Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 1st October 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
International Day of the Older Persons
- The International Day of Older Persons is observed on October 1 each year.
- The theme of International DayFor Older Persons 2020: “Leave No One Behind”
International Coffee Day
- October 1also celebrates one of the most popular beverages in the world – coffee is celebrated by stating the day as International Coffee Day.
- International Coffee Organisation (ICO) organised and launched First World Coffee Day in 2015 at Milan.
World Vegetarian Day
- World vegetarian day is celebrated annually on October 1.
International Day of Non-Violence
- The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- The month of October is observed as breast cancer awareness month.
World Day For Farmed Animals
- World Day for Farmed Animals is celebrated on the same date (Oct 2nd ) as the birth anniversary of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
World Animal Day
- World Animal Day 2020 is observed every year on October 4th to raise awareness about improving the welfare standards of the animals across the globe.
World Space Week
- In 1999, the United Nations declaredOctober 4-10 as World Space Week.
- The theme this year is “Satellites Improve Life.” In 2021, World Space Week celebrates “Women in Space.”
World Teachers’ Day
- World Teachers’ Day, also known as International Teachers Day, is an international day held annually on 5 October. The theme of World Teachers’ Day is – “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”.
World Habitat Day
- The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. This year it falls on October 5th. 2020 Theme: Housing For All — A Better Urban Future.
Wildlife Week
- Wildlife Week is observed every year from 2 October to 8 October, there are some places in India that start celebrating it from 1 October onward.
- The week is celebrated under the Theme: RoaR (Roar and Revive) – Exploring Human-Animal Relationships.
World Cotton Day
- The World Cotton day is celebrated on 7 October as a global celebration of cotton and its stakeholders, from field to fabric and beyond.
Ganga River Dolphin Day
- India celebratesOctober 5 every year as the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’
- As this day Ganga Dolphins were declared national aquatic animals in
Indian Air Force celebrates its 88th Anniversary
- The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932. Its first ac flight came into being on April 1 1933. It possessed a strength of six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys (literally, air soldiers).
World Sight Day
- World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. This year, World Sight Day will take place on 8 October 2020 with the theme: Hope In Sight.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
NITI Aayog and Embassy of the Netherlands sign Statement of Intent on ‘Decarbonization and Energy Transition Agenda’
- NITI Aayog and Embassy of the Netherlands, New Delhi, signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to support the decarbonization and energy transition agenda for accommodating cleaner and more energy. The SoI was signed by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and Ambassador of the Netherlands to India Marten van den Berg.
Thaawarchand Gehlot launches Ambedkar Social Innovation & Incubation Mission under Venture Capital Fund for SCs
- Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission under Venture Capital Fund for SCs, with a view to promoting innovation and enterprise among SC students studying in higher educational institutions.
Centre releases COVID-19 Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry
- Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar have virtually released a booklet on ‘COVID-19- Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry’ in the presence of Member (Health) in NITI Aayog, VK Paul.
South Eastern Railway launches project to enhance security of women passengers
- The South Eastern Railway has launched Operation My Saheli to boost the security of women passengers in trains, an official stated.‘Operation My Saheli (friend) gives security to women passengers during their journey on train. It has been introduced as a pilo project in three trains Howrah-Yeshvantpur Duronto Special.
Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh integrated with existing national portability cluster under One Nation One Ration Card Scheme
- Two more States, Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh have been integrated withexisting national portability cluster of 26 States/UTs under One Nation One Ration Card.
PM Modi to inaugurate VAIBHAV Summit through video conferencing
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik, VAIBHAV Summit through video conferencing. The VAIBHAV Summit is a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian researchers and academicians. The Summit will continue till the 31st of this month.
PM to dedicate to nation world’s longest high altitude tunnel ‘Atal Tunnel’ on Oct 3
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the world’s longest high altitude tunnel, the Atal Tunnel, at Rohtang. It is built at an altitude of 10000 feet. The 9.2 km long highway tunnel has been constructed at an estimated cost of 3,200 crore rupees.
Arjun Munda to launch largest market of tribal products ‘Tribes India E-Marketplace’
- Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda will virtually launch India’s largest handicraft and organic products marketplace- Tribes India E-Marketplace on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Centre agrees to waive interest on interest during moratorium for individual, MSME loans up to Rs 2 crore
- The Government has informed the Supreme Court that loans up to 2 crore taken by individuals and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will be eligible for waiver of compound interest during the six-month moratorium period, i.e., March-August 2020.
Sunidhi’ project to digitise provident fund, pension services of CMPFO
- The government announced the launch of an ambitious information technology project ‘Sunidhi’ to digitise all provident fund and pension related activities of the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPFO)
Jal Shakti Minister launches 100-day campaign to provide potable piped water in Schools and Anganwadi Centres
- Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched a 100-day campaign to provide potable piped water supply in Schools and Anganwadi Centres. This mission was envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29th of last month, while releasing the ‘Margdarshika’ for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.
Piyush Goyal Inaugurates Renaming Of Naugarh Railway Station To Siddharthnagar
- Railway Minister Piyush Goyal through a video link inaugurated the renaming of Naugarh railway station to Siddharthnagar railway station situated at Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh.
India’s first 5 Animal bridges to come up on this greenfield expressway
- The road instrastructure development is currently one of the major focuses of the government as various expressway projects are underway in the country. The construction of one such highway project and also the most awaited is Delhi-Mumbai greenfield expressway. This upcoming expressway is tipped to be the longest greenfield expressways that is expected to be completed by 2024
Integration between PM SVANidhi & SBI portals ‘API’ launched to ease processing of loan applications
- Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra launched the Application Programming Interface, integration between the PM SVANidhi Portal and the State Bank of India portal to ease processing of loan applications.
My Ganga My Dolphin campaign launched at six sites across river Ganga
The National Mission for Clean Ganga, the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Department launched the My Ganga My Dolphin campaign on the occasion of Ganga River Dolphin Day.
- A Dolphin-based ecotourism programme was launched at various sites along the Ganga River. It was started in six sites across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
Govt launches online startup discovery platform ‘Startup India Showcase’
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) launched an online discovery platform for startups called “Startup India Showcase”.
Union Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of cooperation in field of cyber-security between India & Japan
- The cabinet also gave its approval for signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of cyber-security between India and Japan.
PM Modi launches ‘ Jan Andolan’ campaign for COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign by way of a Tweet on Jan Andolan for COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour. The campaign has been launched in view of the upcoming festivals and winter season as well as the opening up of the economy.
