Sarkari Naukri
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Latest Current Affairs - October 2023

Month Type

  1. Oct 1 is observed as UN International Day of Older Persons. 2023 Theme is Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons.
    1. Oct 1 is also observed as -
      1. National Pension System Diwas (NPS Diwas), by PFRDA.
      2. International Coffee Day.
      3. World Vegetarian Day.
      4. National day of China.
  2. Misc. Defence News / Events (Oct 2023) -
    1. Israel unveiled its battle tank Merkava Mark 5 Battle tank (known as Barak), to advance its defense capabilities.
    2. 2nd Edition of Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation (NIIO) Seminar – ‘Swavlamban 2023’ held in New Delhi.
      1. Notably, during the event, SBI NAVeCash Card was launched, as one-of-its-kind dual-chip debit card developed by SBI and Indian Navy. The card can be used in online mode (as a regular debit card) as well as in offline mode while at sea with no direct connectivity with the bank.
    3. Ministry of Defence signed contract for Mid Life Upgrade and Re-Powering of INS Beas, with Kochi-based Cochin Shipyard Limited, at cost 313 crores.
      1. INS Beas is 3rd in series of of Brahmaputra Class Frigates (Others are Brahmaputra, Betwa).
    4. Coastal Security Exercise Sagar Kavach 2023 conducted by Indian Navy in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
    5. Russia announced successful testing of its new nuclear-powered missile Burevestnik, with range up to 20000 kilometers.
    6. Indian Navy implemented 360 Degree Appraisal Mechanism, as a novel transformative initiative aimed at replacing reliance on periodic Confidential Reports submitted by senior officers, for evaluation of Navy personnel.
    7. India and European Union (EU) ships conducted their first joint naval exercise, in Gulf of Guinea.
    8. New weapons demonstrated by Israel -
      1. Iron Sting system - designed to neutralize rocket launchers with remarkable accuracy.
      2. Iron Beam missile defence system - Designed to destroy short-range rockets, artillery, mortar bombs & unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It has range of up to 7 km.
    9. Indian Army's first Vertical Wind Tunnel has been inaugurated at Special Forces Training School (SFTS) at Bakloh (Himachal Pradesh). It will help refine Combat Freefall skills of armed forces personnel.
    10. Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command (ENC) hosted Mid Planning Conference (MPC) of MILAN 24 (Multilateral Naval Exercise 2024), to be hosted by Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam in Feb 2024.
      1. Flagship event MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval exercise, incepted by Indian Navy in 1995. Previous edition, MILAN 2022 was conducted at Visakhapatnam, with participation from 39 countries.
    11. Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force successfully test-fired a medium-caliber maritime electromagnetic railgun from an offshore platform, as a global first in defense technology.
  3. Misc. Sports News / Events (Oct 2023) -
    1. Uganda won Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023 in Chennai, defeating Zimbabwe in final.
    2. Chandigarh's GMSS won Subroto Cup Junior (U 17) Boys Inter School International Football Title.
    3. International Olympic Committee (IOC) partnered with Reliance Foundation, to further Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India.
    4. Manikanta Hoblidhar has set new national record in men’s 100m by clocking 10.23s at National Open Athletics Championships 2023 in Bengaluru.
    5. Indian Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwani won FIDE World Junior Rapid Chess Championship 2023 in Sardinia (Italy).
    6. England cricketer Alastair Cook announced retirement from all forms of cricket.
    7. 2nd edition of Hyderabad EPrix Formula E race will be held in Feb 2024.
  4. Obituaries (Oct 2023) -
    1. Manohar Singh Gill - Former Chief Election Commissioner of India.
    2. Dahyabhai Shastri - Noted Padma Shri Awardee Sanskrit scholar and founder of Brahmarshi Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya (Nadiad).
    3. Anathalavattom Anandan - Former Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly.
    4. Terence Davies - Noted British filmmaker, known for his work in autobiographical films.
    5. P V Gangadharan - Noted Malayalam film producer.
    6. Bishan Singh Bedi - Noted Former Indian Cricketer.
    7. Li Keqiang - Former premier of China (2nd-highest ranked leader of China).
    8. Richard Arnold Roundtree - Noted American Actor, Considered as first Black action hero.
  5. Misc. Appointments (Oct 2023) -
    1. Abhay Karandikar (former Director of IIT Kanpur) has been named as Secretary of Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Science and Technology).
    2. Sadhna S Nair has been named Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces), becoming first woman to hold the post.
    3. RBI named Muneesh Kapur as an Executive Director (ED).
    4. Govt extended tenure of Dinesh Khara as SBI Chairman, until August 2024.
    5. Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) elected Navneet Munot (HDFC Asset Management) as its Chairman.
