Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 and 25 September 2023

Topic: Space and IT

1. NASA’s capsule carrying samples of asteroid samples landed on Earth.

• NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission has returned to Earth in the Utah desert on September 24.
• This is NASA's first asteroid sample return mission.
• The Osiris-Rex spacecraft released the sample capsule from 100,000 km (63,000 miles) out. The small capsule landed four hours later in a remote area.
• This sample of asteroids will help in knowing more about the origin of organics that may have led to life on Earth.
• It will also help in knowing more about how the solar system has formed.
• NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected the samples from the surface of the Bennu asteroid.
• The pebbles and dust brought on September 24 are the biggest haul sample after the sample brought from the moon.
• The collected samples will be kept in a dedicated curation laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
• Japan is the only other country to bring back asteroid samples.
• Asteroids: These are small rock-like structures that revolve around the Sun. These are found orbiting around the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Bharatanatyam dancer Saroja Vaidyanathan passed away at 86.

• Bharatanatyam guru, Saroja Vaidyanathan passed away after battling with lymphoma.
• Saroja Vaidyanathan founded Ganesa Natyalaya in New Delhi in 1974.
• In her career, she choreographed more than 10 full-length ballets and nearly 2,000 individual Bharatanatyam items.
• She also taught Hindi, Tamil, and Carnatic music alongside the dance form to students.
• She created the Bharatanatyam community from the ground in Delhi.
• She was conferred the Padma Shri in 2002 and the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
• She wrote several books on Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music including The Classical Dances of India, Bharatanatyam – An In-Depth Study, and Carnataka Sangeetham.

Topic: State News/Chhattisgarh

3. Rural housing scheme will be launched by Rahul Gandhi in Chhattisgarh on 25 September. 

• The scheme is named Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Nyay Yojna (MGANY). It will be launched by Rahul Gandhi in Bilaspur district.
• The aim of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the homeless and the families having kutcha houses in rural areas.
• At ‘Awas Nyay Sammelan', he along with Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will transfer the first instalment of Rs 25,000 each to 1,30,000 beneficiaries for the construction of houses.
• The event will be organized in Parsada (Sakri) village under the Takhatpur development block in Bilaspur district.
• On the occasion, government will transfer Rs 5 crore to the accounts of 500 beneficiaries under Mukhyamantri Nirman Shramik Awas Sahayata Yojana.
• Mukhyamantri Nirman Shramik Awas Sahayata Yojana was launched in May this year.
• Under this scheme, construction workers registered with the Chhattisgarh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board get an assistance of Rs 1 lakh for the construction of houses.
• Rahul Gandhi and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will also inaugurate and lay foundation stone of the development and construction works worth Rs 524.33 crore in Bilaspur district.
• They will also distribute appointment letters to 2,594 newly recruited teachers.
• Under MGANY, Chhattisgarh government will provide financial aid to those homeless families who were left out of the survey list of the Socio-Economic Caste Census -2011 (SECC-2011).
• The Chhattisgarh State Socio-Economic Survey 2023 was conducted between April 1 and April 30 this year.
• In the survey, 10,76,545 families were found to be homeless or having kutcha houses.
• In July 2023, Chhattisgarh CM announced to launch a rural housing scheme to provide pucca houses to these families.
• Under the scheme, government will give assistance of Rs 1.30 lakh to each beneficiary in remote areas and Rs 1.20 lakh in plain areas for the construction of houses.
• The aim of the scheme is also to benefit 6,99,439 eligible beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY- rural), who are on the permanent wait list and yet to get the benefit of the PMAY.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

4. India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 will be organized on 26-27th September 2023.

• It will be organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• All 100 smart cities will take part in the Conclave.
• On 27th September 2023, the winners of the fourth edition of the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 will be felicitated by the President, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.
• The ISAC is being organized under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs since 2018.
• During the distribution of the ISAC 2022 awards, 5 States/UT and 31 unique cities and 7 partner organisations will be honoured with prizes.
• There are a total 66 winners of the ISAC awards. ISAC has witnessed three editions in 2018, 2019 and 2020 in the past.
• The 4th edition of the ISAC was launched in April 2022. It was launched during the ‘Smart Cities-Smart Urbanization’ event in Surat.
• Site visits to prestigious projects implemented under the Smart City Mission in Indore and Ujjain will also be organized.

