Daily GK Update- 6th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi Declared Mangarh Dham National Monument: Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Mangarh Dham a National Monument in the Banswara District, Rajasthan. PM Modi mentioned that India’s past, present, and future are not complete without the tribal community. Mangarh Dham is a symbol of tenacity and sacrifices of tribals and added that this is the common heritage of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Bhil Freedom fighter Shri Govind Guru at the event.

About Mangarh: India was fighting against the British and during the freedom struggle, the Bhil community and other tribes were also fighting a long-stand off against British officials. On 17th November 1913, 1.5 lakh Bhil was performing a rally against the British, where Britishers opened fire at the gathering. The massacre leads to the death of 1500 tribal people.

 

2. Fertilizer Subsidy Doubles as Prices Surge: To insulate farmers from the sharp increases in the prices, the Centre announced a doubling of fertiliser subsidy to Rs 2.15 trillion from the budgeted level for FY23. The move was necessitated by a sharp spike in global prices of urea, DAP and MoP in the last one year. Key Points:

a)      “Despite rising fertiliser prices globally, we have protected our farmers from such price hikes. In addition to the fertiliser subsidy of Rs 1.05 trillion in the Budget, an additional amount of Rs 1.10 trillion is being provided to further cushion our farmers,” the finance minister said.

b)      The Centre said the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the kharif season (April-September 2022) will be Rs 60,939 crore, as against Rs 57,150 crore for the whole of last year. These soil nutrients are largely imported.

c)       According to fertiliser ministry data, imported urea prices have risen by more than 145% to $930 a tonne in April 2022 from $380 a tonne a year ago. Similarly, prices of DAP and MoP have risen by 66% and 116% to $924 a tonne and $590 a tonne in April 2022, respectively, compared to the year-ago period.

 

3. Meghalaya CM launches “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme”: The “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme” was launched by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma at Tura, West Garo Hills district, in Meghalaya. The Meghalaya Government has initiated various welfare programs and the information should be disseminated for the larger benefit of the public. The “Citizen Engagement and Communication Programme” program aims at grassroots penetration of all schemes so that governance is improved in all aspects. The program will create much-needed awareness amongst the masses so that people will have the right information to avail benefits of the schemes being launched by the Government.

 

4. Shyam Saran, first voter of Independent India, casts his postal ballot for Himachal polls: 106-year-old Shyam Saran Negi, the first voter of Independent India, exercised his right to franchise for the 34th time for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections through a postal ballot at his residence in Kinnaur district. Negi, a teacher by profession who hails from the tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh exercised his right to franchise for the 34th time for the 14th Vidhan Sabha elections through a postal ballot at his home in Kalpa. He cast his vote through a postal ballot for the first time.

Shyam Saran Negi, born in July 1917, voted for the first time in 1951 in the general elections of India and has voted for sixteen times in Lok Sabha Elections. He cast his vote in every Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and all local bodies right after 1951. He has also been made a state election icon in 2014.

 

5. Ministry of Education Releases Report on Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States/UTs: The Ministry of Education released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for 2020-21, an evidence-based comprehensive analysis of school education system across states and Union Territories. Objective Of PGI: The prime objective of PGI is to promote evidence-based policymaking and highlight course correction to ensure quality education for all, the Ministry of Education said. How The Index Has Been Built:

a)      The PGI structure comprises of 1,000 points across 70 indicators grouped into two categories –Outcomes, and governance management.

b)      These categories are further divided into 5 domains, viz, Learning Outcomes (LO), Access (A), Infrastructure& Facilities (IF), Equity (E) & Governance Process (GP).

c)       As was done in the previous years, PGI 2020-21 classified the States/UTs into ten grades viz., highest achievable Grade is Level 1, which is for State/UT scoring more than 950 points out of total of 1000 points. The lowest grade is Level 10 which is for score below 551.

What Will Be the Benefits: The ultimate benefit of PGI is to propel States & UTs towards undertaking multi-pronged interventions that will bring about the much-desired optimal education outcomes covering all dimensions. The PGI is expected to help States and UTs to pinpoint the gaps and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.

