NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India to Be Home to Cheetahs
after 70 Years: Eight
African cheetahs are from Namibia into their new habitat at the Kuno National
Park in Madhya Pradesh. The PM released the five female and three male cheetahs
into the Park’s quarantine enclosures as part of his efforts to revitalise and
diversify the country’s wildlife and habitat, his office has said.
The Cheetah: The last cheetah
in India died in 1947 in Korea district in present day Chhattisgarh, which was
earlier part of Madhya Pradesh, and the species was declared extinct from India
in 1952. According to reports, the cheetah has lost 90 percent of its global
habitat in the last 100 years. The ‘African Cheetah Introduction Project in
India‘ was conceived in 2009, with a plan to introduce the big cat by November
last year in Kuno National Park, but it suffered a setback due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
How Cheetahs are brought to India: The cheetahs
board a customised Boeing 747-400 aircraft from Namibia’s capital Windhoek and
arrive in Gwalior after completing an overnight journey lasting 10 hours and
traversing 8,000 kilometres. The felines then be shifted from Gwalior to Kuno
National Park (KNP) in an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.
The cheetahs, aged between four and six years, not be tranquilised for the
journey. The aircraft bringing the animals has been sourced from a UAE-based
aircraft company by Action Aviation. It carries the image of a tiger on its
nose.
2. Jharkhand ups reservations for
SC, ST, and others to 77%: Jharkhand Government agreed to the proposal for
granting 77 percent reservation in state government jobs for the SC, ST,
Backward Classes, and OBC and further economically weaker sections. The chief
minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren hiked the OBC reservation to 27 percent
which was earlier 14 percent. Key Points:
a)
The
decision of granting reservation was taken in the backdrop of tribals’ demand
that the last land survey is conducted by the British government in 1932.
b)
The
development came amid a political crisis in Jharkhand over the threats to Chief
Minister Hemant Soren of his disqualification as an MLA.
c)
The
state government will also request the center to the inclusion of the bill in
the Ninth schedule of the constitution.
d)
In
the proposal job reservation policy, local people of the SC community will have
a quote of 12 percent, ST 28 percent, extreme Backward Class 15 percent, OBC 12
percent, and economically weaker sections 10 percent.
3. Election Commission of India
launched BLO e-Patrika: The Election Commission of India has released a new
digital publication ‘BLO e-Patrika’ at an interactive session held with BLOs
spread across the states in India. In states/UTs, 50 BLOs from nearby states of
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi joined the event physically at India
Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Over 350 BLOs joined the meeting via
video-conferencing from the office of Chief Electoral Officers (CEO). Key
Points related to BLO e-Patrika:
a)
BLOs
are the direct links of the Commission with the people.
b)
They
are the primary source of information for every voter across the length and
breadth of the country.
c)
The
BLO e-Patrika is released to ensure a cascading information model for a better
informed and motivated Booth Level Officer.
d)
The
themes of the bimonthly e-Patrika include subjects related to EVM-VVPAT
Training, IT application, special summary revision, Minimum SVEEP Activities at
polling booths, Postal Ballot facilities, accessible elections, Electoral
Literacy Clubs, Unique voter awareness initiatives, and National Voters Day.
4. Delhi Police First Force to Make
Collection of Forensic Evidence Mandatory: Delhi Police has become the first
police force in India to make a collection of forensic evidence mandatory in
crimes punishable by more than six years. Delhi is a union territory and is
under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Delhi Police
Commissioner Sanjay Arora issued a ‘Standard Order’, to all the police units. Key
Points:
a)
The
order came into force after Home Minister Amit Shah pushed at Zonal Council
Meeting.
b)
In
the Zonal Council Meeting, Mr. Amit Shah informed that the government was going
to overhaul the British-era Indian penal code.
c)
The
changes in making the collection of forensic evidence compulsory in criminal
cases punishable was one of the initial steps.
d)
Home
Minister Amit Shah emphasized the fact that custodial torture has roots in
colonial India, however, the conviction of a criminal can be achieved based on
forensic evidence.
e)
The
Delhi police order also suggests that the force has its own ‘mobile crime team
van’, in each district. The forensic Mobil van will be allotted to each
district to provide scientific and forensic assistance on the spot.
