NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF 2.0) launched: Minister of State
for Housing and Urban Affairs (I/C), Shri Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the
Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0. The framework was
launched during a virtual event organized by the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry
of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Along with the CSCAF 2.0, the minister
also launched the ‘Streets for People Challenge’. The objective of Climate
Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) is to provide a clear roadmap for
cities towards combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their
actions along with investments. CSCAF initiative intends to inculcate a
climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development in India. The
framework has 28 indicators across five categories namely: Energy and Green
Buildings; Urban Planning, Green Cover & Biodiversity; Mobility and Air
Quality; Water Management and Waste Management
2.
Shipping Minister launches ‘SAROD-Ports’ for disputes of maritime sector: Union Minister
Mansukh Mandaviya has launched a dispute redressal mechanism named
“SAROD-Ports” (Society for Affordable Redressal of Disputes-Ports) to facilitate
affordable and timely resolution of disputes for the maritime sector. About
SAROD-Ports:
(1) SAROD-Ports will advise and assist in
settlement of disputes through arbitrations in the maritime sector, including
ports and shipping sector in Major Port Trusts, Non-major Ports, including
private ports, jetties, terminals and harbours.
(2) The mechanism is similar to provision
available in the highway sector in the form of SAROD-Roads constituted by NHAI.
It has been established under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 for
affordable and timely resolution of disputes in a fair manner.
(3) SAROD-Ports will resolve the disputes
in fair and just manner while saving a huge amount of legal expenditure and
time.
(4) SAROD-Ports will inspire confidence
among private players working with major ports and will ensure the right kind
of environment.
(5) It will promote ease of doing business
in the maritime sector because of the fast, timely, cost-effective and robust
dispute resolution mechanism.
3.
NSDC, LinkedIn partner to provide digital skills training for youth: National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC) and LinkedIn have announced a partnership to
provide access to free learning resources for digital skills. A total of 10
learning paths consisting of 140 courses will be made available for free on
e-Skill India digital platform until March 31, 2021. Under the partnership:
(1) LinkedIn will provide periodic labour
market insights based on its economic graph of more than 69 million members in
India. This will include in-demand skills, emerging jobs, and global hiring
rates to NSDC to better understand the skilling ecosystem.
(2) According to LinkedIn data, Indian
professionals with digital skills were 20 per cent more in demand than
professionals without digital skills in 2020.
(3) Each learning path includes video
content designed to help job-seekers develop core digital skills needed for an
in-demand tech role, covering a range of skills from entry-level digital
literacy to advanced product-based skills.
(4) The Learning path will include video
content to help job-seekers develop core digital skills. It will cover a range
of skills from entry-level digital literacy to advanced product-based skills.
Note: ational Skill Development Corporation
CEO & MD: Manish Kumar; National Skill Development Corporation
Headquarters: New Delhi.
LinkedIn Chief Executive Officer CEO: Ryan
Roslansky; LinkedIn Headquarters: California, United States of America.
4.
Conclave on “School Education in 21st Century” begins: A two-day conclave
on ‘School Education in 21st Century’ commenced virtually. The conclave has
been organised by Ministry of Education as part of Shikshak Parv 2020. Shikshak
Parv is being celebrated from 8th-25th September, 2020 to felicitate the
teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward. The conclave was
addressed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi under the National Education
Policy- 2020 (NEP-2020). The conclave featured the discussions held in two
technical sessions on six subjects of New Education Policy 2020. The first
technical session started with a discussion on the subject of ‘Foundational
Literacy and Numeracy’. Some other subjects on which discussions were held:
“Art Integrated and Toy Integrated Pedagogy”; “Early Childhood Care and Education”;
“Teaching in Mother Tongue”; and “No hard separation”.
Note: Union Minister of Education: Ramesh
Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
5.
Golden Temple gets FCRA Registration: The Union Home Ministry has granted the
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration to Gurdwara Harmandir
Sahib, or the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. It will now enable the Golden Temple
to receive foreign donations. The foreign contribution can be used by the Sikh
shrine for providing financial and medical assistance to the needy. It can also
be used to organise langar which is a free community kitchen. Foreign
Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010:
(1) The FCRA Act is implemented by the
Ministry of Home Affairs. The act regulates the foreign funding of voluntary
organizations in India.
(2) Under the Act, donating organisations
need to register themselves every five years.
(3) A person with a definite cultural,
economic, educational, religious or social programme can accept foreign
contribution after registration or permission from the Central Government.
(4) However, election candidate, Member of
any legislature (MP and MLAs), Political parties, publishers of a registered
Newspaper, Judge, government servant or employee of any corporation owned by
the government cannot accept the foreign contributions.
6.
Hubballi railway station to be renamed after Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji: Hubballi Railway
Station in Karnataka will now be known as ‘Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Railway
Station. Union government has approved long-pending demand of Hubballians of
renaming the Hubballi railway station. Name of Hubballi railway station, which
is headquarters of South Western Railway, is being changed for the second time
in the last five years. It was changed in 2015 from ‘Hubli’ to ‘Hubballi’. Siddharoodha
Swamiji was an Indian Hindu guru and philosopher.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Former health secretary Preeti Sudan appointed WHO panelist: The World Health
Organisation’s independent panel for pandemic preparedness and response
appointed former health secretary, Preeti Sudan as one of its 11 panellists
from across the world. The decision by the panel’s two heads, former New
Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke and former Liberia President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf. In a meeting of the Chairs, Helen Clarke is believed to have conveyed
that Sudan’s experience as the head of the government ministry that led India’s
response to the pandemic makes her much more suited for the job.
