Home » Current Affairs 17th September 2021| Current Affairs News

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Daily Current Affairs PDF of 17th September 2021

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Patient Safety Day – Observed on Sep 17

World Patient Safety Day, observed annually on 17 September, aims to raise global awareness about patient safety and call for solidarity and united action by all countries and international partners to reduce patient harm.
WHO urges all stakeholders to “Act now for safe and respectful childbirth!” with the theme “Safe maternal and newborn care”.
The focus of quality-oriented health care is patient safety.
Adverse events that are the unwanted result of treatment endanger patient safety.
That is why the APS advocates strategies to avoid adverse events.
Many undesirable events can be traced back to errors that arise as a result of complex processes involving the division of labor.
The most important tool for improving patient safety is therefore learning from mistakes together.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

NITI Aayog Launches Report titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’

NITI Aayog has launched a report on measures to ramp up urban planning capacity in India.
The report, titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’, was released by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant and Special Secretary Dr. K. Rajeswara Rao.
The report has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with concerned ministries and eminent experts in the domain of urban and regional planning.
The report presents a condensed outcome of the extensive deliberations and consultations conducted over a period of nine months.
In the coming years, urban India will power the growth of the Indian economy.
He added that urban challenges, including town planning, need greater policy attention in the country.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant emphasized that urbanization is the driving force of the Indian economy and the country has reached a turning point in its transformation.
It will be half urban in a couple of decades.
Greater synergies among the public and private sectors and education institutions will provide a massive boost towards making Indian cities more liveable, competitive and sustainable.

About NITI Aayog:

The NITI Aayog is a public policy think tank of the Government of India, established with the aim to achieve sustainable development goals with cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach.
Objectives: Foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India
Headquarters: New Delhi
Chairperson: Narendra Modi

Cabinet grants 100% FDI under automatic route in Telecom Sector

The Union Cabinet approved a relief package for the telecom sector that includes a four-year moratorium on payment of statutory dues by telecom companies as well as allowing 100 per cent foreign investment through the automatic route.
Nine structural reforms for the telecom sector were approved.
The definition of AGR, which had been a major reason for the stress in the sector, has been rationalised by excluding non-telecom revenue of telecom companies.
AGR refers to revenues that are considered for payment of statutory dues.

About FDI:

A foreign direct investment is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country.
It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct control.
Generally, FDI takes place when an investor establishes foreign business operations or acquires foreign business assets, including establishing ownership or controlling interest in a foreign company.

Cabinet approves Rs 26,058 crore PLI Scheme – Automobile Industry and Drone Industry

The Union Cabinet approved a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme of Rs 26,058 crore for the automobile sector and drone industry.
The PLI scheme for auto sector is expected to bring in investments of over Rs 42,500 crore in five years and lead to incremental production of over Rs 2.3 lakh crore.
The scheme will incentivise emergence of global supply chain for advanced automotive technologies in India and will enable the country to leapfrog to environmentally cleaner electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
“The PLI scheme for auto sector envisages overcoming the cost disabilities to the industry for manufacture of advanced automotive technology products in India.
The incentive structure will encourage industry to make fresh investments for indigenous global supply chain of advanced automotive technology products”.
The scheme is expected to create additional employment opportunities for over 7.5 lakh people.

Ministry of Defence forms High Level Expert Committee for a comprehensive review of NCC; Chairman: Shri Baijayant Panda

The Ministry of Defence has constituted a High-Level Expert Committee for a comprehensive review of the National Cadet Corps (NCC).
The committee’s effort will be to make NCC more relevant in changed times.
The Terms of Reference of the Committee broadly provide for suggesting measures which can empower NCC cadets to contribute more effectively towards nation building and national developmental efforts in various sectors.

About the Committee:

The committee will propose measures for gainful engagement of its Alumni for betterment of the organisation as a whole.
Former Member of Parliament Baijayant Panda will head the committee.
Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, former Minister Colonel (Retd) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, industrialist Anand Mahindra among others is members of the committee.

NITI Aayog’s AIM in collaboration with ISRO & CBSE launches ATL Space Challenge 2021 for Indian school students

National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) launched the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) ‘Space Challenge 2021’ for all school students across the country.
The ATL has aligned with the World Space Week 2021(4-10 October) at global level to celebrate the contribution of space science and technology
The objective of the program is to Enable school students to create innovations for space technology.
Theme: ATL Space Challenge 2021 aligns with this year’s theme of celebrating 75 years of India’s independence “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”
It is being conducted for all the school students, mentors and teachers across the country. Those who do not have ATL labs are also associated with the challenge.
The challenge is the students from class 6-12 to innovate and to solve digital space technology problems.

About Atal Innovation Mission (AIM):

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.