 

6. University Grants Commission proposed ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas’ to be celebrated on Dec 11: The University Grants Commission has written to vice-chancellors and principals of all universities and colleges in this regard following recommendations of a committee constituted last year by the education ministry to promote Indian languages. All higher education institutions in India must observe a ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Divas’ on December 11 every year to create “language harmony” and develop a conducive environment for learning Indian languages. Key Points:

a)      The committee has proposed to observe December 11 as ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas’ or ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav’ on the birth anniversary of poet Subramania Bharati, a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry who penned songs to kindle patriotism during the Independence movement.

b)      The commission also shared a concept note of the proposal with the universities, according to which universities and colleges will organise competitions, games, exhibitions and other activities to mark the day. They will also be felicitating students who know multiple languages or those who can read the scripts of major Indian languages.

c)       The central government has been making efforts to promote Indian languages. It is soon going to establish 22 bhasha kendras (language centres) to promote Indian languages as enshrined in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

Note: University Grants Commission Headquarters: New Delhi; University Grants Commission Chairperson: D. P. Singh; University Grants Commission Founded: 1956.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 41st edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair Fall inaugurated at the Expo Centre: Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has opened, the 41st edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), which is taking place from November 2 to13 at the Expo Centre Sharjah, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, was also present at the inauguration of the event, which is organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, under the theme ‘Spread the Word.’

Attendances: This year’s SIBF edition features 2,213 publishers from 95 countries, including 1,298 Arab and 915 foreign publishing houses. Around 150 prominent Arab and foreign writers, thinkers, innovators, and artists from 15 countries will participate in the fair’s activities, across 1,500 events and various dialogue sessions, including 200 cultural events.

 

2. “Permacrisis” Is Collins Dictionary’s Word of The Year: Permacrisis has been chosen as the Collins Dictionary’s word of the year. The word means an extended period of instability and insecurity. “Permacrisis sums up just how truly awful 2022 has been for so many people,” Alex Beecroft, head of Collins Learning told AFP.

‘Permacrisis’ is a word that describes living in an age of continued upheaval; Collins defines the noun as ‘an extended period of instability and insecurity’. According to The Guardian, Collins chose permacrisis as the word of the year as it “sums up quite succinctly how truly awful 2022 has been for so many people”. It is the top word in the annual compilation of the 10 new or noteworthy words from the 18-billion-word database monitored by Collins and from other sources like social media. Permacrisis is also one of six new words on the list added to CollinsDictionary.com.

Notably: Permacrisis was Beating off competition from the likes of “Kyiv”, “sportswashing” and “partygate”, the term “permacrisis” was named as Britain’s word of the year in recognition of a dismal 2022.

 

3. International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict: 6th November: On November 6th, the UN observes the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The day seeks to make people aware of the consequences that war and conflict have on the environment. This day was established to protect the environment as a source of security and peace and to prevent its use in military conflicts.

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict History: On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (A/RES/56/4). On 27 May 2016, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted resolution UNEP/EA.2/Res.15, which recognized the role of healthy ecosystems and sustainably managed resources in reducing the risk of armed conflict and reaffirmed its strong commitment to the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals listed in General Assembly resolution 70/1, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Asian Continental Chess C’ship: India’s R Praggnanandhaa and PV Nandidhaa win titles: Top-seeded Indian Grandmaster, R Praggnanandhaa and compatriot P V Nandhidhaa won the titles in the Open and women’s sections respectively in the Asian Continental Chess championship, in New Delhi. Praggnanandhaa drew with compatriot B Adhiban in a 63-move game in the ninth and final round to emerge clear winner with seven points. The 17-year-old Chennai player had gone into the final round with half a point lead over the rest of the field. He held off the challenge from the experienced Adhiban and shared honours to win the top prize.

Final placings Open: Men

1.      R Praggnanandhaa 7 points,

2.      Harsha Bharathakoti 6.5,

3.      B Adhiban 6.5,

Final placings Open: Women

1.      P V Nandhidhaa 7.5 points,

2.      Priyanka Nutakki 6.5,

3.      Divya Deshmukh

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Baroda Launches BoB World Opulence, BoB World Sapphire premium debit cards: Bank of Baroda and Visa has announced the launch of two new premium debit cards for Bank of Baroda customers – bob World Opulence – a super-premium Visa Infinite Debit Card (Metal Edition) and bob World Sapphire – a Visa Signature Debit Card. The bob World Sapphire card will come in two sub variants – bob World Sapphire (Male) and bob World Sapphire (Female), offering customised privileges to customers.

