Daily Current Affairs and GK | 9 November 2024

Topic: State News/ Gujarat

1. Gujarat has become India’s 1^st state to implement a dedicated semiconductor policy.

• ‘Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-2027’ has been introduced by Gujarat government.
• The policy aims to solidify position of Gujarat as a leader in semiconductor self-reliance.
• Recently, foundation stone for Micron’s advanced semiconductor assembly, test, mark, and pack (ATMP) plant was laid by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel in Sanand.
• India’s first AI-enabled semiconductor fabrication facility is being established by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) in Dholera’s emerging ‘Semicon City’.
• The policy offers a 100% one-time refund on stamp duty and registration fees, a Rs 2 per unit electricity subsidy, and a Rs 12 per cubic metre rate for water.
• It also includes up to 75% land acquisition subsidy for semiconductor units in Dholera.
• Dholera is being developed as India’s first Greenfield Smart City.

Topic: Important Days

2. National Legal Services Day: 9 November

• National Legal Services Day is observed each year on 9 November.
• National Legal Services Day serves as a platform to promote legal awareness.
• It also serves as a platform to ensure access to justice for all citizens, especially those from marginalised communities.
• This day is an attempt to empower individuals with knowledge about their legal rights.
• This day also seeks to promote mechanisms for conflict resolution to foster a more equitable society. 
• National Legal Services Day was started in 1995 by the Supreme Court of India.
• The 9th of November is celebrated annually by all Legal Services Authorities as “Legal Services Day”.
• This is in accordance with the call made by Chief Justice A.S. Anand in the First Annual Meet.
• The first Annual Meeting of the State Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) took place on September 12, 1998, in New Delhi.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. 83^rd Indian Road Congress annual session started in Raipur.

• Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the conference.
• During these four-days, several technical sessions will be conducted.
• New technologies related to road construction will be discussed during the convention.
• More than 2000 experts from the country and abroad participated in this conference.
• The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) is the highest body of highway engineers in the country.
• It was set up in December 1934 on the recommendations of the Jayakar Committee set up by the Govt. of India with the objective of Road Development in India.

Topic: National Appointments

4. Rahul Bhave name has been recommended by FSIB for MD, CEO post of IFCI Ltd.

• Palash Srivastava has been recommended by FSIB for the position of Deputy Managing Director in IIFCL.
• At present, Srivastava is the Chief Executive Officer of IIFCL Projects Limited, a subsidiary of IIFCL.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a final decision on both recommendations of FSIB.
• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) is headed by the former secretary, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Bhanu Pratap Sharma.
• Its other members are Animesh Chauhan, former chairman and MD of erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce, RBI's ex-executive director Deepak Singhal, and Shailendra Bhandari, former MD of erstwhile ING Vysya Bank.