NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
University Grants Commission to launch ‘e-Samadhan’ portal for resolving
grievances:
University Grants Commission (UGC) will now monitor and resolve all grievances
of students and staff in varsities through a centralised portal called
`e-Samadhan`. This platform ensures transparency, prevents unfair practices in
Higher Education Institutions and provides a time-bound mechanism for redressal
of grievances, according to the UGC. The commission has merged its existing
portals and helplines except for the anti-ragging helpline and developed the
new portal. About UGC e-samadhan:
a)
UGC
e-samadhan, a step forward for the service to stakeholders which would be a
single Window system for all the stakeholders for registering their complaints/
grievances on the portal which would be available all the time at the click of
a mouse.
b)
A
toll-free No. 1800-111-656 will also be available on the UGC website 24×7 for
lodging complaints by the stakeholders on any issue faced by them. Nearly 38
million students are expected to be benefitted from the e-Samadhan portal.
c)
University
Grants Commission has vast and wide stakeholder composition which includes 1043
Universities, 42343 Colleges, 3.85 Crore Students and 15.03 Lacs Teachers (
AISHE 2019-20).
Note: University Grants Commission Founded:
1956; University Grants Commission Headquarters: New Delhi; University Grants
Commission Chairman: Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.
2.
Rajasthan govt introduce ‘Mahila Nidhi’ to help women entrepreneurs: Rajasthan Chief
Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched ‘Mahila Nidhi’, a loan scheme for the social
and economic development of women through loans. Under the scheme, apart from
everyday necessities, easy credit will be available to women for business
expansion and starting new businesses. In the budget 2022-23, the government
said it will establish ‘Mahila Nidhi’ through Rajasthan Rural Livelihood
Development Council. Rajasthan is the second state in the country after
Telangana, where Mahila Nidhi has been established. About the Mahila Nidhi
scheme:
a)
Mahila
Nidhi has been established to help women self-help groups get loans from banks,
increase the income of poor and marginal women, and social and economic
progress of women through skill development.
b)
The
scheme will facilitate crediting of loans up to Rs 40,000 within 48 hours, and
above Rs 40,000 within 15 days.
c)
At
present 2.70 lakh self-help groups have been formed in 33 districts of the
state connecting 30 lakh families.
d)
In
2022-23, 50,000 self-help groups are proposed to be formed, connecting six lakh
families.
e)
A
total of 36 lakh families in the state will get benefits from Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi
in a phased manner based on their needs.
Note: Rajasthan Governor: Kalraj Mishra;
Rajasthan Capital: Jaipur; Rajasthan Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot.
3.
Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal launched virtual school: Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched a virtual school and students from across
the country will be eligible for admission. The application process for the
Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) began on August 31. The school is for Classes
9-12. Admission to the schooling platform will be open for students across
India and they will also be prepared by experts for entrance exams like NEET,
CUET and JEE along with skill-based training. Virtual school:
a)
The
first virtual school in the country will prove to be a milestone in the
education sector. The classes will be online and recorded lectures will also be
uploaded online.
b)
This
school is inspired by virtual classes that had been necessitated due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
c)
The
virtual school will be affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education Board.
d)
Any
student aged between 13 and 18 years who has cleared class 8 from any
recognised school can apply for admission to DMVS.
4.
Jammu and Kashmir Police launched online Mobile app ‘JK Ecop’: The Jammu &
Kashmir Police has launched an online Mobile application “JK Ecop”. The App
enables the common citizens to use a host of services ranging from registering
a complaint to downloading a copy of an FIR. A citizen can also make requests
like obtaining a character certificate, employee verification, or tenant
verification through this App. Details about missing persons and unidentified
dead bodies etc. can also be obtained through this portal.
Other services regarding the traffic police
are also available to the citizens through this App. These services range from
reporting a traffic violation to reporting an accident. Information about the
Highway status in the app will help the citizens to plan their travel. Paying a
challan online through this app will not only help the citizens but will also ease
the burden of the department.
Note: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant
Governor: Manoj Sinha.
5.