Features of bob World Opulence – Visa Infinite (Metal Edition) Debit Card:

a)      Complimentary Airport Pickup and Drop Service

b)      Unlimited International Airport Lounge Visits

c)       Unlimited Domestic Airport Lounge Access

d)      Complimentary Club Marriott Membership for a year

e)      Golf Programme: Complimentary sessions at select Golf courses.

Its Benefits:

a)      Health and Wellness benefits – Discounts/Vouchers/Memberships on select brands

b)      Complimentary dining benefits and curated experiences at select hotels

c)       Offers from Premium Brands: such as Satya Paul, Truefitt & Hill, Brooks Brothers and House of Masaba

d)      Room upgrades, late checkouts, complimentary benefits at select hotels, which are a part of the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection

e)      Joining Fee: Rs 9,500 (for the first year)

f)        Annual Fee: Rs 9,500 (from the 2nd year onwards).

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. GST collection over Rs 1.51 trillion in October: 2nd highest ever: The gross GST revenue collected in the month of October 2022 was at Rs 1,51,718 crore, the second-highest monthly collection ever, the ministry of finance. The revenue for October 2022 is second highest monthly collection, next only to the collection in April 2022 and it is for the second time the gross GST collection has crossed Rs. 1.50 lakh crore mark.

Giving a break-up of the October GST collections, the government said CGST figure was at ₹26,039 crore, SGST at ₹33,396 crore, IGST at ₹81,778 crore (including ₹37,297 crore collected on import of goods) and cess at ₹10,505 crore (including ₹ 825 crore collected on import of goods).

This is the ninth month and for eight months in a row now, that the monthly GST revenues have been more than the ₹ 1.4 lakh crore mark. During the month of September 2022, 8.3 crore e-way bills were generated, which was significantly higher than 7.7 crore e-way bills generated in August 2022.

 

2. Google Buys Twitter-Backed AI Avatar Startup Alter for $100 mn: Tech giant Google has acquired Alter, an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar startup that was working on using AI to generate avatars for social media users and brands to express their virtual identity. According to TechCrunch, Google buys the startup for about $100 million in an effort to improve its content game and compete with TikTok.

About Alter: The U.S. and Czech-headquartered, Alter started as Facemoji, a platform that offered plug-and-play technology for helping game and App developers add avatar systems to their Apps. Among its investors are Play Ventures, Roosh Ventures and Twitter, which invested $3 million in the startup. Later Facemoji rebranded as Alter.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. First time CRPF names two female cadre officers as IG of RAF: After their entrance into the CRPF in 1987, two female officers have recently been appointed as Inspectors General (IG). The Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot force, has appointed Annie Abraham as its IG. As the new Bihar sector IG, Seema Dhundia has been appointed. Key Points:

a)      Both female officers were among the first group of female officers to join the paramilitary organisation in 1987.

b)      Additionally, they have led an all-female Indian police contingent at the UN.

c)       During their service, they received the “Ati Utkrisht Sewa Padak,” the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

d)      According to officials, there have been female IPS officers in charge of CRPF formations, and in 1986, the CRPF became the first central armed police force to allow women to participate in combat.

e)      There are currently more than 6,000 female constables working in six of these battalions.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Arunachal Pradesh MLA Jambey Tashi passes away: Jambey Tashi, MLA from Lumla assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh, passed away due to following illness. He was 48. Tashi was the sitting MLA from the Lumla Assembly constituency of Tawang district. He was holding the post of Advisor to the Planning and Investment Minister of the state. He died in a hospital in Guwahati.

Daily GK Update- 5th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Donates USD 2.5 million to Support Education, Healthcare of Palestinian Refugees: “The Government of India presented USD 2.5 million (second tranche of a total contribution of USD 5 million for the Financial Year 2022-2023) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in support of the Agency’s core programmes and services, including education, healthcare, relief and social services,” Representative Office of India Ramallah said in a statement.

Need of the Aid: Poverty, unemployment and despair are in high doses across the country, severely hitting the Lebanese people, Syrian and Palestine refugees. This comes amid one of the worst economic crises in recent history, compounded by the Beirut blast in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, poor governance and an almost total collapse in basic services.