MoT sanctions Rs 200 cr for tourism development in NE region

A Memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Ministry of Tourism (MoT) and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to promote domestic tourism and development of new tourism products at two-day Conference of Tourism and Culture Ministers of North Eastern States
It was held in Guwahati, Assam on September 13 and 14 Under the ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) scheme.
Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the tourism development in the North Eastern Region.
Rs 68,020 crore had allocated to north eastern states in the Union budget of 2021-22 for the development of North Eastern Regions.

Some of the Notable initiatives:

Around 16 projects were sanctioned by the Ministry for the region under Swadesh Darshan
Scheme.
Projects includes In Manas Wildlife Circuit and Tezpur Heritage Circuit.

Addl.Info:

Swadesh Darshan Scheme focuses on the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
PRASAD Scheme aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned, and sustainable manner in order to provide a complete religious tourism experience.

MoA&FW signs 5 MOUs with private companies to initiate pilot projects for Digital Agriculture

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) has been signed between Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and 5 private companies at KrishiBhavan, New Delhi for pilot projects.
The companies are CISCO, Ninjacart, Jio Platforms Limited, ITC (formerly India Tobacco Company Limited) Limited and NCDEX e-Markets Limited (NeML).
The above MoUs are on the lines of the Digital agriculture mission that has been initiated for 2021 -2025 by the Central government for projects based on new technologies.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

US, UK and Australia declared new partnership “AUKUS”

In a development termed historic and a game-changer, the US, the UK and Australia announced a trilateral security partnership called AUKUS that will enable Canberra to deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Indo-Pacific in a major challenge to China and its claims in the region.
US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison launched the alliance in a joint virtual appearance.

About AUKUS:

The AUKUS pact will strive over the next 18 months to equip Australia with nuclear propulsion technology, which the United States has shared only with the United Kingdom under a decades-old arrangement put together in the face of the threat from the then Soviet Union.
Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines, when they deploy, will be armed with conventional weapons only and not nuclear weapons.

Trilateral Security Partnership:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, a member of the Quad and other multilateral groups in the region, also sought to convey continued salience of these formations for Australia.
“The AUKUS will also enhance our contribution to our growing network of partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region: ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand and the US); our Asean friends; our bilateral strategic partners, the Quad; Five Eyes (US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand) countries; and, of course, our dear Pacific family.”

About UK:

Capital: London
Prime minister: Boris Johnson
Currency: Pound sterling

About Australia:

Prime minister: Scott Morrison
Capital: Canberra
Currency: Australian dollar

About USA:

Capital: Washington, D.C.
President: Joe Biden
Currency: United States Dollar

BLS International partners with NHA to process Ayushman Bharat cards

The National Health Authority (NHA) has authorised LS International, an IT Service Management for digital processing of ‘Ayushman Bharat cards’ under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
The beneficiaries can go for cashless & paperless access to health services in Hospitals through this card,covered under AB-PMJAY.
Under AB-PMJAY, Indian government provides a health insurance cover of upto Rs 5 lakhs per family per annum.

ASEAN India Economic Ministers Consultation co-chairs India and Brunei, Ensures support for Post Pandemic Efforts

The 18th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)- India Economic Ministers Consultation organized under the chairmanship of Anupriya Patel, and H.E. DatoDr. Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister of Finance and Economy, Brunei Darussalam.
The meeting was virtually co-chaired by India and Brunei.
Participants– It was attended by the Economic Ministers of all 10 ASEAN countries- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Headquarters– Jakarta, Indonesia
Established– 8 August 1967, Bangkok, Thailand

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Kushinagar Airport declared as Customs Notified Airport in UP

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), has declared Kushinagar Airport as a Customs notified airport.
This would also facilitate international passenger movements including that of Buddhist pilgrims.

About Kushinagar Airport:

Kushinagar Airport is an international airport situated in Kushinagar, Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh, India.
It is located in 52 kilometres east from Gorakhpur Airport and 47 kilometres east from Gorakhpur, and 34 kilometres north from Deoria.

About Uttar Pradesh:

Governor: Anandiben Patel
Capital: Lucknow
Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
National Parks: Dudhwa National Park.

3-day Indian Army Chief’s Conclave begins in Delhi

The 8th edition of the Indian Army Chief’s Conclave, a gathering of serving and former Chiefs of Army Staff of the Indian Army, will be organised at New Delhi from September 16-18.
The highlight of the three-day event will be the invite extended to former Chiefs of the Nepali Army, who were also Chiefs of the Indian Army.
The Conclave is a forum for the exchange of ideas between the old guard and the current leadership of the Indian Army.
It will involve discussions on the rapid transformation of the Indian Army, self-reliance through Atmanirbhar and Make in India initiatives in defence manufacturing and skilling of the Indian soldier to fight modern wars.