5. Manoj Bajpayee publishes book
“Muskurate Chand Lamhe aur Kuchh Khamoshiyan”: At a ceremony in
New Delhi, well-known actor Manoj Bajpayee published a book titled Muskurate
Chand Lamhe aur Kuchh Khamoshiyan in the presence of Apurva Chandra, the
secretary of information and broadcasting. A variety of poetry are offered in
the book. Jiwesh Nandan is the author of it. Mr. Apurva Chandra expressed his
opinions at the time and remarked that the book is focused on humour and
philosophy.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Queen Elizabeth II funeral,
buried at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel: The royal family
bid farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, in a
private ceremony at Windsor Castle. A smaller crowd bid the Queen Elizabeth II
farewell in St George’s Chapel after the official burial earlier that day at
London’s Westminster Abbey, where world leaders, members of European royal
families, and the general public had assembled. Key Points:
a)
2,000
people, including heads of state, gathered in Westminster Abbey for Queen
Elizabeth II funeral.
b)
The
casket was then carried to Wellington Arch in a procession that included
soldiers and musicians from the armed forces.
c)
After
the casket departed the abbey, the Queen’s children, including King Charles
III, followed behind it. Prince William and Prince Harry, his sons, joined them.
Later, the Queen’s casket was transported to Windsor Castle.
d)
The
Queen’s coffin was lowered into the royal vault during a ritual of commitment
in St. George’s chapel, and her imperial relics were laid out on the altar.
e)
In
the King George VI Memorial Chapel located within St. George’s Chapel, Queen
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were interred after the monarch passed away on
September 8 at the age of 96. The coffin of Prince Philip was removed from its
current location and buried next to his wife.
Note: Capital of the United Kingdom:
London; Prime Minister of the United Kingdom: Mary Elizabeth Truss a.k.a. Liz
Truss; King of the United Kingdom: King Charles III
2. World Alzheimer’s Day: 21st
September:
World Alzheimer’s Day is observed annually on September 21 to raise awareness
about neurological disorders. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of
dementia and affects the person’s memory, mental ability, and ability to carry
out simple tasks. This year’s theme for World Alzheimer’s Month is ‘Know
Dementia, know Alzheimer’s’. It is in continuation with the last year’s
campaign which focused on warning signs and diagnosis of dementia and also the
effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dementia community around the world.
However, this year, special emphasis will be laid on post-diagnosis support for
dementia.
World Alzheimer’s Day History: World Alzheimer’s
Day was first marked on 21 September 1994 at the opening of ADI’s annual
conference in Edinburgh. The day was celebrated to mark the 10th anniversary of
the organization, which was founded in 1984.
3. International Day of Peace: 21st
September:
The International Day of Peace is observed globally on September 21. This
year’s theme is “End racism. Build peace.” The UN General Assembly has declared
this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing
24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
Symbol of International Peace Day: The Peace Bell
was donated by the United Nations Association of Japan in 1954. It has become
tradition to ring the bell twice a year: on the first day of spring, at the
Vernal Equinox, and on 21 September to celebrate the International Day for
Peace.
International Day of Peace History: The International
Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly.
Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate
the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. This year’s UN page on
International Day of Peace highlights the ace-based discrimination at borders.
Note: United Nations Headquarters in New
York, USA; United Nations was founded on 24 October 1945; Mr Antonio Guterres
is the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. 15 year old Pranav Anand becomes
India’s 76th Chess Grandmaster: 15 year old, Pranav Anand from Bengaluru,
Karnataka became India’s 76th Chess GrandMaster (GM) after winning against
International Master (IM) Emin Ohanyan of Armenia. He received the title after
he crossed the 2,500 Elo points in the ongoing World Youth Chess Championship
in Mamaia, Romania. A month before Pranav Anand became India’s 76th GM, Pranav
Venkatesh became India’s 75th Grandmaster.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. FinMin to allow
RRBs to raise funds via IPO, rights issue: Draft guidelines for Regional Rural
Banks (RRBs) to raise capital from the capital market have been released by the
Finance Ministry, opening the door for raising capital through rights issues,
private placements with a selected group of investors, like major banks and
insurance companies, and initial public offerings (IPO). Key Points:
a)
The government has issued a thorough
model of guidelines for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to acquire capital and put
the responsibility on sponsor banks to select suitable RRBs.
b)
There are currently 43 RRBs around the
nation, sponsored by 12 Scheduled Commercial Banks, with 21,892 branches.
Deposits and loans and advances (net) held by RRBs as of March 2022 totaled
$5,62,538 crore and $3,42,479 crore, respectively.
c)
The Government of India (GoI), the
respective State Governments (SGs), and the Sponsor Banks (SBs) jointly own
RRBs, with equity contribution in the ratio GoI: SG: SB:: 50:15:35.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1. India Ratings Cuts FY23 GDP
Growth Forecast to 6.9%: India Ratings became the latest agency to cut its FY23
gross domestic product forecast. The ratings agency cut the forecast to 6.9 per
cent from 7 per cent, joining other institutions who have cut their projections
to below 7 per cent since the release of the April-June quarter GDP data.
