raised the flag of success.
• Her remarkable achievement underlines the Indian Air Force's commitment to gender equality and empowerment.
• The officer was recently part of Exercise 'Tarang Shakti' held in Jodhpur, where she was part of the historic flight of the three vice chiefs of the three services.
• Squadron Leader Mohana Singh was part of the first group of three women who became fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.
• After the government opened the fighter aviation sector to women in 2016, the IAF currently has about 20 female fighter pilots.

Topic: Indian Polity

13. Union Cabinet approved ‘One nation, one election’ to simultaneous elections.

• The Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal to hold simultaneous elections in India.
• A high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind submitted its report on ‘One nation, one election’.
• The Bill is likely to be tabled in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
• The panel said that Simultaneous polls will help save resources, spur development and social cohesion, and will deepen foundations of the democratic rubric.
• The panel also recommended the preparation of a common electoral roll and voter ID cards by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• The panel recommended 18 constitutional amendments and most of which don’t require ratification by State Assemblies.

Topic: International News

14. 9 killed and almost 3,000 were injured in a wave of pager explosions in Lebanon.

• At least nine people were killed and thousands were injured when pagers across Lebanon exploded.
• Iran accused Israel of this wave of pager explosions.
• Pagers were reportedly tampered with externally.
• The blasts began in Lebanon's capital Beirut and several other areas.
• Hezbollah members have been using pagers for communication as smartphones carry a higher risk of intercepted communications.
• As per experts, small explosive devices may have been built into the pagers before they reached Hezbollah.