NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. NCW Releases NARI 2025 Report:
Kohima, Visakhapatnam & Bhubaneswar Among Safest Cities for Women, Jaipur
& Patna Rank Unsafe: The National Commission for Women (NCW), chaired by Vijaya
Rahatkar, released the National Annual Report and Index (NARI) 2025 on
women’s safety, based on the perceptions of 12,770 women across 31 cities,
conceptualized by PValue Analytics.Safest
Cities for Women (2025) – Kohima, Visakhapatnam,
Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, and Mumbai emerged as the top
seven safest cities for women, due to factors like active policing, community
support, and inclusive governance.Most
Unsafe Cities for Women (2025) – Jaipur, Patna, Faridabad,
Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Ranchi were ranked among the least safe
cities for women in India.Harassment Trends – Verbal abuse is the most common
harassment, with 50% of women reporting harassment in public transport,
followed by neighborhoods (19%) and workplaces (13%). Nearly 40% of women took
no action after facing harassment.Safety Demands by Women – 45% demanded
increased police presence, 39% called for better infrastructure like CCTV and
lighting, and 21% emphasized self-defense training as a way to improve safety.
2. India’s ED Uses Interpol Purple
Notice to Combat Trade-Based Money Laundering: For the first time, India’s Enforcement Directorate
(ED) has issued a Purple Notice through Interpol in a complex case of
trade-based money laundering.The investigation revealed an organised network of
domestic and foreign shell entities abusing trade and banking systems via
under-invoicing, fake duty-free imports, manipulated compliance documents, and
circular re-exports.By issuing the Purple Notice, the ED has shared its
findings with law enforcement agencies across Interpol’s 196 member countries,
alerting them to new money laundering techniques
3. PM Modi Inaugurated Semicon India
2025 at Yashobhoomi: PM Narendra Modi has
inaugurated Semicon India 2025 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, a three-day
conference focused on building a robust and sustainable semiconductor
ecosystem.The event will host sessions on Semicon India Programme progress,
smart manufacturing, R&D innovations, AI, investment opportunities, and
state-level policies.Over 20,000 attendees, including 2,500 delegates from 48+
countries, will join, with country roundtables, pavilions for startups, and
workforce development.The conference will highlight Design Linked Incentive
scheme, startup ecosystem growth, international cooperation, and India’s
semiconductor roadmap.
4. GST collections rise 6.5% in August
to Rs 1.86 lakh crore: India’s GST collections rose 6.5% YoY to
₹1.86 lakh crore in August 2025, marking the 8th straight month above the ₹1.8
lakh crore mark, reflecting strong domestic consumption.Gross domestic GST
revenue grew 9.6% to ₹1.37 lakh crore, while imports dipped 1.2% to ₹49,354
crore; net revenue surged 10.7% to ₹1.67 lakh crore despite a sharp fall in
refunds.For April–August FY26, gross GST collections touched ₹10 lakh crore,
continuing the upward trend from ₹11.37 lakh crore in FY21 to a record ₹22.08
lakh crore in FY25.
5. C. A. Kalyani Assumes Charge as New
Controller General of Accounts (CGA): C. A.
Kalyani, a 1991-batch officer of the Indian Civil Accounts Service, has assumed
charge as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA) in the
Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. She is the 29thofficer
to hold this prestigious position.With 34 years of service, she has held key
roles in ministries like Home Affairs, Defence, Telecom, Fertilisers, Finance,
Social Justice & Empowerment, and I&B, and was instrumental in
launching the DBT scheme for fertiliser subsidy.
An
alumna of JNU with an MA in International Politics and MPhil in West European
Studies, she is also a gold medallist from Lady Shri Ram College (DU) and has contributed
to digital transformation at MTNL and revival of Fertilizer Corporation of
India.The CGA, mandated by Article 151 of the Constitution, oversees government
accounting standards, reconciliation of Union government finances with RBI,
releases fiscal data, and manages pension disbursements for central civil
pensioners, freedom fighters, judges, MPs, and ex-presidents.