Smriti Irani launches first ever Brand & Logo for Indian Cotton on 2nd World Cotton Day
- Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani launched the first ever Brand and Logo for Indian Cotton on Second World Cotton Day through video conferencing. Now India’s premium cotton would be known as ‘Kasturi Cotton’ in the world cotton trade.
NITI Aayog, MNRE and Invest India hold symposium on solar PV manufacturing
- NITI Aayog, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and Invest India organized a symposium on solar PV manufacturing, “India PV Edge-2020“, on 6 October to inform the global PV industry of opportunities in India.
Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurates virtual “International conference on Mental Health: Looking Beyond COVID 19”
- Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurated the virtual “International conference on Mental Health: Looking Beyond COVID 19” through video conferencing.
Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually inaugurates Gyan Circle Ventures
- Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually inaugurated the Gyan Circle Ventures, a MeitY funded Technology Business Incubator (TBI) of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh through Video Conference.
Government to launch Ayurveda and Yoga protocols for management of Covid-19
- The National Clinical Management Protocol based on ayurveda and yoga for the management of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will be jointly released by Union health and family welfare minister Harsh Vardhan and minister for Ayush (ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) Shripad Yesso Naik. The event will be held virtually.
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Netherlands
- Capital: Amsterdam
- Currency: Euro
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
- Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Madhya Pradesh
- Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State
South Eastern Railway:
- The South Eastern Railway (abbreviated SER) is one of the 18 railway zones in India and Part of Eastern Railways. It is headquartered at Garden Reach, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It comprises Adra railway division, Chakradharpur railway division, Kharagpur railway division and Ranchi railway division.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs:
- Arjun Munda, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Khunti
- Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State
Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation:
- Animesh Bharati, Commissioner
- Headquarters: Dhanbad (Jharkhand)
Ministry of Jal Shakti:
- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Jodhpur
- Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State
Uttar Pradesh
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
MoHUA:
- Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri
- Constituency: Amristar
DPIIT
- Founded: 1995
- Parent organization: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- MoC&I: Piyush Goyal
Japan:
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
- Prime minister: Yoshihide Suga
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy:
- Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- Constituency: Arrah
- Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, IAS, Secretary
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
India-Bangladesh Naval Forces To Hold Exercise Bongosagar In Bay Of Bengal
- The second edition of India-Bangladesh Bilateral Exercise Bongosagar is scheduled to begin in the Bay of Bengal. The Exercise Bongosagar will then be followed by the third edition of IN-BN Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT). This joint exercise will take place in the Northern Bay of Bengal.
Embassy of India in Nepal marks 56th Anniversary of ITEC Day-2020
- The Embassy of India in Nepal marked the 56th Anniversary of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day-2020 through a Webinar on “Sharing Knowledge and Experiences on COVID-19 Management” .
Foreign Ministers of all four Quad countries- India, US, Japan, Australia to meet in Tokyo
- Foreign ministers of all four Quad countries will meet in the Japanese capital Tokyo.
- This is the second such Quad foreign ministers In 2019, all the foreign ministers of Quad countries met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
India and Myanmar agree to operationalise Sittwe port in the first quarter of 2021
- India and Myanmar have agreed to work towards the operationalization of the Sittwe port in the Rakhine state in the first quarter of 2021. India announced a grant of USD 2 million for the construction of the border haat bridge at Byanyu/Sarsichauk in Chin State that will provide increased economic connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin gives country’s top job to a teenager for a day
Finish Prime Minister Sanna Marin stepped aside to let 16-year-old take her place, with the young campaigner Aaava Murto using the platform to decry online violence and gender stereotypes about technology. The teenager also warned of online violence that restricts girls’ access to information.
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Bangladesh
- Capital: Dhaka
- Currency: Bangladeshi taka
- Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
Nepal:
- Capital: Kathmandu
- Prime minister: K. P. Sharma Oli
- President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Myanmar:
- Capital: Naypyitaw
- President: Win Myint
- Currency: Burmese kyat
Finland
- Capital: Helsinki
- Currency: Euro
- President: Sauli Niinistö
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
SBI in tie-up to offer digital payment solutions to HUL retailers and distributors
- State Bank of India (SBI) and Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), under which the bank will provide its digital payment and financing solutions to the FMCG company’s retailers and distributors.
NHB imposes penalty of Rs.1.5 lakh plus GST on HDFC
- Mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd stated that NHB has levied a monetary penalty of 1.5 lakh and GST on it for non-compliance with two provisions of the Housing Finance Companies Directions.
BRICS Bank Approves Loan worth USD 741 million for Mumbai Metro & Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid Rail
- The New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS countries has approved USD 241 million loan for Mumbai Metro and USD 500 million for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project.
RBI defers Basel III provisions amid covid uncertainty
- The Reserve Bank of India deferred implementation of provisions made under Basel III capital due to uncertainty related to Covid crisis.
- In two separate notifications, RBI stated it would push back the final tranche of the capital conservation buffer (CCB) and the implementation of net stable funding ratio by six months.
Indian Bank launched Green-Tech Initiative “IB-eNote”
- Indian Bank has launched a green initiative named “IB-eNote” to enable a total paperless working environment. This tool enables processing and tracking of notes put up by various offices digitally.
Govt keeps interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for Oct-Dec quarter
- The government kept the interest rates on small savings schemes, including PPF and NSC, unchanged for the October-December quarter amid moderating bank deposit rates.
- Public Provident Fund (PPF)- 7.1 per cent
- National Savings Certificate (NSC) – 6.8 per cent.
- five-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme-7.4 per cent
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana -7.6 per cent
- Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) -6.9 per cent
NABARD launches refinance scheme for WASH programme, earmarks Rs 800 cr for FY”21
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) announced a special refinance facility to support the government’s Water, Sanitisation and Hygiene (WASH) programme.
- An amount of Rs 800 crore has been earmarked for this purpose for the financial year 2020-21.
PNB launches financial inclusion initiative Gram Sampark Abhiyan
- State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched a financial inclusion and literacy initiative ‘Gram Sampark Abhiyan’ to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Indian Bank’s Kisan credit card loan for TN fishermen
- Indian Bank has introduced a Kisan credit card loan scheme for fishermen in Tamil Nadu. Under this scheme, Kisan credit card loans of up to 2 lakh as working capital with low-interest rate will be provided, according to a statement.
Indian Bank launches its first Customer Acquisition & Processing Centre in Chennai
- Chennai-headquartered public sector lender Indian Bank opened its first centralised Customer Acquisition & Processing Centre (CAPC) in Chennai.
