Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 October 2024

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. Government launched the Prime Minister’s Internship scheme to provide 1.25 lakh internships in FY 2024-25.

• The government launched the pilot phase of the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme to provide 1.25 lakh internship opportunities during the fiscal year 2024-25.
• The top 500 companies in India are participating in this scheme. This scheme was announced in the Budget 2024-25.
• Its main aim is to create 1 crore internship opportunities for young people in top companies over the next five years.
• This initiative will be managed through an online portal developed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)
• To qualify for the scheme, candidates must meet the following criteria:
  • Age range: 21 to 24 years
  • Should not be engaged in full-time employment
  • Individuals from families with government employees are not eligible
  • Graduates from prestigious institutions like IITs, IIMs, or those with qualifications such as CA or CMA are excluded
• The internship program will be rolled out in two phases, aiming to train 10 million youth over five years.

Topic: National News

2. Cabinet approved India’s decision to join the International Energy Efficiency Hub.

• Union Cabinet approved a Letter of Intent to Join the International Energy Efficiency Hub.
• This strategic move is aligned with India’s commitment to promote sustainable development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through global cooperation.
• The International Energy Efficiency Hub (Hub) was established in 2020 as the successor to the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC).
• This hub will bring together governments, international organizations, and private sector entities to collaborate on promoting energy efficiency.
• The International Energy Efficiency Hub (Hub) comprises 16 members, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is a statutory agency under the Ministry of Power.
• It will facilitate India’s engagement in the Hub’s activities and will ensure alignment with national energy efficiency goals.
• India’s participation in the International Energy Efficiency Hub is a step towards a transition to a low-carbon economy.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/ Meetings

3. India’s Maritime Decarbonization Conference concluded in New Delhi.

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and the Asian Development Bank co-hosted the Conference on Maritime Decarbonization in India.
• 200 delegates discussed the future of green shipping and port operations.
• The conference is committed towards the vision of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• India’s maritime sector is a key driver of the economy but also a critical factor in the fight against climate change.
• The delegates discussed covered a range of critical themes, including green port infrastructure, clean harbour craft, and the use of zero-carbon fuels.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Art and Culture

4. Union Cabinet has approved classical language status for five languages on 3 October 2024.

• These languages are Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit.
• Since 2013, there has been a pending demand for Marathi to be granted classical status.
• Up until now, India has had six classical languages. These were Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Sanskrit, and Odia. 
• Tamil was the first language to be given classical status in 2004. Sanskrit received classical status in 2005.
• At a meeting in July 2024, the Linguistics Experts Committee, presided over by the Sahitya Akademi, revised the criteria for conferring classical status.
• Linguistics Expert Committee is made up of four or five linguistic experts as well as officials from the Union Ministries of Home and Culture.
• The Sahitya Akademi President serves as its chair.
• When a language is designated as a classical language, the Ministry of Education offers certain incentives to encourage its use.
• Among these benefits are two major annual international prizes for distinguished language scholars.
• Establishing a Centre of Excellence for study in classical languages is another benefit.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Union Cabinet made the decision to merge all Central schemes in the agriculture sector into two new schemes.

• The new schemes are called Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY).
• The projected cost of new schemes is ₹ 1,01,321.61 crore.
• The States will be required to contribute the remaining ₹32,232.63 crore to the schemes, with the Central Government contributing ₹69,088.98 crore.
• For PM-RKVY, ₹57,074.72 crore has been set aside. The goal is to advance sustainable farming practices.
• KY has allocated ₹44,246.89 crore for addressing food security and agricultural self-sufficiency.
• State governments will carry out the implementation of both programs.
• The two new schemes would combine programs like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Rainfed Area Development, Agroforestry, and Soil Health Management.
• The centre has made the decision to streamline different programs in order to prevent duplication, guarantee convergence, and give States flexibility.
• Value chain development and private sector involvement are also planned under two schemes.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Animal Day: 04 October

• World Animal Day is observed annually on 04 October.
• This day highlights the importance of animals and spreads awareness for their welfare.
• World Animal Day has been marked since 1925. It was for the first time celebrated on 24th March 1925 in Germany.
• Heinrich Zimmermann, a cynologist, started it. A cynologist is one who specializes in training and care of dogs.
• It is now observed on October 4th to coincide with Saint Francis of Assisi's feast day, who is the patron saint of ecology and animals.
• The theme for World Animal Day 2024 is "The world is their home too".

Topic: Indian Polity

7. Supreme Court said that caste bias and segregation in prisons are violations of dignity.

• On 3 October, the Supreme Court declared that caste-based discrimination of prisoners and the segregation of their work according to caste hierarchy are oppressive to fundamental human dignity and personality.
• It also condemned the treatment of inmates from the de-notified tribes as “habitual offenders” within prison walls across India.
• The court directed amendment of the jail manual within three months.
• It ordered the removal of the ‘caste column’ and any reference to caste in the registers of undertrials and convicts kept in jails.
• The court stressed that members of denotified tribes should not be arbitrarily arrested.
• Chief Justice Chandrachud, who authored the judgment, referred to Article 15(1) of the Constitution, which enshrines the fundamental right against discrimination.
• The court said the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, which prohibits manual scavenging, has a binding effect on prisons as well.
• The court directed the Central government to make necessary changes in the 2016 manual and the 2023 Act within three months to remove caste-based discrimination.