6. 1 – 7 September – National Nutrition Week: National Nutrition Week is observed every year from 1st to 7th
September, led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote healthy
eating and nutrition literacy.The 2025 theme is “Eat right for a better
life”, focusing on three everyday staples — sugar, salt, and oil — and the
risks of their overconsumption.As per ICMR-NIN, excess intake of sugar, salt,
and oil in India is linked to rising cases of obesity, hypertension, diabetes,
and cardiovascular diseases.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. PM Modi participated in the SCO
Summit 2025 in Tianjin, China: The 25th
Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held on 30–31
August 2025 in Tianjin, China, with the theme “Preserving the Shanghai
Spirit: Dynamic SCO”.The summit reviewed 25 years of SCO achievements and
adopted a ten-year development strategy for the organization.China hosted the
SCO Summit for the fifth time, chaired by President Xi Jinping, with
participation from over 20 heads of state and 10 international organizations.PM
Narendra Modi attended the summit, marking his first visit to China in seven
years, and held bilateral talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin amid global trade
tensions.
2. 2 September – World Coconut Day: World Coconut Day is observed every year on 2nd
September to promote awareness about the importance and benefits of the
coconut tree, often called the “Tree of Life.”Theme 2025 – Uncovering
Coconut’s Power, Inspiring Global Action The day was established in 2009 by the
Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC), headquartered in Jakarta,
Indonesia.India is one of the largest producers of coconuts globally, with
major cultivation in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
3. China’s Global Governance Initiative at
SCO Plus Summit: China’s
President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) at the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus (SCO Plus) meeting in Tianjin in 2025.
The summit included SCO member states, dialogue partners like Türkiye, and
observer countries. Xi emphasised the need for a fair and equitable global
governance system. The GGI aims to promote sovereign equality, international
law, multilateralism, and people-centred policies. The SCO was founded in 2001
to enhance regional security and economic cooperation. It includes major
Eurasian countries such as China, Russia, and India. The organisation has
expanded to include dialogue partners and observers. SCO Plus meetings bring
together these wider members to discuss broader cooperation. The group focuses
on combating terrorism, promoting trade, and encouraging political dialogue.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India-US Joint Military Exercise Yudh
Abhyas 2025: The 21st edition of the
India–USA joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025 commenced in Fort
Wainwright, Alaska. Scheduled from 1st to 14th September 2025, this exercise
involves troops from the Indian Army’s Madras Regiment and the US 1st
Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment Bobcats of the Arctic Wolves Brigade Combat
Team, 11th Airborne Division. The exercise takes place amid ongoing bilateral
trade tensions but marks the continuing strategic defence partnership between
the two nations. Troops rehearse a wide array of tactical drills. These include
the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for surveillance and counter-UAS
operations. The exercise also covers live-fire drills and complex manoeuvres
simulating high-altitude warfare conditions. These drills aim to improve combat
readiness for multi-domain challenges and United Nations peacekeeping missions.
SPORTS
1. New Delhi to Host Badminton World
Championships 2026 After 17 Years: New
Delhi will host the Badminton World Championships in August
2026, marking the tournament’s return to India after 17 years (last held
in Hyderabad in 2009).The event will also mark the return of the championships
to Asia after 4 years, with the last Asian host being Nanjing, China in
2018.India has a strong history at the event, with PV Sindhu being the most
successful, winning 5 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze).Other Indian
medalists include Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty, H.S. Prannoy,
Prakash Padukone, Jwala Gutta, and Ashwini Ponappa.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Odisha Ranks 5th in Green Mobility, Targets 1,000+
Electric Buses in Coming Years: Odisha ranks 5th in India in terms of green mobility adoption, with a
focus on expanding its electric bus (e-bus) fleet.The state government has set
an ambitious target to increase its e-bus fleet to over 1,000 in the coming
years.As per data, 14,329 e-buses operate across India, with Delhi (3,564),
Maharashtra (3,296), Karnataka (2,236), and Uttar Pradesh (850) leading.Odisha
has surpassed neighbouring states like West Bengal (391), Andhra Pradesh (238),
Chhattisgarh (215), and Jharkhand (46) in e-bus adoption.