BFSL, ICSI launch co-branded credit card for Company Secretaries
- BOB Financial Solutions Ltd (BFSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda (BoB), and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), have launched an exclusive co-branded credit card for Company Secretaries (CS).
Reliance General partners SatSure Analytics for crop insurance business
- Reliance General Insurance stated it has partnered with SatSure for satellite-based crop monitoring and predictive analytics support to better risk management and improve efficiency of its crop insurance business operations.
ICICI Bank offers debit card to borrowers availing Loan Against Securities
- ICICI Bank has introduced a debit card facility for those borrowers who are availing the Loan Against Securities (LAS) from the Bank. The card is available on the Visa platform.
Sebi introduces very high risk category in mutual fund schemes
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has introduced detailed guidelines for determining the place of a mutual fund on its risk o meter tool.
- The new system introduces a fresh category of ‘very high’ risk. It replaces the old model based simply on a scheme’s category without adequately considering its actual portfolio.
FM launches Indian Bank’s business mentoring programme for MSMEs
- Public sector lender Indian Bank has come out with ‘MSME Prerana’, an online Business Mentoring Programme for MSMEs. The bank says it is the first-of-its-kind initiative by a bank in the country for the (MSME) sector.
Axis Bank, Vistara launch co-branded forex card
- Vistara and Axis Bank launched a co-branded forex card that can load up to 16 currencies.
- The card has locked-in exchange rates and the card holder will accrue 3 award points on Club Vistara for every $5 or an equivalent value spent, the airline stated in a release. Club Vistara (CV) is the airline’s frequent flyer program.
HDFC Bank partners with Apollo Hospitals for holistic healthcare solution
- HDFC Bank and Apollo Hospitals have joined hands to launch The HealthyLife Programme, a holistic healthcare solution which makes healthy living accessible and affordable on Apollo’s digital platform, Apollo 24|7.
Interest subvention on MSME loans extended till end of March 2021: RBI
- The Reserve Bank of India has stated that the two per cent interest subvention scheme for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on loans offered by co-operative banks has been extended till 31st of March next year.
Chqbook launches India’s first ‘Financial Control Center’ on mobile to empower 60 million small business owners
- Chqbook, India’s first Neobank for small business owners like kiranas, merchants, chemists, and others running proprietorships, announced the launch of its new mobile platform. With this launch, Chqbook brings world-class financial services to a massive underserved segment.
RBI keeps key interest rates unchanged
- The Reserve Bank of India in its bi-monthly Monetary Policy statement issued has maintained a status quo keeping the key interest rates unchanged. The reverse repo rate remains unchanged at 35 per cent, the repo rate at four per cent.
World Bank projects India’s GDP to contract 9.6% in FY21
- The World Bank projected India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to plunge in FY21 by 9.6% revised down since its June forecast of 2% drop, reflecting the impact of the nationwide lockdown and the income shock experienced by households and small urban service firms.
RTGS to be available 24×7 from December
- The Reserve Bank of India announced that the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), which is used for large value fund transfers, will be available round the clock from December this year.
- At present, RTGS, which has a minimum fund transfer of 2 lakh, is available for customers from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm on all working days of a week (except second and fourth Saturdays of the month).
LIC Housing launches ‘Project RED’ to improve efficiencies
- LIC Housing Finance Ltd (LICHFL) launched “Project RED” (Reimagining Excellence through Digital transformation) to improve efficiencies at every level of the organisation.
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SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
HUL:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Sanjiv Mehta: (CEO)
HDFC:
- CEO: Aditya Puri
- Headquarters: Mumbai
NHB:
- Founded: 9 July 1988
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Shri Sriram Kalyanaraman :Managing Director
NDB
- Headquarters: Shanghai, China
- President: Marcos Troyjo
RBI:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governor: Shri M. K. Jain, Shri B.P. Kanungo, Michael Debabrata Patra.
Indian Bank:
- Headquarters: Chennai
- CEO: Padmaja Chunduru
- Tagline :Your Own Bank, Banking That’s Twice As Good
NABARD
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: R. Chintala
PNB:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
BOB Financial Solutions Ltd (BFSL):
- BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL, formerly known as BOBCARDS Ltd.) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda and a Non-Deposit Accepting Non–Banking Finance Company (NBFC). BFSL was established in the year 1994 to cater to the need of rapidly growing credit card industry in a focused manner.
Institute of Company Secretaries of India:
- President: CS Ashish Garg
- CEO: CS Sutanu Sinha
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, India
- CEO: Rakesh Jain
- CFO: Hemant Jain
ICICI Bank
- CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters: Mumbai
SEBI
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
Axis Bank:
- CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
- Headquarters: Mumbai
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
CBDT extends deadline for filing belated, revised ITRs for AY 2019-20 to November 30
- The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) extended the deadline for filing belated and revised ITRs for Assessment Year 2019-20 from September 30, 2020 to November 30, 2020 due to difficulties faced by people in the wake of coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
Google India launches campaign to drive demand for small businesses
- Google India announced the launch of its nationwide campaign to help support small businesses and drive demand through customer support.
Reliance Industries’ Retail Arm To Get Rs. 7,350 Crore Investment From GIC, TPG Capital
- Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Reliance Industries stated that Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and global private equity firm TPG Capital invested a combined 7,350 crore (about $1 billion) in its retail unit.
Puducherry airport turns into AAI’s first 100% solar-powered airport
- Puducherry airport has develop into the Airports Authority of India‘s (AAI) first fully solar-powered airport within the nation with the commissioning of 500KWp ground-mounted solar energy plant at a value of Rs 2.8 crore.
TCS Becomes Second Indian Firm To Cross Rs 10 Lakh Crore Market Cap
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) became the second Indian IT Indian firm after Reliance Industries to scale a market cap of more than Rs 10 lakh crore. Market cap of TCS at the time of close stood at Rs 10.15 lakh crore.
- Reliance Industries Limited was the first Indian firm to have crossed the Rs 10 lakh crore market valuation mark.
IBM to set up centre of excellence for AI with government e-marketplace
- IBM Corp. will be setting up an artificial intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in partnership with the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), CEO Arvind Krishna stated at an AI Summit titled Responsible AI for Social Empowerment (RAISE 2020).
India’s first B2B Crypto trading exchange DigitX launched
- DigitX, country’s first Business-to-Business (B2B) Crypto trading exchange has commenced its trading operations. In a highly potential yet challenging market, DigitX aims to deliver transparency and security with its Platform armed with features to bring about a much-needed trust and confidence for the investors and traders of Crypto.