    6. Sanjay Kumar Jain has been named CMD of Railways PSU Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
    7. India's Sarang Deo (Indian School of Business) has been named as a member of Strategic and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) for Tuberculosis by World Health Organization (WHO).
    8. Sanjay Kulshrestha has been named CMD of PSU HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation).
    9. Meenesh Shah (CMD of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)) has been elected to Board of International Dairy Federation (IDF).
    10. New Notable Indian Ambassadors -
      1. Vani Sarraju Rao - Italy
  6. Misc. Economy / Financial News (Oct 2023) -
    1. India opposed US Based Moody’s Investors Service's concerns about security and privacy vulnerabilities associated with biometric technologies, particularly India’s Aadhaar program, raised under report Decentralized Finance and Digital Assets.
    2. RBI cancelled Banking licence of Nagar Urban Co-operative Bank (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra).
    3. Notable Penalties imposed by RBI -
      1. Paytm Payments Bank - 5.39 Crores.
      2. Kotak Mahindra Bank - 3.95 Crores.
      3. ICICI Bank - 12.19 Crores.
      4. L&T Finance - 2.50 Crores.
      5. Union Bank of India - 1 Crore.
    4. RBI approved Amalgamation of Suvikas People’s Co-operative Bank (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) with Kalupur Commercial Co-operative Bank (Ahmedabad, Gujarat).
    5. RBI canceled certificate of registration of Indian Bank subsidiary Ind Bank Housing, in which Indian bank holds 51%.
    6. RBI announced to regulate entities facilitating payment and settlement for online cross border export / import transactions as Payment Aggregators – Cross Border (PA-CB), under Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007.
    7. RBI inaugurated its Sub-office in Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh).
    8. Govt notified Minimum Export Price (MEP) of USD 800 per Metric Ton for onion (upto 31st Dec 2023), to maintain sufficient availability of onion to domestic consumers at affordable prices.
    9. Navratna PSU NLC India Limited incorporated its subsidiary NLC India Green Energy Limited (NIGEL), focused on taking up Renewable Energy initiatives.
    10. Indian GDP Growth Forecasts (Oct 2023) -
      1. As per World Bank's latest India Development Update (IDU) -
        1. Retained growth forecast for India in FY24 (2023-24) at 6.3 % (down from 7.2 % in FY23 (2022-23)).
        2. Revised retail inflation forecast for India for FY24 (2023-24), to 5.9 % (earlier 5.2 %).
      2. As per UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2023 -
        1. World economic growth to slow from 3% in 2022 to 2.4% in 2023. It will improve slightly to 2.5 % in 2024.
        2. For India, it predicts 6.6 % GDP growth in 2023 & 6.2 % in 2024.
      3. As per IMF's World Economic Outlook (October 2023 Update) -
        1. Revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 24 (2023-24), to 6.3% (from previous prediction of 6.1%).
        2. Global growth is expected to be 3% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024.
      4. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) expects Indian GDP to grow at 6.3% during FY24 (2023-24).
    11. Outlook Group launched retirement planning event 40After40, in association with IDFC FIRST Bank. It will be hosted at Jio World Convention Centre (Mumbai) in January 2024.
    12. Bharti Group acquired French insurer AXA’s 49% stake in Bharti AXA Life Insurance, marking consolidation of the joint venture between India's Bharti Group and French insurer Axa.
    13. Food tech firm Zomato introduced its hyperlocal delivery service Xtreme. It aims to enable intracity delivery of small packages, by leveraging fleet of 3 lakh delivery executives.
    14. RBL Bank launched digital Savings Account named GO, enabling faster and more convenient banking experience.
    15. Swan Energy Ltd completed acquisition of Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited, which completes takeover process of the company from NCLT. The process includced payment of 231 crores by Swan Energy.
      1. Swan Energy partnered with resolution applicant Hazel Mercantile Ltd through its special purpose vehicle Hazel Infra, to acquire RNEL under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
    16. Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved merger of Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC) with IDFC First Bank.
    17. Federal Bank inaugurated Mookkannoor Mission, designed to drive change and progress in village of Mookkannoor in Ernakulam district of Kerala.
      1. Mookkannoor is birthplace of Federal bank founder K P Hormis.
  7. Misc. MOUs (Oct 2023) -
    1. Between Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) & IT Firm IBM, to accelerate innovation in AI, Semiconductor and quantum technology in India. Under it, IBM will work with IndiaAI, India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
    2. Between Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and GatiShakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), to advance India's infrastructure and logistics sectors.