The panel stated that while it reviewed
more than 120 people, it made the final appointments based on skills (including
expertise in outbreak response, managing national health systems, leadership in
youth and community engagement, socio-economic analytical capabilities),
knowledge about the international system including WHO and experience from
similar international processes.
Note: Headquarters of WHO: Geneva,
Switzerland; Director-general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.
2.
Harsh Vardhan Attends 73rd Session of Regional Committee meet of WHO South-East
Asia Region: The
73rd session of WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia was held on 9 and 10
September 2020 via virtual plaftorm. The Health Ministers of all the 11 Member
States of the WHO South-East Asia Region participated in the two days event.
The 73rd session was hosted by the Government of Thailand, under the
Chairmanship of Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Health of Thailand. From India, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for
Health and Family Welfare attended the event. This was the first time the event
was held entirely through virtual platforms due to COVID pandemic. The event
concluded with the adoption of ‘Declaration on the collective response to
COVID-19 in South-East Asia Region’. The Regional Committee of WHO meets every
year to formulate policies, provide oversight for regional programmes, hear
progress reports, and consider, revise and endorse new initiatives. It also
adopts resolutions and makes decisions that guide the work of the Regional
Office and country offices for the coming year.
Note: Director WHO SEARO: Dr. Poonam
Khetrapal Singh
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Police Officer Poonam Khatri crowned Wushu World Champion: Indian Police
Officer, Poonam Khatri has claimed World Championship status after her silver
medal at the Wushu World Championship last year has been upgraded to a Gold
medal. Poonam hails from Haryana’s Jhajjar district. Poonam had lost the final
to Iranian opponent Mariyam in the Women’s 75 kg category but after Mariyam
recently failed the dope test, the gold medal has been awarded to Poonam
Khatri. The information was clarified by Secretary-General of the Indian Wushu
Association, Suhel Ahmed.
Note: International Wushu Federation
President: Zhongwen Gou; International Wushu Federation Headquarters: Beijing,
China; International Wushu Federation
Founded: 3 October 1990.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI defines Role and selection criteria of Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) in
Banks: The
Reserve Bank of India has released the guidelines to be followed by commercial
banks for the appointment of Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). Scheduled
Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, Small Finance Banks and
Payment Banks have to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to have an
effective compliance culture, independent corporate compliance function and a
strong compliance risk management programme at bank and group level.
Here are some of the norms to be followed
by banks for the appointment of a CCO: Tenor for the appointment of CCO –
minimum fixed tenure of not less than 3 years.
Eligibility Criteria for appointment as
CCO:
(i) Age – Not more than 55 years;
(ii) Experience – The CCO shall have an
overall experience of at least 15 years in the banking or financial services,
out of which minimum 5 years shall be in the Audit / Finance / Compliance /
Legal / Risk Management functions;
(iii) Rank – The CCO shall be a senior
executive of the bank, preferably in the rank of a General Manager or an
equivalent position (not below two levels from the CEO).
Role of the Chief Compliance Officer
Includes following:
(i) Bank compliance officers are
accountable for conducting audits and inspections to make sure a bank adheres
to set internal and external laws.
(ii) They are responsible for entails
monitoring and analyzing risk areas in a bank’s operation to ensure observance
of state or federal laws.
(iii) Bank compliance officers assess
policies/procedures and ensure they are in line with all regulations on
mortgage and customer deposits.
(iv) The research established banking laws
to ensure the non-violation of federal laws.
(v) They also implement and adjust to new
regulations passed by state or federal government bodies.
2.
Mastercard launches Central Bank Digital Currency testing platform: Mastercard has
launched “Central Bank Digital Currencies” (CBDCs), a Virtual Testing
Environment for Central Banks to Assess and Explore National Digital
Currencies. Mastercard has invited Central Banks, Commercial Banks and tech and
advisory firms to evaluate the suitability of CBDCs in a country or region.
About Testing platform: The testing
platform will allow central banks to evaluate use cases and test roll-out
strategies for CBDCs by simulating a CBDC ecosystem. Using the platform they
can enable simulation of issuance, distribution and exchange of CBDCs between
banks, financial service providers and consumers. They can validate use cases
and evaluate interoperability with existing payment rails available for
consumers and businesses currently.
Note: Mastercard Chief Executive Officer:
Ajay Banga; Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Crisil projects India’s GDP contraction for FY21 by 9%: Crisil rating
agency has predicted India’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP) to contract 9% in
the financial year 2020-21 (FY21). The agency has revised its previous
contraction forecast from 5% due Covid-19 uncertainty and lack of adequate
fiscal support from the government. The revision is also the result of 23.9%
GDP fall in Q1 and is expected to fall 12% in Q2. For FY22, Crisil has
projected India’s GDP to grow at 10%. For the next three years, between fiscals
2023 and 2025, CRISIL projects the Indian GDP to average a growth of 6.2%
annually.
Note: Crisil's CEO: Ashu Suyash;
Headquarters: Mumbai
DEFENCE
1.
First batch of five Rafale aircraft formally inducted into IAF: The first batch of
five Rafale fighter jets was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF)
on 10 September 2020 at the Air Force Station in Ambala. They have been
inducted in the Indian Air Force’s 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’ based in Ambala.
The first five Rafale aircraft had arrived from France on 27 July 2020.
About Rafale jets: The multi-role Rafale
jets have been built by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation. India had
signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 to procure 36 of the
aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. The delivery of all 36 aircraft is
scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be
fighter jets and six will be trainers.
Note: Chief of the Air Staff: Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria; Indian Airforce founded: 8 October 1932; Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi.
No comments:
Post a Comment