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority invests Rs 5,512.5 crore in Reliance Retail for 1.2 % stake
- Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, run by India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, raised Rs 5,512.50 crore from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), taking the total fundraise to Rs 37,710 crore. ADIA’s investment will translate into a 20 per cent equity stake.
Infosys to acquire Blue Acorn iCi
- Infosys stated it has a definitive agreement to acquire Blue Acorn iCi, Adobe Platinum partner in the US, and a leader in digital customer experience, commerce and analytics.
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CBDT
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairman: Pramod Chandra Mody
Google :
- Headquarters: California, U.S.
- CEO: Sundar Pichai
- CFO: Ruth Porat
Reliance Industries:
- CEO: Mukesh Ambani
- Head quarters: Maharashtra
Puducherry
- Capital: Puducherry
- Chief Minister: V Narayanasamy
- Governor: Kiran Bedi
TCS:
- CEO: Rajesh Gopinathan
- Headquarters: Mumbai
IBM:
- CEO: Arvind Krishna
- Headquarters: New York, United States
Infosys:
- CEO: Salil Parekh
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Uttarakhand CM inaugurates first Pirul power project.
- Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawatrecently inaugurated a 25-kilowatt capacity project worth Rs. 25 lakhs for generating electricity using Pirul (dry pine needles) at Chakon Dhanari village in Dunda block of Uttarkashi district.
Nagaland launches livelihood generation programme for returnees
- The Nagaland Government on September 28 launched a livelihood generation programme for those returning to the state due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- Christened as the “Livelihood Generation Programme for Returned Migrant Workers due to Covid-19 pandemic,” the dedicated online portal for the programme
Kerala’s first and nation’s twentieth mega food park Inaugurated
- Kerala’s first and nation’s twentieth mega food park in Palakkad district of Kerala was virtually inaugurated by the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan.
West Bengal Launches Pathashree Abhijan Scheme
- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the Pathashree Abhijan, a road repair scheme, where more than 7,000 stretches of roads comprising 12,000 kilometers across the state will be repaired.
Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal launches portal for online pension submission and tracking
- Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a portal ‘Kritagyata’ an online pension submission and tracking system.
Telangana govt undertakes door-to-door survey to update non-agricultural property details through NAP app
- The state government has deployed teams of municipal staff to visit every single household to gather the property details through an app to update them on the Dharani portal. The government has decided to issue non-agricultural property record (NAGPR) to the owners as a comprehensive ownership document.
Punjab CM digitally launches construction of 750 rural stadiums
- Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh digitally launched the construction of 750 rural stadiums and playgrounds in the state.
- The 750 stadiums are being built at a cost of Rs105 crore in rural areas under the state government”s rural transformation strategy and ”Tandarust Punjab Mission, an official statement stated.
Yudh Pradushan Ke Virudh: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launches anti-pollution campaign
- Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a “Yuddh Pradushan Ke Virudh” (war against pollution) campaign, with a seven-point action plan ranging from measures to control dust and mitigate hot spots, to a mobile application for complaints to a “war room” for monitoring.
Rajasthan govt launches month long mass awareness campaign on COVID-19
- The Government of Rajasthan has launched a month long mass awareness campaign on COVID 19. The campaign will run till 31 of October as part of the statewide mass movement against Corona.
Gujarat to get country’s first two Organic Spices Seed parks
- A first-of-its-kind organic spices seed park will come up at two places in Gujarat with an aim to encourage capacity building and adoption of best practices in the production cumin and fennel seeds, the main crops in the region. NABARD-supported Organic Spices Seed Park for saunf (fennel seed) in the Banaskantha district and jeera (cumin seed) in Patan for promotion of organic seed value chain of the spices.
Goa launches ‘DISHTAVO’ YouTube channel for e-learning in higher education
- Goa state government has launched a YouTube channel ‘DISHTAVO’, wherein the students will be able to view recorded lectures.
Gujarat govt announces Digital Seva Setu Programme for rural areas
- Gujarat Government has announced Digital Seva Setu Programme for the rural areas. Under this programme, the citizens will be able to get benefit from various public welfare services at the Panchayat level.
Assam CM launches Kisan Rath Mobile App to facilitate sale of agriculture products
- Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the Kisan Rath Mobile App in order to facilitate timely sale of agricultural products by promoting a buyer-seller network.
NDDB, Ladakh in pact to conduct survey for promotion of dairying
- The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh inked an agreement to conduct a benchmark survey in the newly formed UT.
Meghalaya partners with Israel to set up centre of excellence on high-value vegetables
- The Meghalaya government has decided to partner with Israel for establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on high value vegetables in the state.
Kerala govt sets up welfare board for farmers
- In a first in the country, the Kerala government has decided to form a Welfare Fund Board for the uplift of farmers in the state. They decided to set up the board to be known as ‘Kerala Karshaka Kshemanidhi Board’.
J-K Police organises ‘Jashn-E-Dal’ festival to boost water sports activities, tourism in Valley
- Jammu and Kashmir Police have organised a three-day water sports festival — ‘Jashn-E-Dal’ — with an aim to boost water sports activities and promote tourism in the valley. The festival was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Police under civic action programme in collaboration with water sports association after three years.
CM Vijay Rupani e-dedicates online e-Sanjeevani OPDs scheme across Gujarat
- Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani e-dedicated online e-Sanjeevani OPDs scheme across Gujarat through videoconferencing. The main objective of this scheme is to provide medical facilities online to the patients for common diseases at their homes.
AP govt launches Rs.650 crore scheme to distribute kits to school students
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched a new scheme, Jagananna Vidya Kanuka, providing free kits to students studying in government schools from Class 1 to 10 ahead of the academic which is scheduled to begin from November 2.
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Uttarakhand:
- Capital: Gairsain (summer),Dehradun (winter)
- Governor: Baby Rani Maurya
- Chief Minister:Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP)
Nagaland:
- Capital: Kohima (Executive Branch)
- Governor: RN Ravi
- Chief minister: Neiphiu Rio
West Bengal - Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
Assam
- Capital: Dispur
- Chief minister: Sarbananda Sonowal
- Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
Telangana:
- Capital: Hyderabad
- Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
- Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
Punjab:
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore
- Chief minister: Amarinder Singh
NewDelhi
- Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal
- Governor: Anil Baijal
Rajasthan:
- Governor: Kalraj Mishra
- Capital: Jaipur
- Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Gujarat
- Capital: Gandhinagar
- Governor: Acharya Devvrat
- Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
Goa
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Capital: Panaji
- Chief minister: Pramod Sawant
NDDB
- Headquarters location: Anand, Gujarat
- Chairman: Amrita Patel
Ladakh
- Capital: Leh, Kargil
- Governor: R. K. Mathur
Meghalaya
- Capital: Shillong
- Governor: Satya Pal Malik
- Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
Kerala
- Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
- Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
- Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
Uttar Pradesh
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
NHPC signs MoU with Ministry of Power for FY2021
- NHPC Limited, India’s premier hydropower utility and a Scheduled ‘A’ Mini Ratna Enterprise of the Government of India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of Power, Government of India for the year 2020-21.