    3. Between ARAI and IIT Guwahati, for Establishment of Common Engineering Facility Center titled Digital Twin Center for Emerging Automotive Systems in Hub and Spoke model.
    4. Between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Aircraft Engines (France),  to develop industrial cooperation in Ring forging manufacturing for commercial engines.
      1. Under it,  HAL will produce LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion, powering Airbus A320 Neo family and Boeing 737 Max) engine Forgings at its facility in Bengaluru.
    5. Between IIT Kanpur and Airbus, to facilitate increased collaboration in developing education programmes with a focus on research to foster talent development in Indian aerospace sector.
  8. GST revenue collected in September 2023 stood at 1,62,712 crores (out of which CGST 29,818 crore, SGST 37,657 crore, IGST 83,623 crore & cess 11,613 crore).
  9. Misc. Science News / Events (Oct 2023) -
    1. Nokia established a 6G lab at its Global R&D center in Bangalore, to accelerate development of fundamental technologies and innovative use cases under 6G technology.
    2. ISRO in collaboration with Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) organized exhibition called Space on Wheels in East Siang District (Arunachal Pradesh), showcasing sophisticated models of satellites, launching vehicles, and communication systems.
    3. Kerala’s 1st 3D-printed building named Amaze-28 has been unveiled in Thiruvananthapuram, constructed in quick period of 28 days.
    4. Department of Consumer Affairs launched Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023, in collaboration with IIT (BHU), to design app / software that can detect dark patterns on e-Commerce platforms.
    5. Chip designer Qualcomm partnered with Google to make wearable devices like smartwatches using chips based on RISC-V technology.
      1. RISC-V is an open-source technology that competes with costly proprietary technology from British chip designer Arm Holdings.
  10. Misc. / Industrial Awards (Oct 2023) -
    1. US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) honored Nita Ambani (Chairperson of Reliance Foundation) with 2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility.
    2. Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud received Award for Global Leadership by his alma mater Harvard Law School (US).
  11. Mohamed Muizzu has been elected as New president of Maldives.
    1. Notably, the elections were observed by India's Election Commissioner Arun Goel.
  12. As per data released under 2022 Bihar caste-based survey -
    1. Survey was conducted in 2 phases - house listing and caste and economic enumeration.
    2. Results -
      1. Total population of State is 1.3 crores.
      2. Top 3 Religions - Hinduism (81.99% ), Islam (17.70%), Buddhism (0.08%).
      3. Community wise -
        1. Other Backward Classes (63.14%)
        2. Scheduled Castes (19.65%)
        3. General (15.52%)
        4. Scheduled Tribes (1.68%)
  13. RBI constituted an external Working Group on Expected Credit Loss (ECL) based Framework for Provisioning by Banks, to be chaired by R Narayanaswamy (former Professor at IIM Bangalore).
    1. ECL approach to provisioning is a paradigm shift from current incurred loss-based provisioning regime.
  14. Madhya Pradesh Govt announced 35% reservation in all state government jobs for women (excluding Forest Department), by introducing an amendment to Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules 1997.
  15. Oct 02 is Birth Anniversary of M K Gandhi and Former PM Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji (2nd PM of India). It is observed by UN as  International Day of Non-Violence, since 2007.
    1. On this occaison -
      1. PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first high-tech sports training centre for Divyangjan, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh).
    2. Notably, Oct 2 is also observed as  -
      1. Swachh Bharat Diwas in India.
        1. Annual Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) fortnight organised between 15th Sept to 2nd Oct ‘23.
        2. J&K Govt named highest gallantry awardee (Param Vir Chakra recipient) Bana Singh as ambassador for War Against Waste initiative in Jammu & Kashmir, to combat sanitation challenges in rural areas of UT.
        3. 75% villages across India achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status under Phase II of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Mission. Over 4.43 lakh villages have declared themselves ODF Plus, as significant step towards achieving SBM-G phase II goals by 2024-25.
      2. World Day for Farmed Animals.
      3. World Habitat Day (observed annually on 1st Monday of October), with 2023 theme Resilient Urban Economies: Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery.
  16. India and Bangladesh commenced 11th edition of annual joint military exercise SAMPRITI, in Umroi (Meghalaya).
  17. Sudha Murthy (Author and wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy) has been honored with Global Indian Award by Canada India Foundation, carrying prize of $50000. She is 1st female recepient of this award.
  18. State Bank of India (SBI) introduced Mobile Handheld Device for its Financial Inclusion (FI) customers, to enhance convenience in availing banking services and extend essential banking services to the masses.
