NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal Launches National Single Window System: The Union Minister
for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal has launched the ‘National Single
Window System (NSWS)’, for investors and businesses. NSWS is a single-window
portal that will act as a one-stop shop for investors or entrepreneurs, to get
approvals and clearances needed from Government. It shall give freedom from the
legacy of running to government offices for approvals and registrations needed
by investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses in India.
Significance: The new system
aims to bring transparency, accountability and responsiveness in the ecosystem.
Currently, the portal hosts approvals across 18 Central Departments and 9
States. The remaining 14 Central depts and five states will be added by
December 2021. The portal has been developed jointly by the Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) along with Invest India.
2.
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry beaches get coveted ‘blue flag’ certification: Two more beaches in
India have been awarded “Blue Flag” certification, an international eco-level
tag, taking the total number of such beaches in the country to 10. The two
beaches to receive the certification this year are Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and
Eden in Puducherry. The Foundation for Environment Education (FEE), Denmark,
which accords the Blue Flag certification, has also given re-certification for
eight nominated beaches – Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and
Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha
and Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, which were awarded the Blue Flag
certificate last year. These eight beaches got the Blue Flag certification on
October 6, 2020.
Blue Flag certification: (1) Blue Flag
certification is a globally recognised eco-label accorded on the basis of 33
stringent criteria in four major heads which are environmental education and
information, bathing water quality, environmental management and conservation
and safety and services in the beaches.
(2) The Blue Flag beach is an eco-tourism
model endeavouring to provide the tourists/beachgoers clean and hygienic
bathing water, facilities, a safe and healthy environment and sustainable
development of the area.
(3) The recommendations are done by an
independent national jury composed of eminent environmentalists and scientists.
3.
Air Marshal VR Chaudhari appointed as new IAF Chief: Vice Chief of the
Indian Air Force Air Marshal, Vivek Ram Chaudhari has been appointed the next
Chief of Air Staff. The current Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS
Bhadauria is set to retire on September 30. Chaudhari had taken over as the
vice chief on July 1 this year, after Air Marshal HS Arora retired. He is a
recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the
Vayu Sena Medals.
Experience of VR Chaudhari:
Note: Indian Airforce founded: 8 October
1932; Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi.
4.
Zee Entertainment & Sony Pictures signs merger deal: The Board of
Directors of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has unanimously
approved the merger of the company with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). As
a part of the merger, shareholders of SPNI will also infuse growth capital into
SPNI, which will make them the majority stakeholder in the merged entity. The
merged entity will be listed on the Indian stock exchanges.
About the deal:
(1) Zee Entertainment will hold 47.07 per
cent stake, while Sony India will hold a 52.93 per cent stake in the combined
company.
(2) Following the merger, Sony India will
have the right to appoint the majority of directors to the merged company.
(3) Puneet Goenka, the CEO of Zee Entertainment,
will be the MD and CEO of the merged entity for a period of 5 years.
Note: Sony Pictures Networks India
Headquarters: Mumbai; Sony Pictures Networks India Founded: 30 September 1995.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1. PM
Modi departs for 3-day visit to US: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked
on a three-day visit to the United States. He is accompanied by a high-level
delegation consisting of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior
officials including Harsh Vardhan Shringla. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first
visit abroad beyond the neighbourhood since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
PM Modi, Joe Biden meeting at White
House:
(1) Biden will host PM Modi at the White
House on September 24.
(2) This is going to be the first in-person
meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President on
January 20.
(3) PM Modi and President Biden are
expected to discuss ways to stem radicalisation and combat terrorism. They are
also expected to discuss ways to bolster defence, trade ties, security
collaborations and clean energy partnerships among others.
(4) PM Modi and Biden will discuss the
current regional security situation following the recent developments in
Afghanistan. PM Modi will also hold business interactions during his US visit from
September 22-25.
PM Modi will address the UN General
Assembly:
(1) PM Modi will address the General Debate
of the High-Level Segment of 76th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA) on
September 25 in New York.
(2) The theme for this year’s general debate
is building resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild
sustainability, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of
people and revitalise the United Nations.
Bilateral meetings: Prime Minister’s
visit would be bilateral meetings with our close partners Japan and Australia
where he will hold several bilateral meetings including with US President Joe
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
2.
