Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 September 2024

Topic: National News

1. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services released Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas.

• Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas will showcase the vast potential of Ocean energy of the Indian EEZ.
• It will show the potential of the marine meterological and hydrological energy forms.
• The Atlas was released by the Ministry of Earth Science Secretary M. Ravichandran.
• This Atlas identifies area with high potential for energy generation.
• It will also act as a refrence for policymakers, industry and researchers to use energy resources available in the Indian EEZ.
• INCOIS prepares annual, monthly, and daily energy estimates of ocean energy components .

Topic: Sports

2. Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth clinched 2024 Hangzhou Open title.

• India’s Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth  won the 2024 Hangzhou Open doubles title.
• They defeated Germany’s Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens in the finals.
• They won the final match by 4-6, 7(7)-6(5), 10-7 at the Hangzhou Olympics Sports Centre.
• They had defeated British team of Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool in the quarter finals.
• This is the second ATP title of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan . He last won the 2017 Chennai Open alongside Rohan Bopanna.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

3. India first multi-omics cancer data portal has been launched.

• India launched its first comprehensive multi-omics cancer data portal to enhance research and treatment efforts for cancer.
• Cancer therapies in India have been based on Western datasets .
• It is the first platform in India to provide data encompassing DNA, RNA, and protein profiles of breast cancer patients, integrated with clinical outcomes.
• The platform includes data from 50 breast cancer patients and this dataset to grow to over 500 patients in the next year.
• This portal will empower researchers with essential data to propel customized cancer research for better treatment outcomes.
• In 2019, India reported around 1.2 million new cancer cases and 930,000 deaths.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ app has been launched by Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia.

• The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' app is a unique platform where users can plant and dedicate a tree in honour of their mothers.
• This app not only allows users to contribute towards environmental sustainability but also provides a special way to celebrate their bond with their mother.
• With its user-friendly interface, people can easily upload pictures of the trees they are planting as a tribute to their mothers.
• 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' app combines environmental responsibility with a personal touch. Key Features and Functionality of the app are given below.
  • Simple App Launch
  • User-Friendly Upload Process
  • Capture and Upload Image
  • Tree Details
  • Seamless Submission
  • Location and Timestamp
  • Progress Updates
  • Carbon Credit Tracking
  • Social Media Sharing

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

5. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) fined Jai Anmol Ambani with one crore rupees.

• In the Reliance Home Finance case, Jai Anmol Ambani was penalised for failing to perform appropriate due diligence before authorising general-purpose corporate loans (GPCLs).
• Due to his involvement in the clearance process, Krishnan Gopalakrishnan, the former chief risk officer of Reliance Home Finance, has also been fined Rs 15 lakh.
• Both of them have been asked to pay the fines within 45 days.
• Jai Anmol Ambani is the son of businessman Anil Ambani.
• Anil Ambani, three key officials of his company, and 23 related companies were all imposed a five-year ban from stock market trading by SEBI last month.
• In an investigation carried out by SEBI, a pattern of financial misconduct orchestrated by Anil Ambani and his associates was revealed.

Topic: National News

6. Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh inaugurated new Sainik School in Jaipur.

• Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari was present at the occasion.
• This new sainik school is part of vision of Government to set up 100 new Sainik Schools pan-India in PPP mode.
• 45 schools have been approved by Ministry of Defence in collaboration with state governments, NGOs and private schools.
• 40 of these schools have started operations. Sainik School, Jaipur is one of them.
• Defence Minister said private sector contribution is growing and 50% of India’s workforce is in the private sector.

Topic: Committee/Commission/Taskforce

7. A committee constituted by the Government for Repairability Index in Electronics.

• A Committee of Experts has been constituted by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) to prepare a framework for Repairability Index in the Mobile and Electronics Sector.
• This committee of experts constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri Bharat Kheda, Additional Secretary, DOCA.
• DOCA seeks to bring greater transparency to consumers about their products' repairability information and promote a more sustainable technology industry by developing the Repairability Index.
• The move comes following the National Workshop on Right to Repair in Mobile and Electronics Sector held on August 29, 2024.
• Industry stakeholders discussed the need for a repairability infrastructure during the workshop to extend product life and enhance access to repair information and spare parts, especially for discontinued models.
• The Committee will develop policies, guidelines and regulations to support the Repairability Index and integrate it into the existing consumer protection framework.
• The committee is expected to submit its report by November 15, 2024, along with the proposed framework for the Repairability Index.

Topic: Art and Culture

8. The Second edition of UPITS inaugurated in Greater Noida by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on 25 September.