    1. Mobile Handheld Device will provide five core banking services - cash withdrawal, cash deposit, fund transfer, balance inquiry and mini statement. Bank plans to expand its offerings by including several other services.
  19. Notable Points from PM Narendra Modi's Visit to Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana & Madhya Pradesh -
    1. Chhattisgarh -
      1. Launched NMDC’s Steel Plant at Nagarnar in Bastar district, Built at cost over 23800 crores, as a greenfield project that will produce high quality steel. 
    2. Telangana-
      1. Announced formation of National Turmeric Board, to focus on growth of turmeric and turmeric products in country. Notably -
        1. India is largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric in world, with production of 11.61 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 (over 75% of global turmeric production). Largest producing states are Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
        2. Turmeric and turmeric products exports from India in 2022-23 valued at 207 million USD. It is expected to reach USD 1 Billion by 2030.
      2. Announced to establish new Central Tribal University in Mulugu district, to be named after revered tribal goddesses Sammakka-Sarakka. It will set up at cost 900 crores.
      3. Launched 1st 800 MW Unit of phase 1 of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project of NTPC, which will provide low cost power to Telangana.
        1. The plant will have capacity of 1600 MW (2x800 MW) in first phase and in total planned capacity of 4000 MW.
    3. Madhya Pradesh -
      1. On occasion of M K Gandhi's birthday (Oct 02), PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first high-tech sports training centre for Divyangjan, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh).
      2. Launched Delhi-Vadodara Stretch of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, developed at cost 11895 crores.
        1. This stretch will reduce distance between Delhi & Vadodara to 845 KM (From 1000 Km earlier), with travel time reduced to 10 Hours.
      3. Inaugurated academic building of IIT Indore and laid foundation stone of Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Indore (State's 1st).
      4. Laid foundation stone for Veerangana Rani Durgavati Smarak aur Udyaan, to be built at cost 100 crores, in Jabalpur (to mark 500th birth centenary of Rani Durgavati).
        1. Rani Durgavati was ruling queen of Gondwana in mid 16th century, remembered for her courageous fight against Mughals.
    4. Rajasthan -
      1. Laid foundation stone for development of New Terminal Building at Jodhpur Airport, to cater to 35 lakh passengers annually.
      2. Inaugurated IIT Jodhpur campus.
      3. Flagged off 2 new train services in Rajasthan - Runicha Express (Jaisalmer to Delhi) and a new heritage train connecting Marwar Jn. - Khambli Ghat.
  20. Cabinet Approvals (Oct 04, 2023) -
    1. General -
      1. Approved introduction of Central Universities (Amendment) Bill 2023 in Parliament, to amend Central Universities Act 2009, for setting up of Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University at Mulugu District in Telangana.
      2. Approved promulgation of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tenancy Regulation 2023, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Tenancy Regulation 2023 AND Lakshadweep Tenancy Regulation 2023, under Article 240 of Constitution of India.
        1. It will provide legal framework for creating an accountable and transparent ecosystem for renting premises in UTs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep; by balancing interests and rights of both landlord and tenant.
    2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Approvals -
      1. Approved proposal of Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (Ministry of Jal Shakti) to complete balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project, at revised cost of 2431 crores (Earlier 1622 crores).
        1. The project will provide additional annual irrigation to 42301 ha in four drought prone districts of Jharkhand and Bihar.
      2. Approved issue of further Terms of Reference to existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II under ISRWD Act, for its adjudication between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 
        1. This is based on issues raised by Telangana Govt in their complaint under Inter State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act 1956.
  21. Oct 4 is observed as World Animal Day, an international day of action for animal rights and welfare.
    1. It is observed annually on October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
  22. Indonesia inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, named Whoosh.
    1. The project is a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, built with estimated cost of $7.3 billion, predominantly funded by China.
    2. Whoosh stands for Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal. It means timesaving, optimal operation, reliable system in Indonesian language.
  23. India's National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) partnered with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), to launch a $600 million India-Japan Fund (IJF).
    1. It marks NIIF’s first bi-lateral fund, with Govt of India contributing 49% of target corpus and remaining 51% contributed by JBIC.
    2. The Fund will focus on investing in environmental sustainability, and will help enhance Japanese investments into India.
  24. Oct 5 is observed by UNESCO as World Teachers' Day. 2023 Theme is The teachers we need for the education we want.
    1. Note that National Teachers' Day in India is observed on Sep 5. It commemorates Birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, first Vice President and second President of India.
    2. Oct 05 is also observed as Gangetic Dolphin Day in India. On October 5 in 2010, dolphins were declared as National Aquatic Animal.