- The MOU was signed by Sanjiv Nandan Sahai, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India and K. Singh, CMD, NHPC in the presence of senior officers from MOP and NHPC.
SJVN signs MoU with Govt. of India for year 2020-21
- SJVN Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with of India for the year 2020-21. The MOU was signed between Shri S.N. Sahai, Secretary (Power), Government of India and Shri Nand Lal Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN. The MoU was signed through Video Conferencing.
Tata Steel & CSIR sign MoU
- Considering the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) in India’s fight against Climate Change and Global Warming, meeting the growing energy demands and building a strong ecosystem to meet commitments under Paris Agreement, Tata Steel Limited and the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) have joined hands to work in the field of
CSC partners with HelpAge India to impart digital literacy to elderly citizens
- The Common Services Centre (CSC), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, has partnered with HelpAge India to provide digital literacy to citizens above the age of 55 years through a pilot project in selected states.
ISLRTC & NCERT to ink MoU to make education materials accessible for Deaf children
- A historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between Indian Sign Language Research and Training Center (ISLRTC) and NCERT to make education materials accessible for Deaf children in their preferred format of communication.
MoHUA enters into MoU with Swiggy to take street food vendors online under PM SVANIDHI scheme
- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has entered into an MoU with Swiggy, one of the leading food delivery platforms, to onboard street food vendors on its e-commerce platform. The arrangement has been facilitated under the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNibhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme.
IFFCO, Prasar Bharati sign MoU to broadcast & promote new agriculture technology & innovations
- Prasar Bharati and Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited, IFFCO have signed a MoU to broadcast and promote new agriculture technology and innovations. According to the agreement, DD Kisan will broadcast various innovative techniques being adopted in agriculture field in easy language through 30 minutes program series for the benefit of farmers.
Bengal govt inks MoU with IIM-C wing to set up technology development centre
- The West Bengal government entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta-run Entrepreneur & Innovation Park to set up a Technology Development and Adaptation Centre (TDAC).
NABARD inks 3 MoUs with SBI to extend credit support for various projects
- In Gujarat, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development -NABARD has inked three Memoranda of Understanding with Public Sector Bank- State Bank of India to extend credit support for various projects.
FLO, the women wing of FICCI signs MoU with NSDC for empowering women through skill training
- FLO, the Women’s Wing of FICCI, signed an MoU with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) for empowering women through skill training to enhance their employability and promote entrepreneurship.
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NHPC
- Founded: 1975
- Headquarters: Faridabad, India
- CMD: A.K. Singh
Tata Steel:
- CEO: T. V. Narendran
- Headquarters: Mumbai
CSIR:
- Director General: Shekhar C. Mande
- Head quarters : Delhi
Common Services Centre (CSC):
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Dinesh Tyagi : CEO
National Council of Educational Research and Training:
- Director: Hrushikesh Senapaty
- President: Ramesh Pokhriyal
- Headquarters: New Delhi
MoHUA:
- Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri
- Constituency: Amristar
Swiggy:
- Headquarters: Bangalore, India
- Sriharsha Majety (CEO)
- Vivek Sunder (COO)
- Rahul Bothra (CFO)
Prasar Bharati:
- A. Surya Prakash, Chairman;
- Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative:
- Headquarters:New Delhi, India
- S Nakai (Chairman)
- U.S Awasthi(MD & CEO)
National Skill Development Corporation:
- CEO: Manish Kumar
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- CFO: Prakash Sharma
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
General Atlantic to invest Rs.3,675 crore in Reliance Retail for 0.84% stake
- General Atlantic, a leading US-based global growth equity firm, will invest Rs 3,675 crore for a 0.84 percent stake in Reliance Retail.
- This is the second investment by General Atlantic in a subsidiary of Reliance Industries. Earlier this year, General Atlantic had invested Rs 6,598.38 crore in Jio Platforms.
Japan’s Kyokuto Kaihatsu Kogyo acquires Bengaluru-based Satrac Engineering.
- Japan’s construction equipment manufacturer Kyokuto Kaihatsu Kogyo has acquired Satrac Engineering, a Bengaluru-based manufacturer of special-purpose vehicles such as truck tipper bodies, trailers, and tank trucks in India.
Adani Green completes acquisition of 205 MW solar assets from Essel
- Adani Group’s green energy firm Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has completed the acquisition of 205 MW operating solar assets from Essel Green Energy Pvt Ltd (EGEPL) and Essel Infraprojects Ltd (EIL).
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
A portal for mental healthcare from October 10
- To address the growing issue of mental illness during Covid, Mental Health Foundation of India has launched an exclusive web portal for mental healthcare. Called MiHOPE, the portal will be functional from October 10. People can access it for online consultations including with AIIMS doctors.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
Amazon ties up with IRCTC for train ticket booking
- Amazon has tied up with IRCTC for train ticket booking, giving cashback offers to its prime and non-prime members.
Zurich firm signs agreement with UP government Jewar airport
- Uttar Pradesh government signed the concessionaire agreement with Zurich Airport to begin the development of Jewar Airport.
CII–IGBC partners with Naredco to advance green building movement
- The Confederation of Indian Industry’s Indian Green Building Council (CII–IGBC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Real Estate Development Council (Naredco) to accelerate the country’s green buildings movement.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
ITBP chief S S Deswal given additional charge of National Security Guard DG
- ITBP Director General S S Deswal has been given the additional charge of counter-terrorism force National Security Guard (NSG) as its incumbent chief A K Singh is going to retire.
- This is the second time that Deswal, has been directed to lead the NSG in an additional capacity.
Bengal Peerless ropes in former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador
- City based real estate developer Bengal Peerless Housing has roped in Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador for the company.
- The former national cricket team captain and current president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Purnachandra Rao Surapaneni is new National President of IACC
- Hyderabad industrialist Purnachandra Rao Surapaneni has been elected as the National President of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), the apex bi-lateral body synergising India-US business relations.
Bandhan Bank strengthens leadership team, ropes in ex-Bajaj Capital CEO as digital head
- Personal sector Bandhan Financial institution is strengthening its management workforce as a part of the subsequent five-year progress technique.
