Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 September 2024

Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

1. Government is planning to bring out a national policy on Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

• Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) represent issues related to farmers.
• Many states like Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have policies and schemes related to their FPOs.
• With the national policy, there will be a unified policy and vision for the FPO to take this movement forward.
• The government has emphasised on farmers’ collectives in recent years.
• The Centre launched a programme with an outlay of `6,865 crore for setting up 10,000 new FPOs.
• The Agriculture Ministry constituted an expert group under Kidwai to draft a national policy on the FPOs.
• The government had set a target to constitute 10,000 FPOs by March 2024 and had constituted more than 9,000.

Topic: International News

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Brunei on 3 September 2024.

• This is the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister to Brunei, a Southeast Asian nation.
• This visit is part of PM Modi’s two-nation tour. Singapore is the next stop.
• Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah accorded PM Modi a formal welcome upon his arrival.
• This year marks 40 years since Brunei and India established diplomatic relations.
• Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong will all have discussions with PM Modi in Singapore.
• Brunei and India established diplomatic relations in 1984.
• Brunei is officially called Brunei Darussalam. It is located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo.
• Bandar Seri Begawan is its capital and largest city. Hassanal Bolkiah is its Prime Minister.

Topic: Sports

3. Deepthi Jeevanji won the bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 event at the Paris Paralympics.

• After world record holder Aysel Onder of Turkey (55.23 seconds) and Yuliia Shuliar of Ukraine (55.16 seconds), Deepthi finished in 55.82 seconds.
• Deepthi finished first at the World Para-Athletics Championships in May in Japan.
• Deepthi also set a new world record with a time of 55.07 seconds, making her a serious medal contender going into the Paris Paralympics.
• In May, Onder had finished second in the 2024 World Para-Athletics Championships, behind Deepthi.
• The T20 category is designed for athletes with intellectual impairment.
• After Preethi Pal, Deepthi became the second Indian to win a medal in a track event at the Paralympics.
• Deepthi's bronze, won in her debut Paralympics, was India's sixth medal from para-athletics.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. In order to provide disadvantaged workers with access to the benefits of the PMAY, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has taken steps.

• All State Governments have received a letter from the Ministry requesting that migrant workers, construction workers, beedi workers, cine workers, non-coal mine workers, contract labourers, and other unorganised workers be included in PMAY.
• This move comes after the Union Cabinet approved a five-year extension of the PMAY's implementation, from FY 2024–2025 to FY 2028–2029, with the aim of giving 2 crore more houses to eligible beneficiaries.
• The Management Information System (MIS) portal is now fully operational, the Ministry further announced.
• On August 21, 2024, the MIS portal for construction, building, and migrant workers was launched.
• The portal's purpose is to make data collecting and analysis easier. It contains details on worker coverage under several state and central social security schemes and fund utilisation.
• State and UT governments will be able to make better decisions and create more efficient welfare schemes that are suited to the needs of these underprivileged workers due to this centralised data management system.
• The Government of India has been implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) since the year 2015-16.

Topic: Defence

5. Super Dimona Aircraft Simulator handed over to NDA by SDI.

• Super Dimona Aircraft Simulator has been designed and deployed for National Defence Academy by IAF Software Development Institute Bengaluru.
• It will be used by the Air Force Training Team at NDA to familiarize the cadets with basic flying aspects along with necessary knowledge of the flying environment.
• To enhance the visual experience of the trainee cadets, the simulator has a state-of-the-art 135 degree Field of View (FoV) immersive display.
• Local private industries were engaged in mechanical modifications, manufacturing of flight controls, display screens and other panels as available in the actual aircraft.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

6. President delegated powers to the Lieutenant Governor to constitute Boards and appoint members in Delhi.

• The President Droupadi Murmu has entrusted powers to the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to constitute any authority, board, commission, or statutory body applicable to the Government of Delhi under any law passed by Parliament.
• In a notification issued on September 3, 2024, the Union Home Ministry said that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi can also appoint members to such authorities, boards, commissions or statutory bodies.
• In pursuance of clause (1) of article 239 of the Constitution, read with section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 (1 of 1992), the President hereby directs that the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, exercise the powers of the President under clause (a) of section 45D of the said Act.
• This includes the constitution of any authority, board, commission, or statutory body, or the appointment of any Government officer or ex officio member to such entities.
• Earlier, the President approved the formation of the 23rd Law Commission of India, which will function from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Government of India, Government of Tripura and representatives of NLFT and ATTF will sign a Memorandum of Settlement.

• Memorandum of Settlement will be signed in presence of Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi.
• During the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement, Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha and senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Government of Tripura will also be present.
• 12 important agreements have been signed by the government to bring peace and prosperity in the Northeast.
• Out of these, three are related to Tripura.
• Due to signing of agreements, about 10,000 people have given up arms and joined mainstream.
• National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) are two armed groups in Tripura.  