  25. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified amendments in Cable Television Networks Rules 1994, to decriminalize provisions of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.
    1. To make the Act more business-friendly and boost investor confidence, punishments under Section 16 of the Act have been removed through Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provision) Act 2023.
    2. The imprisonment provisions have been now replaced with monetary penalty and other non-monetary measures like Advisory, Warning and Censure.
  26. RBI approved merger of Fintech startup Slice with North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB). Merged entity will look to expand tech-enabled financial accessibility across nation.
  27. Tarun Sobti took charge as Deputy Chief of Indian Navy.
    1. Notably, The post is different from Vice Chief of Indian Navy (Sanjay Jasjit Singh currently).
  28. India has been re-elected as President of Asia- Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) General Conference (GC), for 3rd successive 3-year term.
    1. Kualalumpur (Malaysia) based AIBD was established in 1977, under UNESCO.
  29. Ramaswamy N has been named new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re).
  30. Indian-origin professor at University of Amsterdam Joyeeta Gupta received Spinoza Prize by Dutch Research Council (NWO), for her work in field of climate change.
    1. Spinoza Prize is an annual award of 1.5 million euro prize money, to be spent on new research given by Dutch Research Council (NWO). It is named after philosopher Baruch de Spinoza.
  31. Bihar govt announced 10 % reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in judicial services and state-run law colleges and universities.
  32. Nobel Prize Winners 2023 -
    1. Winners -
      1. Physics -
        1. Pierre Agostini (France), Ferenc Krausz (Hungary), Anne L’Huillier (France) - for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter.
      2. Chemistry -
        1. Moungi G. Bawendi (France), Louis E. Brus (USA), Aleksey I. Yekimov (Russia) - for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots.
      3. Physiology / Medicine -
        1. Katalin Karikó (Hungary), Drew Weissman (USA) - for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
      4. Literature -
        1. Jon Fosse (Norway).
      5. Peace -
        1. Narges Mohammadi (Iran) - For her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all
      6. Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel -
        1. Claudia Goldin (USA) - for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes
    2. Facts About Nobel prizes -
      1. Each Nobel Prize recipient receives a gold medal, a diploma, and a monetary award of 10,000,000 SEK (Approx 1 Million USD). Prize in a single category can be shared by up to 3 recipients.
      2. Background -
        1. Will of Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel established five Nobel prizes in 1895 - Chemistry, Literature, Peace, Physics, and Physiology or Medicine, first awarded in 1901.
        2. In 1968, Sweden's central bank Sveriges Riksbank established the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, which, although not being a Nobel Prize, has become informally known as Nobel Prize in Economics.
      3. Indian Nobel Laureates -
        1. Rabindranath Tagore in 1913 (Literature)
        2. C.V. Raman in 1930 (Physics)
        3. Mother Teresa in 1979 (Peace)
        4. Amartya Sen in 1998 (Economic Studies)
        5. Kailash Satyarthi in 2014 (Peace)
      4. Indian Origin Nobel Laureates -
        1. Har Gobind Khorana (US) - In 1968 for Physiology / Medicine.
        2. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (US) - In 1983 for Physics.
        3. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (UK/US) - In 2009 for Chemistry.
        4. Abhijit Banerjee (US) - In 2019 for Economics
  33. Oct 07 is observed by UN as World Cotton Day.
  34. 19th edition of Indo-US Joint annual Army Exercise YUDH ABHYAS held in Alaska (USA).
  35. Tripura CM Manik Saha launched e-cabinet system, to develop digital infrastructure in state.
    1. Tripura is 4th state to implement e-cabinet system, after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
  36. Rajasthan Govt announced formation of 3 new districts in state - Malpura, Sujangarh and Kuchman City. It will take number of districts in state up to 53.
  37. Notable recommendations under 52nd GST Council Meeting -
    1. Amendments in conditions of appointment of President and Member of proposed GST Appellate Tribunals (regarding eligibility and age).
      1. President and Members shall have tenure up to age of 70 years and 67 years respectively.
    2. Notable GST Rate Chnages -
      1. Nil rate for food preparation of millet flour in powder form and containing at least 70% millets by weight when sold in loose form, and 5% if sold in pre-packaged and labelled form.
      2. Keep Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) used for manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption outside GST.
      3. Reduced GST on molasses from 28% to 5% in relief to cane farmers for faster clearance of dues and to reduce cost of manufacturing cattle feed.