Palestine refugees, living in overcrowded camps, are historically one of the poorest people in the country. They are at the end of the rope. According to the latest UNRWA Crisis Monitoring Report on the Socio-Economic Situation of Palestine Refugees in Lebanon, 93 per cent of all Palestine refugees in Lebanon live in poverty.

India’s History of Aid Support: India has been providing various forms of developmental cooperation assistance to Palestine amounting to approximately US$ 141 million. India has pledged US$ 70.6 million worth of developmental assistance to Palestine and US$ 197,030 worth of quick impact projects. India has also provided a total of US$ 39 million of budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority, in addition to a total of US$ 26.5 million to UNRWA since 2009.

 

2. Itanagar: Hollongi Greenfield Airport to be called ‘Donyi Polo’ Airport: The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the naming of the new Greenfield Airport at Hollongi, Itanagar, the State Capital of Arunachal Pradesh as “Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar”. In January 2019, the Government of India had given its “in-principle” approval for the construction of the Hollongi Greenfield Airport. The airport is being developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) with assistance from the Central Government and the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh.

Presently, two airports, viz., Tezu and Passighat are operational in Arunachal Pradesh. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of developing the North-East region as the growth engine of India, the Donyi Polo Airport will be the third operational airport for Arunachal Pradesh, taking the total airport count in the North-East region to 16. Till 2014, there were 9 operational airports in the region. Aircraft movements have increased by 113%, from 852 per week in the year 2014 to 1817 per week in 2022.

Note: Airports Authority of India Founded: 1 April 1995; Airports Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi; Airports Authority of India Chairman: Sanjeev Kumar.

 

3. Gujarat Government Set Up Committee to Implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC): With Gujarat headed to Assembly elections and awaiting the release of the poll schedule, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced that the cabinet had decided to form a committee for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. Gujarat is the second BJP-ruled state after Uttarakhand to constitute a committee of experts on the UCC. Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Assam, also ruled by the BJP, too have backed the UCC proposal.

About The Committee: The committee will be constituted under the leadership of a retired judge of the High Court. The cabinet has given the Chief Minister the right to constitute the committee and it is expected to comprise three-four members. Its scope of work too will be decided.

 

4. Goa hosted Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Asia Pacific Conference: Goa hosted three days Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Conference from 1st to 3rd November 2022. In these three days, delegates and exhibitors from the Asia Pacific region and beyond discussed and collaborate on the key issues that will help shape the future of Asia’s aviation industry. The CANSO aims to turn the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) Global Council’s vision for the skies of 2045 into a reality. The event was felicitated by Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, General Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, and Road Transport and Highways, Simon Hocquard, Director General, CANSO, and Rajiv Bansal, Secretary of Civil Aviation. Key Points:

a)      CANSO Director, Asia Pacific Affairs, informed that with air travel recovering, it is now time to look beyond COVID-19 and to the future.

b)      Building on that CATS vision, Asia Pacific Air Navigation Service Providers can step up collaboration and tackle crucial subjects such as sustainability and embracing and exploiting technology.

c)       Conference also covers digitalization and automation as key enablers in delivering CANSO’s vision for future skies.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ghana to assume Presidency of UN Security Council: West African country, Ghana assumes the rotating monthly Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. During the month of November 2022, Ghana shall preside over the meetings of the Council (adoptions, debates and consultations) and, under its authority, shall represent the Security Council in its capacity as an organ of the United Nations. Key points:

a)      In its capacity as President of the UN Security Council, Ghana is focusing on enhancing Global Peace and Security for Sustainable and Inclusive Development, particularly on the continent of Africa.

b)      This will be by fully addressing underlying causes and drivers of conflict linked to the growing youth bulge, poverty, climate change and the absence of resilient institutions.

c)       Ghana rejoined the UN Security Council on January 1, 2022. It is the third time Ghana is holding a non­permanent seat on the Council.

d)      Ghana was first given the opportunity to serve on the council from 1962 to 1963, and was back for the period of January 2006 – December 2007.