- It has appointed former Bajaj Capital chief govt Rahul Parikh because the financial institution’s digital head because the financial institution broadens its digital presence to enhance buyer companies.
Air Marshal RJ Duckworth takes over as AOP
- Air Marshal RJ Duckworth took over as Air Officer in charge Personnel at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.
Shri Apurva Chandra joins as Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment
- Shri Apurva Chandra has assumed charge as new Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment.
S Aparna assumes charge as new Union Pharma Secretary
- Ms S Aparna has assumed charge as Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Govt.of India.
Devyani Khobragade Appointed India’s Next Ambassador To Cambodia
- Indian Foreign Service officer Devyani Uttam Khobragade has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to Cambodia.
SBI appoints Charanjit Surinder Singh Attra as CFO
- State Bank of India (SBI) stated Charanjit Surinder Singh Attra has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
SEBI Whole-Time Member Madhabi Buch gets 1-year extension in tenure
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension in the term of appointment of Madhabi Puri Buch, Whole-Time Member (WTM), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), for a period of one year.
EC appoints Ex IRS officer Madhu Mahajan & B. R Balakrishnan as Special Expenditure Observers for Bihar Assembly Polls
- Election Commission has appointed Ex IRS officer Madhu Mahajan and B. R Balakrishnan as Special Expenditure Observers for General Election to Legislative Assembly of Bihar, 2020.
Govt nominates Ashima Goyal, Jayanth Verma, Shashank Bhide as new members of MPC
- The Government has reconstituted the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) by nominating three new members – Ashima Goyal, Jayanth R Verma and Shashank Bhide. With this, the Reserve Bank of India has announced that the next meeting of MPC will take place during October 7 to October 9.
M A Ganapathy appointed as Director General, BCAS
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of M A Ganapathy to the post of Director General, BCAS, for a tenure up to his superannuation on February 29, 2024 or until further orders. He is a 1986 batch IPS officer of Uttarakhand cadre.
MOFSL appoints Arvind Hali as MD & CEO of Motilal Oswal Home Finance
- Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited (MOFSL) has appointed Arvind Hali as the new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer and Amar Bahl as the Deputy Managing Director & COO of its housing finance company Motilal Oswal Home Finance Limited (MOHFL).
M Rajeshwar Rao named new Deputy Governor of RBI
- The government appointed executive director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) M Rajeshwar Rao (RBI), as Deputy Governor of the central bank.
Dinesh Khara appointed as SBI Chairman for 3 years
- The government appointed Dinesh Khara as the new Chairman of State Bank of India for a period of three years. Currently, Khara is the Managing Director in-charge of Global Banking & Subsidiaries.
Jammu & Kashmir Bank extends CMD Chibber’s term by six months
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the term of RK Chhibber, Chairman and Managing Director of the Jammu & Kashmirbank, by a further period of six months.
Ajinkya Rahane signed as brand ambassador of Hudle
- Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been appointed as the brand ambassador and advisor of Hudle, a Delhi-based sports tech & events startup.
Ubon ropes in Rana Daggubati as brand ambassador
- Gadget accessory and consumer electronics brand Ubon has roped in Rana Daggubati as its brand ambassador to tap into the Southern market.
Govt appoints J Venkatramu as MD, CEO of India Post Payments Bank
- A Cabinet panel appointed J Venkatramu as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of India Post Payments Bank for three years.
World Trade Organisation To Appoint First Female Head
- The World Trade Organisation is poised to be run by a woman for the first time in its history as its members select South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee and Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala as the final two candidates to become its next attorney-general.
Jordan: Bishr Al-Khasawneh named new premier
- King Abdullah II of Jordan appointed Bishr Al-Khasawneh to form a new government, succeeding the government of Omar Al-Razzaz. A veteran diplomat, Al-Khasawneh will be the country’s 13th premier.
Kyrgyzstan: Sadyr Zhaparov Appointed Acting Pm, After Prime Minister Boronov Stepped Down
- Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov and Dastan Jumabekov, the speaker of the country’s parliament, presented their resignation letters after the Central Electoral Commission annulled.
Uday Shankar steps down as Star & Disney India chairman
- Uday Shankar will step down as president, The Walt Disney Company APAC and chairman, Star & Disney India, effective as of December 31, 2020, Rebecca Campbell, chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, announced.
Myntra names Bhuvan Bam as its first digital brand ambassador
- Myntra has announced YouTube sensation Bhuvan Bam as its first digital brand ambassador to further engage with the brand’s fashion-forward, and tech-savvy customers, starting this festive season.
Piyush Goyal gets additional charge of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry
- Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was given additional charge of the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution ministry, a portfolio held by the late Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan.
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Bandhan Bank:
- Headquarters: Kolkata
- CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Cambodia
- Capital: Phnom Penh
- Currency: Cambodian riel
SEBI
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
India Post Payments Bank:
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Secretary, Department of Post: Pradeep Kumar Bisoi
- MD & CEO: J Venkatramu
WTO
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Leader: Roberto Azevêdo
Jordan
- Capital: Amman
- Currency: Jordanian dinar
Kyrgyzstan
- President: Sooronbay Jeenbekov
- Capital: Bishkek
- Currency: Kyrgyzstani som
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONORS
Kerala Tourism bags prestigious PATA Grand Award
- Kerala Tourism was bestowed upon the prestigious ‘PATA Grand Award 2020 for Marketing’ for its ‘Human by Nature’ campaign, originally conceived to revive tourism in the south Indian state post the 2018 devastating floods and the Nipah virus outbreak.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat gives away Swachh Bharat Awards 2020; Gujarat bags first position under Swachh Sundar Samudayak Shouchalaya category
- The Union Government had earlier launched three missions under Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shouchalaya, Samudayik Shouchalaya Abhiyan and Gandagi Mukth Bharat. Under the Swachh Sundar Samudayik Shouchalaya category Gujarat bagged the first position at state level whereas Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu got the Award for cleanliness at District Level.
Alternate Nobel Prize 2020′: Belarus, Iran, US, Nicaragua Activists Awarded the Right Livelihood Award
- Activists from Belarus, Iran, Nicaragua and the United States were awarded the Right Livelihood Award, sometimes referred to as the “Alternative Nobel“.A prominent Belarus opposition figure and an imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer were among the awardees.
- Nasrin Sotoudeh, an Iranian lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, US civil rights lawyer,
- Lottie Cunningham Wren, environmental activist of Nicaragua, Ales Bialiatski
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice “for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus.”
About Awardees
- Harvey J. Alterwas born in New York.
- Michael Houghtonwas born in the United Kingdom.