  38. Oct 8 is observed as Indian Air Force Day. 2023 is 91st observance of the day.
    1. On this occasion -
      1. Chief of Air Staff Vivek Ram Chaudhari unveiled new IAF ensign, at Air Force Station-Bamrauli in Prayagraj.
        1. New IAF ensign has been formed after 72 years. In the new ensign, the IAF crest will be in top right corner.
      2. IAF announced to retire its ageing Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets, and replace them with indigenous HAL Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A, by 2025.
      3. IAF received first trainer version of light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
    2. Also -
      1. National Wildlife Week is observed in India annually between October 2-8, with 2023 theme Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation.
      2. Oct is obsreved annually as World Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day.
  39. Swaminarayan Akshardham temple has been inaugurated in Robbinsville Township (New Jersey, USA), as second-largest Hindu temple in world (after Angkor Wat in Cambodia). It spreads across 183-acres area, and is 191-feet tall.
  40. European Union approved new standards for companies issuing green bonds, to help investors pick sustainable companies and avoid greenwashing (misleading climate-friendly claims).
    1. Europe accounts for over half of global green bonds issuance volume. Though green bonds issuance is still only 3-3.5% of overall bond market.
  41. Red Bull's Dutch-Belgian F1 Racer Max Verstappen won Qatar Grand Prix 2023.
    1. With this, Max Verstappen won his 3rd F1 title, after his 14th victory of 2023 F1 season at Qatar GP.
    2. F1 Season 2023 -
      1. Grand Prix Winner Race date
        Bahrain Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 5 March
        Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 19 March
        Australian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 April
        Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 30 April
        Miami Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 7 May
        Monaco Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 28 May
        Spanish Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 4 June
        Canadian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 18 June
        Austrian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 July
        British Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 9 July
        Hungarian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 23 July
        Belgian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 30 July
        Dutch Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 27 August
        Italian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 3 September
        Singapore Grand Prix   Carlos Sainz Jr. (France) 17 September
        Japanese Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 24 September
        Qatar Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 8 October
        United States Grand Prix   22 October
        Mexico City Grand Prix   29 October
        São Paulo Grand Prix   5 November
        Las Vegas Grand Prix   18 November
        Abu Dhabi Grand Prix   26 November
  42. 19th Asian Games 2022 (Hangzhou, China) -
    1. About -
      1. 11909 Athletes from 45 Nations participated in 481 events (40 sports).
      2. Signs -
        1. Motto - Heart to Heart.
        2. Mascots - Congcong, Lianlian, and Chenchen (collectively knwon as Memories of Jiangnan).
      3. Originally scheduled to be held in Sep 2022, the Games were postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
      4. Notable Changes compared to 2018 Asian Games -
        1. 6 Sports Added - Marathon swimming, Breakdancing, Chess, Esports, Go & Xiangqi. In Athletics, Mixed team 35 KM race walk was added and Men's 50 KM walk removed.
        2. Cricket has been included in 2022 Asian Games (which was removed from 2018 games).
      5. Next Edition, 2026 Asian Games will be held in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture (Japan).
    2. Medals -
      1. Medal Table -
        1. Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
          1  China 201 111 71 383
          2  Japan 52 67 69 188
          3  South Korea 42 59 89 190
          4  India 28 38 41 107
          5  Uzbekistan 22 18 31 71
          6  Chinese Taipei 19 20 28 67
          7  Iran 13 21 20 54
          8  Thailand 12 14 32 58
          9  Bahrain 12 3 5 20
          10  North Korea 11 18 10 39
      2. India at 2022 Asian Games -
        1. With 107 Medals (28 Gold, 38 Silver & 41 Bronze), India achieved its best ever medal tally at Asian Games.
        2. Most medals won by India in -
          1. Overall - Athletics (29), Shooting (22), Archery (9)
          2. Gold - Shooting (7), Athletics (6), Archery (5)
        3. Gold Medals -
          1. Athlete (S) Sport Event
            • Divyansh Panwar
            • Rudrankksh Patil
            • Aishwary Tomar
            		 Shooting Men's 10m air rifle team
            India women's national cricket team Cricket Women's tournament
            • Anush Agarwalla
            • Hriday Chheda
            • Divyakirti Singh
            • Sudipti Hajela

            Equestrian (Horse Riding)*

            * this is India's 1st gold medal in Horse riding, since 1982 Delhi Asian Games.