India will become 3rd largest importer by 2050: India could become
the world’s third-largest importer by 2050, according to a report released by
the UK’s Department of International Trade. With a 5.9 per cent share of global
imports by 2050, the country will become the third-largest importer, following
China and the United States. At present, India occupies the eighth spot on the
list of the largest importing countries with a 2.8 per cent share. As per the
Global Trade Outlook report, the country’s position on the list will jump to
the fourth position by 2030 with a 3.9 per cent share.
About UK’s Department of
International Trade:
The Department for International Trade is a United Kingdom government
department responsible for striking and extending trade agreements between the
United Kingdom and foreign countries, as well as for encouraging foreign
investment and export trade.
3.
Bangladesh’s PM Hasina receives SDG Progress award: Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina has been conferred with the SDG Progress award for Bangladesh’s
steady progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the
UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). Prime Minister
Hasina is currently visiting the US to attend the 76th session of the United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
About the SDSN: The SDSN was set
up in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. Led by development
economist Jeffery Sachs, the SDSN seeks to mobilize global scientific and
technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable
development.
Note: Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh
Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Pankaj Advani wins his 24th world title in Doha: Star Indian cueist
Pankaj Advani has grabbed his 24th World title when he triumphed at the IBSF
6-Red Snooker World Cup with a victory over Pakistan’s Babar Masih in the
final. Advani, who won his 11th Asian title last week, started the final with a
comfortable 42-13 win in the opening frame. The 36-year-old won the third and
fourth in quick succession to go 3-1 up. The Pakistani cueist, in no mood to
play second fiddle to his worthy opponent, crafted a wonderful 56 break to
bridge the gap.
2.
Beijing 2022 Launches Official Slogan: “Together for a Shared Future”: The Beijing 2022
Winter Olympics unveiled its official motto, “Together for a Shared Future”,
during a ceremony at the city’s Capital Museum. The motto was chosen after a
lengthy process that included a total of 79 different proposals. This motto
embodies the Olympic spirit, the Chinese way of revealing the Olympic spirit.
That’s because ‘together’ embodies a type of unity, cohesion and a way of
overcoming difficulties. The Games will be held from February 4-20, with
Beijing set to become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter
Olympics.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Yes bank tie-up with VISA to offer credit cards: Yes Bank has
partnered with Visa to offer credit cards to its customers, following the
regulatory ban on Mastercard by RBI. The Visa co-branded cards come with nine
credit card variants covering all segments, consumer cards, business cards, and
corporate cards across YES First, YES Premia and YES Prosperity. YES Bank
earlier had an exclusive tie-up with Mastercard. However, its credit card
issuances had been impacted after the Reserve Bank of India barred Mastercard
from onboarding new customers on its domestic card network. Yes Bank has
achieved the transition to Visa as a payment network within a record time of fewer
than 60 days, post the bank imposed on Mastercard from July 22, 2021. The
private sector lender is also in the process of completing technology
integration with NPCI and plans to issue Rupay branded credit cards in due
course.
Note: YES bank HQ: Mumbai, Maharashtra; YES
bank MD & CEO: Prashant Kumar.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
ADB cuts India’s GDP forecast for FY22 to 10%: The Asian
Development Bank (ADB) has revised downwards India’s economic growth forecast
for the current fiscal, 2021-22 (FY22) to 10 per cent. Earlier this was
projected at 11 per cent. The Manila-based multilateral funding agency ADB has
predicted the GDP growth for fiscal 2022-23 (FY23) to 7.5 per cent. The growth
forecast for India in the fiscal year 2021 (ending in March 2022) was revised
down, as the spike in COVID-19 cases during May dented the recovery, the Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
Note: President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa;
Headquarters: Manila, Philippines.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Bangladeshi Fairooz Faizah Beether gets 2021 Changemaker Award: Fairooz Faizah
Beether of Bangladesh has been chosen for the 2021 Changemaker Award for her
work promoting good health and well-being by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. The award celebrates an individual who has inspired change using
personal experience or from a position of leadership.
About the award: The Changemaker Award is part of the Goalkeepers Global Goals award instituted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate progress towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.
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