- Charles M. Ricewas born in Sacramento, US.
AICC conferred Lifetime Achievement Award to Ratan Tata
- The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) has awarded lifetime achievement award to famous businessman Ratan Tata.
HDFC Bank’s Ravi Santhanam in Forbes list of World’s Most Influential CMOs
- Ravi Santhanam, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), HDFC Bank has been recognized in the Forbes list of ‘The World’s Most Influential CMOs’.
2020 Nobel Prize Physics: Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez declared winners
- Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez have been awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering work on space involving the black holes and the Milky Way’s darkest secret.
Two Mumbai-based Start-ups declared winners of first National Start-Up Awards-2020
- Two Mumbai-based Start-ups were declared winners at the first National Start-Up Awards-2020. While Taraltech Solutions Private Limited won the award in the Urban Services category, Wealthy Therapeutics won the award in the Health care category.
Nobel Prize 2020 in Chemistry awarded to two scientists for work in genome editing
- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for “development of a method for genome editing”.
Sarah Hall becomes first writer to win BBC short story prize twice
- English poet and novelist Sarah Hall has become the first writer to win the BBC National Short Story Award for the second time. She won the top honour for the story, The Grotesques
Nobel Prize in Literature 2020 awarded to American poet Louise Glück
- The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2020 is awarded to the American poet Louise Glück“for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal”.
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Belarus:
- Capital: Minsk
- Currency: Belarusian ruble
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
PM Modi to inaugurate artificial intelligence ‘RAISE 2020’ Summit
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Summit RAISE 2020 – ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and NITI Aayog are organizing the Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence from 5th to 9th of October.
12th BRICS Summit to be held virtually on November 17
- The 12th BRICS Summit will be held on 17th November 2020 via video conference.
- The theme of the Meeting of the Leaders of BRICS countries which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth”.
PM addresses international webinar on textile traditions organized by ICCR
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed an international webinar on textile traditions organized by ICCR.
- The Prime Minister lauded Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Uttar Pradesh Institute of Design for their efforts in bringing people from different countries to participate in the webinar on the theme “Weaving Relations: Textile Traditions.”
Nirmala Sitharaman to chair 42nd GST Council meeting
- Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 42nd Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting at 11 am. Minister of state (MoS) for finance Anurag Thakur and finance ministers of states and union territories (UTs) will also be present at the meeting.
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MEITY:
- Union Minister of the Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology and Communications: Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency: Patna Sahib, Bihar
Niti Aayog:
- Headquarters:New Delhi
- Narendra Modi, (Chairperson)
- Rajiv Kumar, (Vice Chairperson)
- Amitabh Kant, (CEO)
ICCR
- Founded: 9 April 1950, New Delhi
- President: Vinay Sahasrabuddhe
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Mumbai ranks 2nd after Delhi in crimes against women, reveals NCRB data
- According to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Mumbai recorded 6,519 cases, after national capital Delhi at 12,902 cases during the year 2019.However, there has been a drop of 1.5 per cent in crimes in Maharashtra.
Sofia Vergara is Forbes’ highest-paid actress of 2020, with Rs 315 crore earnings
- Sofia Vergara is the highest-paid female actor in the world, according to Forbes’ latest list. She made $43 million in a one-year period, which is the equivalent of Rs 315 crore. Dwayne Johnson topped the male list, with $87.5 million. Akshay Kumar was the only Indian actor on either list.
Tamil Nadu tops in road accidents for third year
- With over 156 road accident cases per day, Tamil Nadu ranks first for the third year according to data from the
- Tamil Nadu recorded 57,228 road accidents in 2019, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 51,641 and Uttar Pradesh 37,537.
Tabu, Taapsee Pannu, Anushka Sharma top McAfee’s ‘Most Dangerous Celebrity’ list in India
- Bollywood stars Tabu, Taapsee Pannu, Anushka Sharma and Sonakshi Sinha are among the top 10 personalities generating the riskiest search results online in India, according to a list released by a cybersecurity company. But it was global football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo who claimed the numero uno spot on McAfee’s Most Dangerous Celebrity list 2020.
Forbes India Rich List 2020: Mukesh Ambani remains wealthiest Indian for 13th consecutive year
- Forbes has released this year’s list of the top 100 richest Indians. Mukesh Ambani remains the wealthiest Indian for the 13th year in a row, adding $37.3 billion to his net worth.
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National Crime Records Bureau:
- Headquarters: Delhi
- Director :Ramphal Pawar, IPS
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
DRDO successfully test fires Brahmos surface-to-surface cruise missile
- India successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with several indigenous features from a test range in Odisha, in a major step towards achieving “Atmanirbhar Bharat” pledge.
Indian Coast Guard ship Kanaklata Barua commissioned in Kolkata
- Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS ‘Kanaklata Barua’ of the Indian Coast Guard was commissioned at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd., Kolkata.
DRDO Test Fires Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)successfully test-fired an indigenously developed laser-guided anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar.
India successfully test-fires nuclear-payload capable Shaurya missile
- An advanced version of the `Shaurya’ surface-to-surface nuclear-capable ballistic the missile was successfully test-fired, in APJ Abdul Kalam Island,
Indian Navy Helicopters Along With GVMC Undertake Aerial Seeding Initiative
- The Indian Navyhas partnered with Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation(GVMC) to undertake Aerial Seeding at Visakhapatnam.
US approves $90 million sale of spares, support for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to India
- The Pentagon has approved India’s request to buy USD 90 million worth of equipment, spare parts and logistical support for its fleet of C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft.
India conducts successful flight test of SMART
- DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) from Wheeler Island off the coast of
ICG Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Vigraha’ Launched to Enhance Coastal Security
- The seventh offshore patrol vessel of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), ‘Vigraha’ was formally unveiled at the Kattupalli port near Chennai.
Russia reports successful test launch of hypersonic missile
- Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the successful test launch of a new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile.
STATIC GK
DRDO
- Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi
- Founded: 1958
- Chairman: G Satheesh Kumar Reddy
Indian Navy
- Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh
- Founded: 26 January 1950
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Russia
- Capital: Moscow
- President: Vladimir Putin
- Currency: Russian ruble
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IIT-Madras, MIT to develop productive usage of agricultural, industrial by-products
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are working together to develop productive usage of agricultural and industrial by-products such as biomass ash that remain underutilised due to their complex physio-chemical characteristics.
IIT Kharagpur Launches Telemedicine System iMediX for Corona Care
- IIT Kharagpur researchers have launched a telemedicine system ‘iMediX’ to help patients receive assistance from doctors without having to go to hospitals or clinics.