 

2. SpaceX Launches First Falcon Heavy Mission, after 3 Years: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, the world’s most-powerful active rocket, lifted off for the first time in more than three years, from Florida’s Cape Canaveral, with Elon Musk’s company sending a group of satellites into orbit for the U.S. Space Force.

About The Rocket System: The rocket system, representing three Falcon 9 boosters strapped side-by-side, lifted off at a SpaceX launch pad. The rocket’s two side boosters were due to land in synchrony on adjacent concrete slabs along Florida’s east coast roughly eight minutes after liftoff. The Heavy carried a handful of classified payloads toward geostationary orbit for the U.S. Space Force on a mission called USSF-44.

USSF-44 is the fourth launch for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy overall and its first since June 2019. That low flight rate stands in stark contrast to the company’s Falcon 9 workhorse, which has flown more than once per week this year on average. And while the overwhelming majority of those Falcon 9 launches have used pre-flown boosters, Falcon Heavy launched on three brand-new first stages.

 

3. French author Rene Naba releases New Book “Nuclearization of Asia”: French Author Rene Naba has authored a new bilingual book in both French and English titled “De la Nucléarisation de l’Asie“(Nuclearization of Asia). The book discusses the nuclear emergency and threat posed by the nexus of Pakistan and China. The book published by Golias was released at the Geneva Press Club which was attended by the in person participation of 35 people and 23 of them participated in virtual mode.

 

4. World Tsunami Awareness Day: 5th November: In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated November 5 as World Tsunami Awareness Day, calling on countries, international bodies and civil society to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction. UN Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) facilitates the observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day in collaboration with the rest of the United Nations system. The date of November 5 was chosen to mark the story of “Inamura-no-hi” (burning of the rice sheaves) in western Japan. This earthquake occurred in 1858. The theme of World Tsunami Awareness Day 2022 in Asia-Pacific: Early Warning and Early Action Before Every Tsunami. This day is celebrated to raise awareness for early warnings and actions to protect people, save lives, and prevent the hazard from becoming a disaster.

Tsunamis: The word “tsunami” comprises the Japanese words “tsu” (meaning harbour) and “nami” (meaning wave). A tsunami is a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance usually associated with earthquakes occurring below or near the ocean. Volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides, and coastal rock falls can also generate a tsunami, as can a large asteroid impacting the ocean. They originate from a vertical movement of the sea floor with the consequent displacement of water mass. Tsunami waves often look like walls of water and can attack the shoreline and be dangerous for hours, with waves coming every 5 to 60 minutes.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ICC T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli becomes 1st player to register a hat-trick in the history: Virat Kohli has hit the form and is scoring fifties in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. After playing a match-winning knock of 82 not out again Pakistan, he amassed an unbeaten 62 against the Netherlands. After failing in a game with South Africa in Perth, the 33-year-old came back to his back and registered a crucial fifty against Bangladesh at the Adelaide Oval. Kohli is the first player in the history of the T20 World Cup to score 3 or more fifty-plus knocks on three occasions. Men with 3 or more fifty-plus knocks in a T20 World Cup:

1.      Virat Kohli (2014, 2016, 2022)

2.      Matthew Hayden (2007) Gautam Gambhir (2007)

3.      Tillakaratne Dilshan (2009)

4.      Mahela Jayawardene (2010)

5.      Shane Watson (2012)

6.      Chris Gayle (2012)

7.      Marlon Samuels (2012)

8.      Stephan Myburgh (2014)

9.      Pathum Nissanka (2021)

10.  David Warner (2021)

11.  Babar Azam (2021)

12.  Mohd. Rizwan (2021)

13.  KL Rahul (2021)

Note: ICC Founded: 15 June 1909; ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay; ICC CEO: Geoff Allardice; ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Indian Exim Bank Inks Pact with Southern Africa’s Leading Bank to Boost India-Africa Trade: Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) has concluded a Master Risk Participation Agreement for supporting trade transactions with FirstRand Bank (FRB) Limited. The agreement was signed in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the India – Southern Africa Regional Conclave. Importance Of Africa as A Whole:

a)      Africa has positioned itself as a key partner in the global arena, a global investment and trading hub, a US$ 2.2 trillion market, and a population base of over 1 billion, Africa offers a great market potential.