About New Delhi:

Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal
Lieutenant Governor: Anil Baijal

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Infosys unveiled digital commerce platform Equinox

IT services major Infosys formally launched its ‘Equinox’ suite of solutions to help enterprises transform their online and in-store functions and deliver personalised omni channel commerce experiences for B2B and B2C buyers.
Infosys Equinox is a suite of digital commerce and digital marketing capabilities that can help any company rapidly transform its online and in-store experiences for a digitally native world.

About Infosys:

Infosys Limited is an Indian multinational information technology company that provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services.
The company was founded in Pune and is headquartered in Bangalore.

Ford became the latest US car manufacturer to exit India

Ford Motor Co. will stop making cars in India and record roughly $2 billion in restructuring charges, scaling back significantly in a country that past management saw becoming one of its three biggest markets.
Ford will shut down both of its plants in the country, becoming the latest automaker to exit the market.
The US automaker will wind down an assembly plant in Gujarat by the fourth quarter, as well as vehicle and engine manufacturing plants in Chennai by the second quarter of next year.

About Ford:

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States.
It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903.
The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand, and luxury cars under its Lincoln luxury brand.
CEO: Jim Farley
Founder: Henry Ford

Power Finance Corporation – India’s first-ever Euro Green Bond

Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a non-banking financial company (NBFC) under the power ministry.
It has issued its maiden 300-million-euro seven-year Euro Bond issuance on 13 September, 2021.
“This issuance demonstrates our commitment for achieving India’s renewable energy goals.
This bond issuance would help PFC in diversifying its currency book as well as the investor base”.
The pricing of 1.841 per cent achieved was the lowest yield locked in by an Indian Issuer in the Euro markets.

About Power Finance Corporation:

Power Finance Corporation Ltd. is an Indian financial institution under the ownership of Ministry of Power, Government of India.
Established in 1986, it is the financial backbone of Indian Power Sector.
PFC’s Net worth as on 30 September 2018 is INR 383 billion.
Headquarters: New Delhi

About Green Bond:

Climate bonds are fixed-income financial instruments that have positive environmental and/or climate benefits.
They follow the Green Bond Principles stated by the International Capital Market Association, and the proceeds from the issuance of which are to be used for the pre-specified types of projects.
Green Bonds are bonds that are used to finance new and existing projects that offer climate change and environmental benefits.
The majority of the green bonds issued are green “use of proceeds” or asset-linked bonds.
Proceeds from these bonds are earmarked for green projects but are backed by the issuer’s entire balance sheet.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & ECONOMY

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank opened e-Lobby at Tirumala

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) launched an e-Lobby at Tirumala for the pilgrims.
The manned e-Lobby near to the Tirumala Balaji Bus Stand was inaugurated by AV Dharma Reddy, Additional Executive Officer Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).
The 24X7 e-Lobby houses an ATM machine, cash deposit machine, passbook printing facility, cheque deposit kiosk and an information kiosk, all under one roof.
With this TMB has 51 e-Lobby across India.
TMB’s Tirupathi branch also handed over loan sanction letters to a few beneficiaries.
The bank also handed over subscription to Venkateswara Bhakthi Channel run by TTD during the function.

About e-lobby:

E-Lobby is a facility which is now provided by banks so that their customers can do their banking transactions as per their convenience 24×7 i.e. without any time restriction.
E-Lobby provides the facility on bank holidays also.
It is not possible for many to stand in long queues in banks to get their work done.

About Tamilnad Mercantile Bank:

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited is a bank headquartered at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
TMB was founded in 1921 as the Nadar Bank, but changed its name to Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in November 1962 to widen its appeal beyond the Nadar community.
CEO: K V Rama Moorthy

SEBI levied Rs 1 lakh fine on Employee of Titan for disclosure lapses

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the regulatory body for securities and commodity market, has levied a monetary penalty of Rs 1 lakh on Chandan Gupta, an employee of Titan Company Limited for disclosure lapses, in violating the insider trading norms.
He transacted in the firm’s securities on two occasions in the calendar quarter ending on September 30, 2018.
The total value traded was more than Rs 10 lakh.

UNDP, HDFC and Greater Noida Authority Signed a pact for Dry Waste Management Facility in Noida

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), HDFC Bank and the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) signed an agreement to provide facilities to manage up to 300 metric tonnes of dry waste in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
HDFC Bank is providing financial assistance of Rs 3 crore in setting up of Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Greater Noida.
The waste management programme is aligned with ‘’Swachh Bharat Mission’’ (Clean India Mission), Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018.
Plastic waste management programme of UNDP will bring a sustainable Infrastructure to dispose waste material and reuse it for different purposes.
The Paris Agreement sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
This initiative will enhance India’s efforts to become a low- carbon economy and achieve Paris Agreement targets.