• The five-day Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) will conclude on 29 September.
• The event is being jointly organised by the Uttar Pradesh Government and India Exposition Mart Limited (IEML).
• The  trade show will showcase the business and culture of Uttar Pradesh and will also highlight Vietnam as the partner country.
• This year's event will focus on agriculture, e-commerce, electronics, fisheries, handloom, textiles, horticulture, leather industry, ODOP, retail, sports, tourism, toys, MSME and Khadi.
• This year the event is expected to attract 500,000 visitors and 2,000 exhibitors showcasing their products and so far around 350 buyers from 70 countries have registered.
• In 2023, the first edition of UPITS was inaugurated by the President Droupadi Murmu.

Topic: International News

9. Sri Lanka’s new president named Harini Amarasuriya as its new prime minister.

• Anura Kumara Dissanayake is Sri Lanka’s new president.
• Dissanayake was elected president in the election held on 21 September 2024.
• In addition to being a college professor, Harini Amarasuriya is a first-time lawmaker.
• Harini Amarasuriya is the 3rd woman to be appointed to the position of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
• Amarasuriya became a parliamentarian in 2020 under Dissanayake’s NPP coalition.
• After Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the first female prime minister in history, and her daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Amarasuriya is the third woman to hold the position in Sri Lanka.
• Dissanayake ran as the candidate for the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance.
• The NPP alliance included his Janatha Vimukhti Peremuna (JVP) party.

Topic: Art and Culture

10. International Film Festival (IFFI) 2024 will be held in Goa from 20^th to 28^th November 2024.

• IFFI 2024 will be 55th edition of International Film Festival (IFFI).
• Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, held preparation review meeting of IFFI 2024 in Panaji on 24 September 2024.
• The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was founded in 1952, and is one of the film festivals in Asia.
• The festival is conducted jointly by the National Film Development Corporation of India and the state Government of Goa.
• IFFI is the only film festival in South Asia that is accredited by International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) of the 44th international festivals in the Competitive Feature Films Category.
• Since 2004, IFFI has moved to permanent venue at Goa.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

11. On 24 September, the 16th ASOSAI Assembly inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu.

• The 16th Assembly of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) Assembly inaugurated by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, in New Delhi.
• It is being organised by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) from September 24-27.
• The four-day Assembly will be followed by a series of discussions on the evolving role of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in promoting transparency and accountability.
• A key highlight of this year’s gathering is the assumption of charge by CAG of India, Girish Chandra Murmu, as President of ASOSAI for the term 2024-2027.
• The gathering will be attended by over 200 delegates representing 42 countries and international organisations, underlining the diverse and collaborative nature of ASOSAI.
• Established in 1979 with 11 members, ASOSAI has now grown to 48 SAIs, forming an important regional grouping within the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. Rising swimming star Pratyaksha Ray selected for the prestigious Eklavya Puraskar 2024.

• This year, Ray won six medals – four gold, one silver and one bronze – at the Khelo India University Games held in Guwahati in February.
• The Ekalavya Puraskar Committee, comprising jury members from various fields, unanimously selected Ray for the prestigious award at a meeting.
• Ray will be given a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh (up from Rs 5 lakh earlier), and a citation at a function to be held later.
• Sprinter Dondapati Mruthyam Jayaram and badminton player Tanvi Patri will also be honoured for their outstanding performances in various international and national level competitions in their respective fields.
• Each citation winner will be given a cash prize of ₹1.5 lakh (earlier it was ₹1 lakh) along with a citation at the awards ceremony.
• Ekalavya Puraskar:
  • In 1993, the Ekalavya Puraskar was instituted by the charitable organisation IMPaCT and is managed by IMFA, the country's leading ferroalloy producer.
  • It is now considered the most prestigious sports award of Odisha.
  • This award is given every year to the young players of Odisha for their outstanding performance in the last two years.

Topic: National News

13. Government introduced a risk-based model for testing imported medical devices.

• The government has decided to implement a risk-based strategy to monitor the quality of imported medical devices and Kits.
• Under this monitoring, the samples will be selected randomly for quality testing.
• In the case of essential diagnostic kits, the entire shipment will be tested.
• A comprehensive document has been issued to assist port officers regarding the quality control of imported medical devices.
• The proposed guidelines introduce a structured three-tier sampling system to improve quality assurance.
• It includes desktop or visual inspections, field-based tests using Minilab or similar tools, and full laboratory tests.
• Vaccines, blood products, condoms, and critical diagnostic kits all samples will be sent for testing.

Topic: National Appointments

14. KVS Manian became the new Managing Director & CEO of Federal Bank.

• KVS Manian’s appointment has become effective from September 23, 2024.
• He joins the Federal Bank after working at Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. for more than two-and-a-half decades.
• He brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in the banking industry.
• He had played a key role in Kotak Bank’s transformation from a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) to a leading private sector bank.
• He is an electrical engineer from IIT (BHU) – Varanasi and holds a Postgraduate degree in Financial Management.