            		 Team dressage
            • Esha Singh
            • Manu Bhaker
            • Rhythm Sangwan
            		 Shooting Women's 25m pistol team
            Sift Kaur Samra Women's 50m rifle three positions
            • Arjun Cheema
            • Shiva Narwal
            • Sarabjot Singh
            		 Men's 10m air pistol team
            • Aishwary Tomar
            • Akhil Sheoran
            • Swapnil Kusale
            		 Men's 50m rifle three positions team
            Palak Gulia Women's 10m air pistol
            Rohan Bopanna
            Rutuja Bhosale            		 Lawn Tennis Mixed doubles
            • Saurav Ghosal
            • Abhay Singh
            • Mahesh Mangaonkar
            • Harinder Pal Sandhu
            		 Squash Men's team
            • Kynan Chenai
            • Prithviraj Tondaiman
            • Zoravar Singh
            		 Shooting Men's trap team
            Avinash Sable Athletics Men's 3000 m steeplechase
            Tajinderpal Singh Toor Men's shot put
            Parul Chaudhary Women's 5000 m
            Annu Rani Women's javelin throw
            • Jyothi Surekha
            • Ojas Deotale
            		 Archery Mixed team compound
            Neeraj Chopra Athletics Men's javelin throw
            • Amoj Jacob
            • Rajesh Ramesh
            • Mohammad Anas
            • Muhammad Ajmal
            		 Men's 4 × 400 m relay
            • Aditi Swami
            • Jyothi Surekha
            • Parneet Kaur
            		 Archery Women's team compound
            • Harinder Pal Sandhu
            • Dipika Pallikal
            		 Squash Mixed doubles
            • Abhishek Verma
            • Ojas Deotale
            • Prathamesh Jawkar
            		 Archery Men's team compound
            India men's national field hockey team Field hockey Men's tournament
            Jyothi Surekha Archery Women compound individual
            Ojas Deotale Men compound individual
            India women's national kabaddi team Kabaddi Women's team
            • Chirag Shetty
            • Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
            		 Badminton Men's doubles
            India men's national cricket team Cricket Men's tournament
            India men's national kabaddi team Kabaddi Men's team
    3. Other Notable Facts about 2022 Asian Games -
      1. Nepal cricket team has set new record for highest ever total in a T20 International Cricket match, with score of 314 against Mongolia. It went past Afghanistan's record of 278 runs. During the same game, Nepal's Kushal Malla has set new record for fastest men's T20I century, scoring it in 34 balls.
      2. About India's Campaign -
        1. Sports Authority of India (SAI) had launched short movie Halla Bol, under Campaign Cheer4India, to motivate Indian Atheletes for Asian Games 2022.
        2. Amul was named official sponsor of Indian Contingent for Asian Games 2022.
        3. Hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxer Lovlina Borgohain were India's flag-bearers for Asian Games 2022 opening ceremony.
  43. As per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report 2022-2023 (6th edition) -
    1. Estimates of key labour market indicators in usual status -
      1. Unemployment Rate -
        1. In rural areas, UR decreased from 5.3% in 2017-18 to 2.4% in 2022-23 while for urban areas it decreased from 7.7% to 5.4%.
        2. UR for male decreased from 6.1% in 2017-18 to 3.3% in 2022-23 and corresponding decrease in UR for female was from 5.6% to 2.9%. 
      2. Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) -
        1. In rural areas, LFPR increased from 50.7% in 2017-18 to 60.8% in 2022-23. In urban areas, LFPR increased from 47.6% to 50.4%.
        2. LFPR for male increased from 75.8% in 2017-18 to 78.5% in 2022-23 and corresponding increase in LFPR for female was from 23.3% to 37.0%.
      3. Worker Population Ratio (WPR) -
        1. In rural areas, WPR increased from 48.1% in 2017-18 to 59.4% in 2022-23 while for urban areas it increased from 43.9% to 47.7%.
        2. WPR for male increased from 71.2% in 2017-18 to 76.0% in 2022-23 and corresponding increase in WPR for female was from 22.0% to 35.9%.  
    2. About -
      1. To ensure availability of labour force data at more frequent time intervals, National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017.
  44. Annual Joint HADR Exercise (AJHE) CHAKRAVAT 2023 hosted by Indian Navy at Goa.
    1. AJHE is held since 2015, involving participation of all three Services, Paramilitary Forces, disaster response forces and other related organisations.
    2. It is conducted by Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force in rotation.
  45. Oct 9 is observed as World Post Day. It marks establishment of Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared in 1969. 2023 Theme is Innovation, Integration and Inclusion.
    1. In India, National Postal Day is celebrated annually on 10 October, as an extension of World Post Day. Also, National Postal Week in India is observed Between 9th to 15th October.
    2. Oct 9 is also obsebved as Indian foreign service (IFS) day in India, observed since  2011, to commemorate the day the Cabinet created the Foreign Service (in 1946).
    3. Oct 9 is also observed as Territorial Army Day, which came into being when Territorial Army Act was enacted on Aug 18, 1948. It was formally raised by first Governor General Shri C Rajagopalachari on 09 Oct. 1949.