ICMR, Biological E develop purified equine antiserum
- The Indian Council of Medical Research announced that it has, along with Hyderabad-based Biological E, developed blood serum of horses that contain antibodies against covid-19 after conducting a study which highlighted it as.
NASA launches SS Kalpana Chawla Cygnus spacecraft to International Space station
- Northrop Grumman launched another flight to the International Space Station, this time named after late astronaut ‘Kalpana Chawla’. The Cygnus vehicle S.S Kalpana Chawla along with Antares rocket for NG-14 mission.
Agnibaan rocket by Indian start-up to be test launched from Alaska, USA
- Indian aerospace start-up AgniKul Cosmos has signed a memorandum of agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch their Indian-made Agnibaan rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island in the United States. The launch from Alaska is expected to take place from 2022 onwards.
Rare fish family with lineage going back to Gondwanaland found in Kerala
- A fish belived to have a lineage going back to Gondwanaland has been discovered from paddy fields of Kerala. The bony freshwater fish is stated to have survived even after the parting away of the Asian and African continents which began some 120 million years
National Institute of Nutrition Changes Average Weight, Height Measurements for Indian Men and Women
- The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), in its new report, has increased the average body weight for Indians by Accordingly, the average weight for Indian men has been increased from the 60kg set in 2010 to 65kg now, while that of Indian women has been changed from 50kg from 10 years ago to 55kg at present.
IIM Kozhikode to launch e-learning hub for villagers
- The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode will soon be launching an e-learning hub and library as a pilot project for villagers in Mavoor, one of the five villages adopted by the institute under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA).
Indo-French satellites to trace illegal oil spillage
- The constellation of maritime surveillance satellites for the Indian Ocean Region, to be jointly launched by India and France, will be able to trace illegal spillage of oil by ships.
C-DAC to Commission India’s Fastest HPC-AI Supercomputer PARAM Siddhi – AI with NVIDIA
- NVIDIA stated that the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will commission India’s largest HPC-AI supercomputer, ‘PARAM Siddhi – AI’.
IIT Guwahati Startup Sahara Develops mobile App For Offline To Online Biz Services
- Sahara, a hyperlocal-tech startup of the students of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, has developed a mobile application that lets offline business owners create synergy with customers and potential business partners on a global platform with the power of digitalisation.
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National Institute of Nutrition:
- Director: Dr. R. Hemalatha
- Head quarters: Hyderabad
France
- Capital: Paris
- President: Emmanuel Macron
- Currency: Euro
ICMR:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Leader: Balram Bhargava
NASA
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
- Administrator: James Frederick “Jim” Bridenstine
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Bapu – The unforgettable: Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia launches coffee-table book on Gandhi Jayanti
- On the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia launched a coffee-table book “Bapu – The unforgettable”.
Dr Jitendra Singh releasing Coffee Table Book titled ‘ Discovering the Heritage of Assam’, with foreword by Amitabh Bachchan and published by Penguin.
- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS DARPG, Dr Jitendra Singh released a Coffee Table Book on “Discovering the Heritage of Assam”, with foreword by Amitabh Bachchan and published by Penguin.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Sports Minister Rijiju launches new SAI logo
- Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched a brand new logo of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and said it represents the aspirations of Indian sportspersons to touch new heights in global sports.
Visnu Shivaraj Pandian wins gold in 10 meter air rifle event of International Online Shooting Championship
- India’s Visnu Shivaraj Pandian won the 10m air rifle event at the fifth edition of the International Online Shooting Championship. The 16-year-old Visnu shot 251.4 to win the title by a clear margin of two points.
Yashaswini Singh Deswal wins gold in online shooting meet
- Indian Olympic quota winner Yashaswini Singh Deswal won the 10m air pistol event in the 5th edition of the International Online Shooting Championship (IOSC).
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MoYA&S
- Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs of India: Kiren Rijiju
- Constituency: Arunachal West
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Former Indian Bank Chairman Gopalakrishnan passes away
- Former Indian Bank Chairman and Tamilnadu Yadava Mahasabai president M Gopalakrishnan passed away. He was 86.
Artist KC Sivasankar, illustrator of Vikram and Betal series, passes away at 97
- Veteran artist KC Sivasankar, who contributed to the field of art for over 60 years, passed away.
- He had illustrated for popular children’s magazine Chandamama aka Ambulimama.
Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah passes away aged 91
- Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, has passed away at the age of
Veteran activist, scholar Pushpa Bhave passes away
- Veteran social activist, scholar, rationalist, and a stalwart of Marathi literature and theatre Pushpa Bhave passed away. She was 81.
Renowned cardiologist A V Shetty passes away at 85
- Eminent cardiologist Dr A V Shetty passed away after a brief illness. He was 85.
Veteran BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy passes away
- Former Odisha Minister and veteran Biju Janata Dal MLA Pradeep Maharathy passed away, after he tested positive for COVID-19. He was 66.
Jharkhand Minister Haji Hussain Ansari passes away at 73
- Jharkhand’s minority welfare minister Haji Hussain Ansari passed away after being diagnosed with COVID-19. He was 73. Mr Ansari was a four-time MLA from the Madhupur assembly segment in Deoghar.
Former acting CJ of Gujarat High Court A S Dave passes away
- Former acting Chief Justice (CJ) of Gujarat High Court, Anant S Dave, passed away after prolonged illness. He was 62.
Veteran Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav passes away
- Mulayam Singh Yadav, former MLC of Samajwadi Party, passed away. He was 92.
Afghanistan Cricket Player Najeeb Tarakai passes away after accident
- Najeeb Tarakai, the Afghanistan top-order batsman, has passed away at 29 from injuries he sustained in a road accident.
Legendary rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen dies at 65
- Eddie Van Halen, considered one of rock music’s greatest guitar players, died of cancer. He was 65. Van Halen is among the top 20 best-selling artists of all time and his band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
TNPL spinner MP Rajesh passes away
- Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) leg-spinner Prasanth Rajesh has passed away due to sudden heart attack at 35.
Veteran Marathi actor Avinash Kharshikar passes away
- Veteran Marathi actor Avinash Kharshikar died due to a heart attack.He was a well-known for his comic acting in the Marathi industry.
Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan passes away
- Ram Vilas Paswan, Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, passed away.
Former CBI chief Ashwani Kumar passes away
- Ashwani Kumar, a former chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation, has passed away after committing suicide
Mexican Nobel Laureate Mario Molina Passes Away
- Mexican scientist Mario Molina, who became his country’s first winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1995 for his work on the threat to the ozone layer from chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), passed away