Other Agencies Prediction: Global rating
agency Fitch also lowered India’s economic growth forecast for FY23 to 7 per
cent from its June 2022 estimate of 7.8 per cent. It now expects the GDP to
slow further to 6.7 per cent in FY24 as compared to its earlier forecast of 7.4
per cent. India Ratings projects GDP growth of 7.2 per cent in July-September
FY23 quarter, 4 per cent in October-December and 4.1 per cent in February-March.
2. Air India Unveiled Transformation
Plan Vihaan.AI:
Air India, a Tata group-owned airline, unveiled a comprehensive Vihaan.AI to
establish itself as a world-class global airline of Indian origin. The plan
aims to focus on growing both its network and fleet, revamping its customer’s
proposition, enhancing reliability and on-time performance, taking a leadership
role in technology, sustainability, and innovation, and investing in the best talent
in the airline industry. Key Points related to Vihaan.AI:
a)
In
the coming five years, Air India will strive to increase its market share to at
least 30% in the domestic market.
b)
It
aims to grow significantly in the international routes from the present market
share.
c)
The
immediate focus of the airline is to fix the basics and readying itself for
growth.
d)
More
focus on building for excellence and establishing scale to become a global
industry leader.
e)
This
plan is the blueprint for Air India’s brand-new foundation.
3. India Stands 4th in Global Crypto
Adoption Index 2022:
Blockchain analysis platform Chainalysis published its global crypto adoption
index for 2022 of nations with the highest cryptocurrency adoption rate with
India ranking fourth in the list, two spots down from last year. Chainalysis
report noted that the emerging markets dominate the Global Crypto Adoption
Index this year.
What the Report Said: The report noted,
“Out of our top 20 ranked countries, 10 are lower-middle income: Vietnam,
Philippines, Ukraine, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Morocco, Nepal, Kenya, and
Indonesia. Eight are upper-middle income: Brazil, Thailand, Russia, China,
Turkey, Argentina, Colombia, and Ecuador.”
Countries Performance:
a)
On
the index, India ranks above the US, UK and Russia suggesting that the
country’s crypto community is not far behind in pushing for further use of the
technology.
b)
The
Philippines and Ukraine have taken the second and third rankings, respectively,
showing a significant preference for crypto adoption in the near future.
c)
The
global index is led by Vietnam for the second consecutive year, emerging as the
country that is most eager to embrace cryptocurrency adoption.
d)
After
landing thirteenth on the ranking in 2021, China reentered the top ten this
year. This is very intriguing given the Chinese government’s crackdown on
cryptocurrency activities since last year.
AWARDS AND HONORS
1. GRSE awarded
Prestigious ‘Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar’ for 2021-22: Garden Reach Shipbuilders
and Engineering Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, has been awarded with the ‘Rajbhasha
Kirti Puraskar’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. GRSE was
awarded by the Government of India for the best implementation of official
language under public sector undertakings in region ‘C’ for the year 2021-22. Key
Points:
a)
The ‘Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar’ was
presented to Shri Ajay Kumar Mishra, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Home.
b)
GRSE has received the ‘Rajbhasha Kirti
Puraskar’ for the best official language Implementation during 2011-2012,
2012-2013, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017.
c)
The ‘Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar’ is the
highest award given by the government of India in the field of official
Language Implementation.
d)
GRSE is the only Defence, and public
sector undertaking in Kolkata to receive this award.
2. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan
Zoological Park in Darjeeling recognised as best zoo: The Padmaja Naidu
Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in West Bengal’s Darjeeling has been adjudged
the best zoo in the country, while Kolkata’s Alipore Zoological Garden has
secured the fourth position. There are around 150 zoos across the country. As
per the list, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai has secured the
second position, followed by the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in Mysore,
Karnataka. About the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:
a)
The
zoological park is internationally recognised for its breeding and conservation
programmes of endangered animal species of the eastern Himalayas, including the
Snow Leopard and the Red Panda. The Red Panda is one of the top attractions of
PNHZP, besides others such as the Himalayan Black Bear, Snow Leopard, Goral and
Himalayan Thar.
b)
Padmaja
Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (also called the Darjeeling Zoo) is a
67.56-acre (27.3 ha) zoo in the town of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West
Bengal.
c) The zoo was opened in 1958, and an average elevation of 7,000 feet (2,134 m), is the largest high-altitude zoo in India. It specializes in breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions and has successful captive breeding programs for the snow leopard, the critically endangered Himalayan wolf and the red panda.