Topic: Sports

5. India has become the number 1 team in all formats.

• On September 22, India became the No. 1 ranked team in all three formats, i.e., Test, ODI, and T20I, after its 5-wicket win against Australia.
• India removed Pakistan from the top in the ODI rankings while it remained ahead of England in the T20 rankings.
• India is in first place in Test while Australia is right behind it.
• India is the second team in men's cricket history to have achieved the No. 1 ranking across all formats.
• Earlier, only South Africa had achieved this feat in August 2012.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. A capacity-building initiative joint launched by India and the UN for Global South on 24 September.

• Its objective is to share India's development experience, best practices, and expertise with the countries of the South.
• The initiative was announced at the India-UN South Africa event in New York.
• The India United Nations initiative will join the already-running India United Nations Development Partnership Fund.
• Under this, there have been 75 development projects running in 61 countries for the last six years.
• Under this initiative, the United Nations India team and the Bill & Melinda Foundation will cooperate through India's Technical and Economic Cooperation Platform.
• A joint expression of interest in this regard was exchanged between the UN-Habitat Coordinator in India and the Bill & Melinda Foundation.
• Under this initiative, support will also be provided in implementing the development programs undertaken under India's chairmanship of G-20.
• This also includes the G-20 Action Plan for Accelerating Progress on SDGs, Technological Transformation, and Building Digital Public Infrastructure.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

7. Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 inaugurated by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.

• On 25 September, Bharat Drone Shakti - 2023 inaugurated at the Indian Air Force base in Hindon Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
• The Indian Air Force and Drone Federation of India jointly organized the event.
• The defense minister formally inducted the C-295 transport aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force AVRO fleet.
• The acquisition of 56 C-295 aircraft will boost the Make in India initiative.
• The two-day Bharat Drone Shakti will showcase the power of the Indian drone industry to its fullest, hosting over 50 live aerial demonstrations.
• Survey drones, agricultural drones, firefighting drones, and tactical surveillance drones will be showcased at the event.
• More than 75 drone start-ups and corporates are participating in the event.
• Bharat Drone Shakti will boost India's commitment to becoming a global drone hub by 2030.

Topic: State News/ Jharkhand

8. Karma Puja is celebrated by the Jharkhand people.

• On September 25, Karma Puja was celebrated in Jharkhand, which is one of the most popular festivals related to harvest, worship of nature, bond between brother and sister, and homage to the Karam tree.
• During the festival, Karama dancers carry the branch of the Karam tree with singing and dancing.
• The branch of the Karam tree decorated with milk and rice beer is placed in the middle of the place where the group dances.
• On the second day, Karam Dev is uprooted and taken around all the houses of the village and immersed as per rituals.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

9. “EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” will be conducted from 25th September to 8th October 2023.

• The 19th edition of “EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” will be conducted in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA.
• It is an annual exercise conducted jointly by the Indian Army and the United States Army.
• Indian Army contingent of MARATHA Light Infantry Regiment comprising 350 personnel are taking part in this edition of the exercise.
• 1-24 Infantry Battalion of the 1st Brigade Combat Team will participate from the US side.
• ‘Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/ Extreme Climatic Conditions’ is the theme of the exercise.
• Both sides will practice a series of tactical drills to enhance interoperability in conducting UN peacekeeping operations.
• “EX YUDH ABHYAS-23” will also help both Armies to learn from each other and further strengthen the bonds between the two armies.
• Personnel from both sides will also hold detailed discussions to share their experiences and best practices.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. India won the bid to host the 17th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement.

• India has won the bid to host the International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) in New Delhi in 2027.
• The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) along with IIT Delhi successfully presented India’s bid during the ongoing 16th ICCC in Bangkok.
• The decision was announced in Bangkok, Thailand during the 16th ICCC.
• The International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement is the largest event of its kind. It reviews the progress of research in the area of Cement and Concrete.
• The congress is generally organized at intervals of four to six years since 1918.
• The 9th Congress was organized in New Delhi in 1992 by NCCBM.
• The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) is an apex Research and Development organization under the administrative control of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The cement industry plays an important role in the circular economy of India.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Space and IT