New rules- Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules 2021

The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the identified single-use plastic will be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022.
The ban will not apply to commodities made of compostable plastic. The permitted thickness of the plastic bags, currently 50 microns, will be increased to 75 microns from 30th September, 2021, and to 120 microns from the 31st December, 2022.

About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Established- 22 February 1965
Chairman- Achim Steiner
Headquarters- Newyork, United States

IndusInd Bank & Escorts Ltd Partnered to Offer Finance to Farmers

IndusInd Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Escorts Limited (Escorts Agri Machinery) to offer financial services to farmers and to make its range of tractors and farm equipment more accessible.
The financial services will be provided in the form of loans or Agri finance solutions.
This partnership will encourage the farmers to invest in modern farm machinery to increase their farm productivity and income.
Escorts aims to provide a transparent and quick mechanism for farmers to purchase its Agri based products like tractors.

About IndusInd Bank:

Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra
Founded in 1994
MD & CEO- Sumant Kathpalia

About Escorts limited:

Headquarters– Faridabad, Haryana
CMD– Nikhil Nanda
CEO of Escort Agri Machinery– Shenu Agarwal

Punjab & Sind Bank ties up with Indiabulls; PNB to sell its 23% stake from CHOICE

Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) signed a co-lending alliance with Indiabulls Commercial Credit and Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited (IHFL) for MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) and Priority Sector Housing Loans.
PNB is all set to sell its entire stake (23%) in its Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance (CHOICE).
PNB is the promoter after the amalgamation of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India (UBI) in it in April 2020.
Prior to this amalgamation, OBC held a 23% stake in CHOICE.

About Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB):

Establishment- 1908
Tagline– Where service is a way of life
Headquarter– New Delhi
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer– S. Krishnan

RBI-MAS to link UPI and PayNow

On September 14, 2021, in order to ease cross-border payments between India and Singapore the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) are all set for linkage project under which their respective fast payment systems viz. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and PayNow will be linked by July 2022.

About RBI:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central bank of India, which was established on Apr. 1, 1935, under the Reserve Bank of India Act. The Reserve Bank of India uses monetary policy to create financial stability in India, and it is charged with regulating the country’s currency and credit systems.
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founder: British Raj
Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
Jurisdiction: India
Governor: Shaktikanta Das

RBI imposes Rs 1 Lakh penalty on Kosamba Mercantile Cooperative Bank

The apex bank has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 Lakh on the Kosamba Mercantile Co-operative Bank Ltd. located in Kosamba district of Surat, Gujarat after exercising its power under the provisions of section 47 A (1) (c) read with sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

Subsidiaries of RBI:

Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (DICGC)
Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL)
Reserve Bank Information Technology Private Limited (ReBIT)
Indian Financial Technology and Allied Services (IFTAS)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

National Mineral Development bags Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar

The highest and the most prestigious “Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar” award was presented to National Mineral Development Ltd. (NMDC), under Ministry of Steel during the Rajbhasha Diwas Samaroh.
NMDC secured the third prize in the category of Undertakings situated in “C” region for the year 2019-20.
Hindi Diwas Samaroh was presided over by Home Minister Amit Shah.
NMDC has been winning this accolade for the last three years in a row, which goes on to show its dedication towards the implementation of Hindi as the Official Language.
Visakhapatnam Steel plant has been bestowed with the ‘Rajbhasha Keerti Puraskar’-FIRST PRIZE for effective implementation of Official Language Hindi for the year 2020-21.
The award was given by Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai on the occasion of National Hindi Day Celebrations in New Delhi.

About NMDC:

NMDC Limited, is a government owned mineral producer. It is under the administrative control of Ministry of Steel, Government of India.
It is involved in the exploration of iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum, bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, graphite, etc.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

Krishan Pal Gurjar attends 15th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting

Union Minister of State for Power Krishan Pal Gurjar attended the 15th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting along with other senior officials of the Ministry from the Indian side.

Theme :

We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper.

Aim :

Coordinating efforts of ASEAN countries in pursuing the goal of energy security and energy transition that will benefit the people of our region.
The meeting provided a brief status of the Indian energy transition plans, policies, challenges and efforts towards decarbonisation.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

British-based OneWeb launches 34 satellites in global internet service push

British-based firm OneWeb launched 34 satellites into orbit from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome.
OneWeb plans to launch a total of 648 low earth orbit satellites to roll out a high-speed global internet connection including to the most remote corners of the world.
OneWeb resumed satellite launches in December after emerging from bankruptcy protection with $1 billion in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India’s Bharti Enterprises.
It has received further financing from Bharti as well as investment from Eutelsat Communications and Japan’s Softbank.

About OneWeb :

Founder: Greg Wyler
Founded: 2012
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
CTO: Massimiliano Ladovaz

SpaceX launches 51 Starlink internet satellites

On Sep 14, 2021, SpaceX launched its first full stack of 51 Starlink broadband satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Station in California.