2. India’s First Tempered Glass
Manufacturing Facility for Mobile Devices Inaugurated at Noida: Union Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s
first Tempered Glass Manufacturing Facility for Mobile Devices at Noida, set up
by Optiemus Electronics in collaboration with Corning Inc., USA.The
facility, with an initial investment of ₹70 crore, will produce high-quality
tempered glass under the brand “Engineered by Corning”, supplying to both
domestic and global markets.
Phase
1 capacity: 25 million units annually, generating 600 direct jobs; Phase 2: 200
million units annually with an additional ₹800 crore investment, creating
4,500+ jobs.Optiemus Infracom, with nearly three decades of experience in
telecom, technology, and manufacturing, leads this initiative to strengthen
India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
3. Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches
AI-Powered IMC 2025 App with Theme “Innovate to Transform”: Union Minister Jyotiraditya
M. Scindia launched the AI-powered India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 mobile app with
the theme “Innovate to Transform”.The
9th edition of IMC 2025 will be held from October 8–11, 2025, at Yashobhoomi
Convention Centre, Dwarka, New Delhi.The app offers next-gen features like
real-time live-streaming of sessions, enabling global participation.A key
highlight is IMC Suggests, an AI-powered concierge that personalizes
recommendations for sessions, networking, and F&B zones.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Private Sector Capex Set to Rise
21.5% to ₹2.67 Lakh Crore in FY26: RBI Report: Private sector capital investment is projected to rise 21.5%
to ₹2.67 lakh crore in FY26, supported by strong macro fundamentals and a
100-bps policy rate cut.Indian corporates entered FY26 with healthier balance
sheets, higher cash reserves, better profitability, and wider funding access,
despite global uncertainties.Policy push for infrastructure, disinflation,
lower interest rates, easy liquidity, and rising capacity utilisation are
creating a favourable investment climate.The infrastructure sector, particularly
power, continues to attract the largest share of planned capex, with projects
estimated at ₹2.67 lakh crore in FY26 vs. ₹2.20 lakh crore in FY25.
2. India Post Payments Bank marks 8th
foundation day: India Post Payments Bank
(IPPB) celebrated its 8th Foundation Day (1 September
2025), reaffirming its mission to deliver inclusive, accessible, and
affordable banking services at the last mile.Established in 2018, IPPB has
emerged as one of the world’s largest financial inclusion initiatives, leveraging
1.64 lakh post offices and 1.90 lakh Postmen/Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) to serve
over 12 crore customers.The Bank has diversified into DBT disbursements,
pension payments, credit facilitation, insurance, and investment products,
while also rolling out DigiSmart accounts, Aarogya Savings, RuPay virtual debit
cards, AePS payments, Bharat BillPay, and cross-border remittances.Chairman
Vandita Kaul and MD & CEO R. Viswesvaran underlined IPPB’s role in
redefining banking access, empowering rural and underserved citizens, and
setting a global benchmark for last-mile financial services.
3. Indian Railways & SBI Sign MoU to
Provide Enhanced Insurance Benefits for Railway Employees: Indian Railways and SBI signed an MoU in New
Delhi to provide enhanced insurance benefits for railway employees, in the
presence of Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and SBI Chairman C.S.
Setty.Under the MoU, accidental death insurance for SBI salary account-holding
railway employees has been increased to ₹1 crore, compared to earlier coverage
of ₹1.2 lakh (Group A), ₹60,000 (Group B), and ₹30,000 (Group C).All railway
employees with only an SBI salary account will now be eligible for natural
death insurance coverage of ₹10 lakh without paying any premium.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Indore Awarded IGBC Green City Platinum Certification: Indore has emerged as a leading example of sustainable urban development in India. Recently, it became the first city in Madhya Pradesh and one of only three cities in the country to receive the prestigious CII Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Green City Platinum Certification. This certification recognises excellence in environmental management and green urban planning. The IGBC Green City Certification is a rigorous evaluation system developed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). It assesses cities on multiple sustainability parameters. These include water and energy conservation, solid waste management, green cover expansion, e-governance, and policy frameworks. The certification aims to promote sustainable living and eco-friendly urban growth.
No comments:
Post a Comment