b)      With a largest arable landmass in the world, housing 30% of global minerals reserves, and 8% of the world’s oil reserves, the continent offers promising long-term sustainable growth prospects which would be further enhanced by deeper integration of Africa into the global economy.

c)       The continent’s young population with a growing labour force is a highly valuable asset in an ageing world. By 2034, Africa is expected to have the world’s largest working-age population of 1.1 billion.

d)      Urbanisation is a common feature of most economies in Africa, according to estimates, an addition of 187 million Africans is expected to live in cities. This urban expansion is contributing to rapid growth in consumption by households and businesses. Further, penetration of smart phones is expected be more than 50% in 2020 from only 2% in 2010.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. UPI Transactions Grow 7.7% To 730 Cr in October: Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) using Unified Payments Interface BHIM-UPI recorded a new high, transactions rose by 7.7 per cent in October to 730 crore (7.3 Billion). The total value for the month stood at more than ₹12.11 lakh crore. In September, UPI transactions stood at 678 crores with a total value of ₹11.16 lakh crore. About Other Payment Services:

a)      The number of instant interbank fund transfer through IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) in October stood at 48.25 crore and the value was at Rs 4.66 lakh crore. In terms of transactions, it was higher by 4.3 per cent compared to September, according to the monthly data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) released.

b)      The NETC FASTag, which facilitates automatic toll collection at NHAI’s toll booths across the country, registered a 9.3 per cent growth in the number of transactions compared to 28.3 crore in September. The corresponding value of transactions stood at Rs 4,451.87 crore in October as against Rs 4,244.76 crore in September.

c)       While the Aadhaar card enabled AePS, which facilitates easy, quick, and safe banking transactions, increased to 11.77 crore in October compared to 10.27 crore in previous month. The value of AePS transactions rose to Rs 31,112.63 crore from Rs 26,665.58 crore.

 

2. BSE Technologies launched of KYC Registration Agency: BSE Technologies announced the launch of the KYC Registration Agency KRA, which maintains KYC records of investors in an electronic form. BSE Technologies is a subsidiary of BSE. KRA is a Sebi-regulated intermediary that grants the marker participants authorization for investors’ Know Your Client. KYC is Mando for investment in the securities market. Key Points:

a)      KYC KRA has become a key segment for securities market investors and acts as a starting point for any investor’s journey in the security market.

b)      BSE group has played a pioneering role in transforming the Indian capital market.

c)       Sebi issued fresh guidelines for KRA in April, whereby such agencies will have to independently validate the KYC records of all clients from 1st July.

d)      The guidelines inform that KRAs need to independently validate records of those clients whose KYC has been completed using Aadhaar as an Official Valid Document (OVD).

e)      The records of those clients who have completed KYC using non-Aadhar OVD will be validated only upon receiving the Aadhar number.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Puneeth Rajkumar conferred ‘Karnataka Ratna’ posthumously: The Karnataka government honored the late actor with the Karnataka Ratna award. The late Kannada Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar‘s last film, Gandhada Gudi, was released on 28th October 2022. Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar’s wife, received the state’s highest civilian award on her husband’s behalf. Puneeth Rajkumar became the ninth recipient of the prestigious award with his posthumous honor. The award was presented by renowned actors Rajnikanth and Junior NTR, along with the Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. SEWA founder & women’s activist Elaben Bhatt passes away: Elaben Bhatt, a noted Gandhian, leading women’s empowerment activist, and renowned founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) passed away at the age of 89. Elaben was the Chairperson of Sabarmati Ashram and recently resigned as the Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi-founded Gujarat Vidhyapith. In 2007, she became the part of a group of world leaders called the Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela to promote human rights and peace across the world. Elaben Bhatt career:

a)      Elaben Bhatt was a Member of the Rajya Sabha and of the Planning Commission of India in the 1980s. She served in many international organisations, including Women’s World Banking, a global network of microfinance organisations, of which she was co-founder and had served as Chairperson. She also served as an advisor to the World Bank, and addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

b)      Founded by her in 1972, SEWA is one of the largest cooperatives working for women, with a base of over two million members from around 18 States in the country and in neighbouring nations.

c)       In 2012, she was praised by then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “I have a lot of heroes and heroines around the world and one of them is Ela Bhatt, who started an organisation called the SEWA in India many years ago,”.