11. I2U2 joint space venture announced by Israel, US, India, and UAE.

• On 22 September, a new joint space venture was announced by the governments of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UNGA in New York.
• Using space-based observational data and capabilities primarily from the four I2U2 partner countries, the project aims to create a “unique space-based tool” for policymakers, institutions, and entrepreneurs.
• This project will enable collaboration in working on the challenges of environment and climate change and applications of space data for the betterment of humanity.
• On September 21, the I2U2 group also launched a website to strengthen public-private partnerships across multiple sectors.
• They also invited private companies from the four member states to present their projects to address some of the challenges facing the world.
• I2U2:
  • It is a four-nation group of India, Israel, UAE, and the USA.
  • It was conceptualized during a meeting of the four countries' Foreign Ministers on October 18, 2021.
  • I2U2, also known as the West Asian Quad, aims to encourage joint investment among member states in six mutually identified sectors–water, energy, transport, space, health, and food security.

Topic: Sports

12. The first MotoGP Bharat has started at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

• India will host the first edition of MotoGP Bharat from September 22 to 24.
• Dorna Sports has licensed Fairstreet Sports for the rights to organize races in India for a period of seven years till 2029.
• The promoters hope that MotoGP India will become a profitable venture by the third year.
• According to Nielsen estimates, India already has an estimated 54 million fans for the racing series.
• IndianOil is the title sponsor for the first edition of MotoGP Bharat.
• Event sponsors include Red Bull India, OLA, 24seven, and RE Rogers India.
• MotoGP:
  • Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events.
  • The event is organized on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
  • In 1949, the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix was first organized by the FIM.
  • The commercial rights to the race are now owned by Dorna Sports, with the FIM is the sport's sanctioning body.
  • The most successful rider in Grand Prix history is Giacomo Agostini, who has won 15 titles and 122 races.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

13. Around 40% of Indian graduates under 25 years are unemployed.

• According to a report published by Azim Premji University, the unemployment rate among Indian graduates under 25 years remains 42% in 2021-22.
• The overall unemployment rate had declined to 6.6 per cent in 2021-22 from 8.7 per cent in 2017-18.
• The unemployment rate remains at 21.4 per cent among youths under 25 years who have completed higher secondary.
• The unemployment rate was 18.1 per cent and 15 per cent for youths who passed secondary and middle education, respectively.
• The unemployment rate was 15% for overall graduates.
• It indicates that with lower educational qualifications, the rate of unemployment also decreases.
• As per the report, 60 per cent of women are self-employed as compared to 50 per cent before the pandemic.
• This report states that job creation was interrupted by the pandemic which caused larger growth in distressed employment.
• The number of workers from Scheduled Castes engaged in waste-related and leather-related work has declined rapidly.
• The report states that even in the smallest firm sizes SC-ST are under-represented as compared to their share in the overall workforce.
• In 2018, 75.6 per cent of SC/ST men in casual wage work also had sons involved in casual wage work.
• In 2018, there were only 53 per cent of people in the general category whose sons were also engaged in the same work.

Topic: Banking System

14. RBI introduced the Basel-III capital framework for All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs). 

• The RBI has introduced norms on the Basel III capital framework, fundraising, and exposure guidelines for AIFIs. 
• It has also introduced norms on the classification and valuation of investment portfolios for All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs). 
• The norms will become effective from April 2024.  
• All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) shall maintain a minimum total capital of 9% by April 2024.  
• Minimum tier-I capital shall be at 7% and common equity tier-I (CET-1) capital shall be at 5.5%. 
• For the National Housing Bank (NHB), the norms will be implemented by July 2024 as its accounting year is July-June.  
• All financial subsidiaries will need to be fully consolidated for capital adequacy. This excludes subsidiaries engaged in insurance and non-financial activities.  
• RBI has limited AIFI’s investments in capital instruments of banking, financial, and insurance organizations at 10% of their capital funds. 
• If the acquisition results in the AIFI holding more than 5% of the investee's equity capital, the AIFI will not be permitted to purchase a fresh stake in the equity shares of a bank or another AIFI. 
• AIFIs’ equity investment in a single entity will not be allowed to exceed 49% of the equity of the investee. 
• India has five AIFIs regulated by the RBI. Their names are given below. 
  • Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank)  
  • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) 
  • National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) 
  • National Housing Bank (NHB) 
  • Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)