Cybercrime against Women up 28% since 2019: The number of cybercrimes has
climbed up to 18.4 percent in 2021 and there is a rise of 28 percent of such
cases against women in the report released by the National Crime Records
Bureau. Cybercrime against women includes cyber-threatening and blackmailing,
cyber pornography, posting obscene material, stalking, defamation, morphing,
etc. The top three states that account for 61 percent of the share in
Cybercrimes against women are Karnataka at number one with 2,243 cases in 2021,
Maharashtra with 1,687 cases, and Uttar Pradesh with 958 cases. Telangana
accounts for the highest share of all cybercrimes including cyber crime against
women, which has increased to 282 percent from 2,691 in 2019 to 10,303 in 2021.
Other states that rank after Telangana are
Uttar Pradesh with 8,829, Karnataka with 8,136, Maharashtra with 5,562, and
Assam with 4,846. Among all the states, eight states recorded a decline in
Cybercrimes in 2021 compared to 2019 including Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. An
average of 87 percent of cases were trail at the end of the year compared to
94.9 percent in 2019. The conviction rate increased from 35.5 percent in 2019
to 42.5 percent in 2021.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
IFS Nagesh Singh named as India’s ambassador to Thailand: An Indian Foreign
Service officer of the 1995 batch, Nagesh Singh has been appointed as India’s
next ambassador to Thailand. He will replace the incumbent ambassador Suchitra
Durai.
About the Nagesh Singh: Nagesh Singh is a
1995 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who has served as Consul
General of India in Atlanta. He holds a master’s degree from the Delhi School
of Economics. He is presently working as
a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok; Thailand
Currency: Thai baht; Thailand Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha.
2.
Jhansi BJP MP Anurag Sharma Elected As World Body CPA Treasurer: Member of
Parliament from the Jhansi-Lalitpur parliamentary constituency, Anurag Sharma
has been elected as the International Treasurer of the Parliamentary
Association Conference (CPA) at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Conference in Halifax, Canada. He will now be on the main Executive Council.
Sharma will be handling annual funding of millions of pounds and the trust
funds, ensuring their smooth and effective utilization. He is all set to add
that extra mile of ROI (return on investment) and showcase the Indian
effectiveness of India in this global responsibility.
About the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association:
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was founded in 1911 and links
parliamentarians and parliamentary staff from over 180 national, state,
provincial and territorial parliaments and legislatures from 55 countries of
the Commonwealth through its network. Its mission is to promote the advancement
of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of
democratic governance, youth engagement in democracy, gender equality and equal
representation.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
AFI and HSBC India collaborate to support future female athletes: The Athletics
Federation of India (AFI) announced its collaboration with HSBC India in order
to support Indian women athletes, particularly the young ones. Under the terms
of the cooperation, talented girls will be chosen from the Under-14 and
Under-16 National Inter District Championships and trained to compete on a
worldwide scale. Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President Adille
Sumariwalla promised that “special coaching camps would be set up for the
selected athletes and all their needs would be taken care of.”
2.
New Zealand’s Colin de Grandhomme retires from international cricket: New Zealand
all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has announced his retirement from international
cricket. The 36-year-old cricketer made his decision after discussions with the
country’s cricket board and hence, has been released from his central contract.
Career of Colin de Grandhomme:
a)
He
represented New Zealand in 29 matches, scoring 1432 runs at 38.70 and picking
up 49 wickets. He featured in 18 wins, playing a key role in the inaugural ICC
World Test Championship campaign against India in Southampton.
b)
The
all-rounder also proved his mettle in the ODIs, scoring 742 runs in 45 games
and scalping 30 wickets at an average of 41.00. He also played in 41 T20Is,
scoring 505 runs at a strike rate of 138.35 and taking 12 wickets at 38.41
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
SBI Card launches ‘cashback SBI Card’ in India: Indian credit card
issuer SBI Card has announced the launch of the ‘CASHBACK SBI Card’ in India.