Topic: State News/Bihar

8. On 2 October, 'Bapu Tower' was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.

• The inaugural ceremony was held at Gandhi Maidan, Patna.
• This iconic five-storey building composed of cylindrical and rectangular structures houses several galleries dedicated to the life of the Father of the Nation.
• A special segment on Mahatma Gandhi's Bihar visit and Champaran Satyagraha has been beautifully curated with audio-visual material for the viewers.
• The entire complex of Bapu Tower is spread over seven acres of land, out of which six acres of land is left for parks and other facilities.
• Built at a cost of Rs 129 crore, Bapu Tower is one of the biggest attractions of the modern cultural landscape of Bihar.
• This cylindrical building is constructed from more than 40 tons of copper.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Madhya Pradesh

9. Gaushala with Bio-CNG plant has been inaugurated by PM Modi in MP.

• This Gaushala with Bio-CNG plant can produce three tonnes of natural gas per day using 100 tonnes of cow dung.
• It has been set up in collaboration with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
• ‘Lal Tipara Gaushala’ with a Bio-CNG plant in Gwalior has been virtually inaugurated by PM Modi.
• It is India’s first modern and self-reliant gaushala. It was developed at a cost of ₹32 crore from the corporate social responsibility fund of the IOC.
• PM Modi also launched multiple development projects of ₹685 crore in Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Swachhta Diwas on October 2, 2024.
• These projects include a sewerage scheme of ₹299.20 crore for Sagar urban body and water supply scheme of ₹75.34 crore of Chhindwara urban body.
• These projects also include a water supply scheme of ₹61.17 crore for Seoni-Malwa urban body.
• Swachhta Diwas is observed on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) every year.

Topic: International News

10. Claudia Sheinbaum took oath as first female president of Mexico.

• She replaced Andrés Manuel López Obrador as head of state in Mexico, which is world’s most populous Spanish-speaking nation.
• She took oath on the floor of Congress for a six-year term lasting until 2030.
• She is a climate scientist. She was elected as the first female president of Mexico on October 1st, 2024.
• With almost 60% of the vote in June, Sheinbaum easily won.
• She is going to be Mexico's 66th president. López Obrador took office six years ago.
• She formerly served as Head of Government of Mexico City from 2018 until 2023.
• Mexico is a country in southern portion of North America. Mexico City is its capital and largest city.
• The type of government is federal presidential republic. The currency is Mexican peso.

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

11. Nepal, India and Bangladesh signed a tripartite agreement to facilitate cross-border electricity trade.

• Nepal will export its surplus electricity to Bangladesh via India from June 15 to November 15 every year.
• In the first phase, Nepal will export 40 MW of hydroelectricity to Bangladesh via Indian Territory.
• India will make arrangements to supply the electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh.
• The rate per unit of electricity has been fixed at 6.4 cents. Nepal will earn around $ 9.2 million by supplying electricity.
• An MoU was signed between NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising, NTPC Vidyut Byapar Nigam CEO Deino Naran, and Bangladesh Power Development Board Chairman Mohamad Rizwan Karim, Nepal's Ministry of Energy officials in Kathmandu.
• Nepal's Energy Minister Dipak Khadka and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sayeda Rijwana Hasan were also present.

Topic: International News

12. UK decided to cede Chagos Island sovereignty to Mauritius.

• The United Kingdom announced that it would cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
• It is a positive step towards the complete decolonization of Mauritius.
• Under the terms of this treaty, the UK will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.
• Both sides agreed to ensure long-term, secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia.
• For an initial period of 99 years, the UK will have the authorized power over Diego Garcia.
• Mauritius will now be free to implement a program of resettlement on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago.
• Britain has been controlling the Chagos Islands since 1814, and it was detached from Mauritius in 1965.

Topic: State News/ Jharkhand

13. Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan launched by the Prime Minister from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on 2 October.

• On 2 October 2024, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) launched, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The total outlay of the scheme is Rs 79,156 crore (Central share: Rs 56,333 crore and State share: Rs 22,823 crore).
• The Abhiyaan will cover around 63,843 villages, benefiting more than 5 crore tribal people in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks, spanning all tribal dominated villages and aspiring blocks in 30 States/UTs.
• The Abhiyaan aims to enhance social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihoods in tribal areas through 25 initiatives by 17 Indian ministries for holistic and sustainable development.
• Apart from this, the Prime Minister inaugurated 40 Eklavya Vidyalayas and laid the foundation stone of 25 new EMRSs, which will cost approximately Rs 2,834 crore.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), PM also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 1,365 crore.
• This includes 1387 km of roads, 120 Anganwadi centres, 250 multi-purpose centres and 10 school hostels being constructed by the Department of Rural Development, Women and Child Development, School Education and Literacy, and Ministry of Tribal Affairs under PM-Janman.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

14. Kerala ranked first in the urban governance index.

• Praja Foundation conducted a two year-long study across several Indian cities, in which Kerala topped the Urban Governance Index (UGI).
• The study said that although the state ranked high in terms of financial empowerment, it still has a long way to go in empowering urban governance.
• Kerala's top ranking in the Urban Governance Index is an acknowledgement of its achievements in decentralised planning.
• The state scored 59.31 out of a possible 100 on various parameters, while Odisha stood second with 55.10 marks.
• In fiscal empowerment, Kerala managed to score 23.22 out of 30 points, while Maharashtra stood second with 21.15 points.
• However, it ranks only 20th in empowerment of municipal administration.
• The report said that Kerala is the only state that has given the power to the mayor to write the 'annual confidential report' of the commissioner.
• Only four states (Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mizoram and Odisha) mandate that every councillor be part of at least one deliberative committee.
• Additionally, the eighteen functions assigned to municipal governments under the 12th Schedule of the Constitution are increasingly being managed by multiple agencies, reducing the independence of municipal governments.