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. The Wokha SAATHI WhatsApp Chatbot has been awarded the Gold Award at National Awards for e-Governance Scheme 2023-2024.

• The Wokha SAATHI (Smart AI-based Assistant for Timely Help & Interface) WhatsApp Chatbot is an innovative initiative of the Wokha District Administration of Nagaland.
• Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis presented the award at the 27th National Conference on e-Governance held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• This is for the first time that an initiative from Nagaland has got a Gold Award for its contribution to e-Governance.
• As part of the initiative, over 40 services have been brought under one stop chat bot of the Wokha District Administration.
• This AI-based chatbot offers timely assistance. It serves as a user-friendly interface for residents.
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has got Gold Award under the category "Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen-Centric Services" in the National Awards for e-Governance.
• National Awards for e-Governance by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances recognise and promote excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives.
• They encourage innovation in successful e-Governance solutions.
• They are conferred each year during the National Conference on E-Governance, organised every year.
• The Government of Maharashtra hosted the 27th Edition of the National Conference on E-Governance in Mumbai.

Topic: Defence

9. 10 capital acquisition proposals worth Rs 1.45 lakh crore have been approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the procurement proposal worth Rs 1,44,716 crore for the Armed Forces.
• The procurement proposal includes Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs) and Air Defence Fire Control Radars for the Army and Dornier 228 aircraft, Next Generation Fast Patrol Vessels and Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard.
• The Air Defence Fire Control Radars will help to detect and track aerial targets and provide firing solutions.
• Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 10 capital acquisition proposals was granted in the DAC meeting.
• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is among the top bodies for clearing major capital acquisition proposals for the Armed Forces.
• An AoN is the first step in the defence procurement process, but the grant of an AoN does not necessarily lead to the completion of the final order.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. India and Kenya held the 3rd Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting.

• India and Kenya discussed various avenues for defence cooperation during the third edition of the Joint Defense Cooperation Committee meeting.
• The Kenyan delegation met Indian defence industry representatives in New Delhi.
• Both countries discussed issues related to defence cooperation in areas like military cooperation, training, defence industries, R&D, etc.
• The MoU on Defense Cooperation was signed between India and Kenya in July 2016.
• This MoU provided a legal framework to cooperate in various areas of defence for mutual benefit.

Topic: State News/West Bengal

11. On September 3, the anti-rape ‘Aparajita’ bill was passed in the West Bengal Assembly.

• The proposed bill provides for the death penalty for persons convicted of rape if their acts result in the death or vegetative state of the victim.
• Additionally, it provides for life imprisonment without parole for those convicted of rape and gang rape.
• The title of this law is 'Aparajita Women and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Law and Amendment) Bill 2024'.
• The law aims to strengthen protection for women and children by amending and introducing new provisions relating to rape and sexual offences.
• Under the bill, an Aparajita Task Force will be formed, in which punishment will be given within 21 days of the preliminary report.
• Routes on which nurses and female doctors travel will be covered. For this, the state's govt has sanctioned Rs 120 crores.
• A two-day special session of the Assembly has been called on September 2, 2024, in the wake of the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in August.
• The bill was introduced by state Law Minister Malay Ghatak.

Topic: Sports

12. In the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024, Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar won bronze medal in the archery mixed team event.

• The pair of Shital Devi and Rakesh Kumar won the bronze medal in the compound open archery mixed team event.
• The Indian team performed remarkably and defeated Italy's Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina with a score of 156-155.
• Sheetal Devi, 17, from Jammu district is the first and only active female archer in the world to participate in archery without hands.
• In another feat, Indian shuttler Suhas Yathiraj secured his second consecutive silver medal in the men's singles SL4 category at the ongoing Paris Paralympic Games.
• Suhas lost to local favorite Lukas Mazur with a scoreline of 9-21, 13-21.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Economy/Banking/Finance

13. World Bank increased India’s growth forecast for FY25 to 7%.

• World Bank raised India’s growth forecast for Fiscal Year 2024-25 by 40 basis points to 7 per cent. Its earlier forecast was 6.6 per cent.
• The debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decline from 83.9 per cent in FY23/24 to 82 per cent by FY26/27.
• The current account deficit is expected to remain at around 1-1.6 per cent of GDP up to FY26/27.
• In recent years, the global trade landscape has witnessed protectionism.
• India’s robust growth prospects along with declining inflation will help in reducing extreme poverty.
• India can boost its growth further by using its global trade potential.
• India should adopt a three-pronged approach for achieving the $1 trillion merchandise export target by reducing trade costs further, lowering trade barriers, and deepening trade integration.

Topic: Indian Economy

14. SEBI to implement a single corporate filing system across exchanges.

• SEBI will soon implement a single corporate filing system across stock exchanges.
• This new system will simplify the process for companies and ensure that investors receive timely and consistent information across all exchanges.
• It will reduce the burden on companies that have to file the same disclosure separately on multiple stock exchanges.
• This change means that once a company submits a disclosure to one exchange, it will become automatically available on other.