As the company claims CASHBACK SBI Card is the industry’s first
Cashback-focused credit card that enables cardholders to earn 5 per cent
cashback on all online spending without any merchant restrictions. Consumers
across India, including tier 2 and 3 cities, can easily get CASHBACK SBI Card
instantly through the digital application platform ‘SBI Card SPRINT’. Benefits
of CASHBACK SBI Card:
a)
Cardholders
can avail of four complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year (one
visit per quarter) on the card.
b)
“The
card also offers a 1 per cent fuel surcharge waiver which is valid for
transaction amounts ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, with a maximum surcharge
waiver limit of Rs 100 per billing statement month for each credit card
account.
c)
The
annual renewal fee of the card is Rs 999 plus applicable taxes. CASHBACK SBI
Card users can enjoy renewal fee reversal on reaching the milestone of Rs 2
lakh annual spending during the card membership year. CASHBACK SBI Card is
available on the VISA platform,”.
Note: SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram,
Haryana; SBI Card Managing Director & CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara; SBI Card
Founded: October 1998.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1. Beijing Tops,
Bengaluru 2nd In Asia-Pacific in Tech Hubs: Bengaluru ranks second in the Asia
Pacific region in the top tech hubs list and is only behind China’s Beijing,
according to a report by Cushman and Wakefield. The report, called ‘Tech
Cities: The Global Intersection of Talent and Real Estate’, studied as many as
115 different ‘tech cities’ across the globe. After Beijing and Bengaluru, the
list has three other Indian cities, Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad. Mumbai and
Pune also made it to the top-10 list with eighth and ninth position in a list
of 14 cities from the APAC.
The study considered
factors such as talent, real estate and business environment to assess and
evaluate the cities. Stating that Bengaluru is home to India’s largest Grade A
office market, the report called the city one of the largest contributors to
office space leasing with an average share of 25-30% in annual pan-India
leasing activity from 2017 to 2021. The tech sector has accounted for an
average 38-40% share in annual leasing activity (2017-2021) in the Bengaluru
office market, which is higher than the national average of 35%, the report
added.
2.
IndiGo joins WEF’s “Clear Skies for Tomorrow” sustainability campaign: Clear Skies for
Tomorrow: IndiGo, the largest airline in the nation, announced that it has
joined a sustainable effort led by the World Economic Forum (WEF). IndiGo
airline has joined the Clear Skies for Tomorrow, India Coalition initiative as
a signatory. IndiGo’s dedication to deploying sustainable initiatives would
help to achieve a substantial scale for SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) to
attain a critical mass and bring in cost-efficiency for wide adoption in India.
Key Points:
a)
On
February 18 of this year, IndiGo flew its brand-new A320 neo aircraft with a
10% SAF blend from Toulouse, France, to New Delhi.
b)
A
meaningful and proactive path for the industry to achieve carbon-neutral flying
is provided by ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’, which was launched in January 2019.
c)
Clear
Skies for Tomorrow offers a crucial mechanism for top executives and public
leaders, across and beyond the aviation value chain, to align on a transition
to sustainable aviation fuels.
d)
To
support aviation’s overall net-zero pathway by 2050, the objective of ‘Clear
Skies for Tomorrow’ is to establish commercially feasible SAF production (both
bio and synthetic) at scale for industry adoption by 2030.
DEFENCE
1.
INS Vikrant, an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Commissioned by PM Modi: INS Vikrant,
India’s first homegrown aircraft carrier, to the Indian Navy at the Cochin
Shipyard commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The nation’s largest
warship, weighing 45,000 tonnes, has finished a year of sea trials. The
warship’s construction cost Rs 20,000 crore. The new Naval emblem was also
revealed by the Prime Minister. INS Vikrant:
a)
Vikrant,
the largest warship built entirely in India, would fly 30 fighter planes and
helicopters.
b)
The
aircraft carrier, which was built at the Cochin shipyard and will provide the
Indian Navy with a third aircraft carrier, has a crew of more than 1,500.
c)
The
262 m long and 62 m broad INS Vikrant, the largest warship ever constructed in
India.
d) The warship is 18 stories tall and as large as two football fields when laid end to end, to better convey its enormity.
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