  46. YES Bank issued an ONDC Network Gift Card, becoming 1st bank to do so. It aims to enhance shopping experience for Indian consumers.
    1. Unlike traditional gift cards, the ONDC Network Gift Card will enable customers to purchase products from any brand / seller across a wide array of segments on ONDC Network.
    2. Working on Rupay network, it offers flexibility to load up to Rs 10000.
  47. Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum has set new world record in Men's marathon, by completing Chicago Marathon 2023 in 2 Hrs 35 Secs. He went past previous world record of 2:01:09, set by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge at 2022 Berlin Marathon.
    1. Women's race was won by Ethiopian-born Dutch Sifan Hassan (2:13:44).
    2. Notably,  The length of a full marathon is 26.2 miles (42.195 km).
  48. RBI doubled lending limits for gold loans under bullet repayment scheme for urban cooperative banks to 4 lakh.
    1. It will be applicable for UCBs who have met overall target under Priority Sector Lending (PSL) as on end FY23.
    2. A bullet repayment scheme is one where a borrower repays interest and principal amount at the end of a loan tenure, without worrying about repayment during the loan tenure.
  49. World Space Week (WSW) is observed Annually Between Oct 4 - 10, declared by UN in 1999. 2023 theme is Space and Entrepreneurship.
    1. Dates commemorate launch of first artificial satellite Sputnik I (on 4 October 1957) and entry into force of Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in Exploration and Use of Outer Space including Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (10 October 1967).
  50. 1st edition of Indian Military Heritage Festival held in New Delhi, to mark India’s rich military culture and heritage.
    1. On this occasion, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched Project Udbhav, as a joint collaboration of Indian Army and United Service Institution of India (153 years old New Delhi based defence services think), to promote indigenous discourse through exploration and integration of country’s ancient strategic acumen into contemporary military domain.
  51. Oct 10 is Observed as World Mental Health Day by World Health Organization.
    1. Also, beginning in 2023, Indian govt and Indian Drugs Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) will annually observe Oct 10 as National Current Good Manufacturing Practice Day.
  52. During International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s 141st Session in Mumbai, IOC Board approved inclusion of 5 sports in upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, including Baseball/softball, Cricket (T20), Flag football, Lacrosse & Squash.
    1. Cricket was earlier played at 1900 Summer Olympics, which was won by Great Britain (Defeated France in Final). It will be back at olympics now after 128 years. It will be played between 6 teams, in T20 Format.
    2. Notably -
      1. India hosted an IOC session after a gap of 40 years. IOC's 1st session in India was held in New Delhi in 1983.
      2. PM Narendra Modi formally declared India's interest in bidding for 2036 Olympics and 2029 Youth Olympics.
  53. General News / Events (Oct 1-10, 2023) -
    1. Google launched an Android Earthquake Alerts System to provide early warning alerts to users about earthquakes in their area, developed in association with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Seismology Center (NSC).
    2. Week-long programme for Aspirational Blocks held across country (Beginning Sep 30, 2023), called Sankalp Saptaah. It was launched by PM Narendra Modi (at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi).
      1. It is linked to effective implementation of Aspirational Blocks Programme nationwide, to improve governance at block level and enhance quality of life for citizens.
      2. It was implemented in 500 Aspirational Blocks across 329 districts.
    3. Notable Points from PM Narendra Modi's visit to Telengana -
      1. Launched Hassan-Cherlapalli LPG Pipeline Project, Built at cost 2170 crores.
      2. Laid foundation stone of 425 km long Multi- Product Petroleum Pipeline of BPCL from Krishnapatnam to Hyderabad (Malkapur), to be built at cost 1940 crores.
    4. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology & Bharatiya Bhasha Summit, held in New Delhi.
    5. Russia hosted 5th meet of Moscow format consultation on Afghanistan, in Kazan.
    6. All India Police Science Congress 2023 held in Dehradun (Uttarakhand).
    7. A new standardised Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children has been launched, prepared by Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
    8. Anti-Terror Conference 2023 organized by National Investigation Agency in New Delhi.
    9. Ministry of Tourism organised Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart 2023 in New Delhi.
    10. Govt declared Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) as an Unlawful Association under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967.
    11. Agricultural Science Congress 2023 held at Kochi (Kerala).
    12. National Security Council Secretariat organized 2nd Edition of National Cyber Security Exercise (Bharat NCX 2023), to strengthen India’s Cyber Security .
    13. Govt launched A-HELP (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme in State of Jharkhand.
      1. Under this, trained A-HELPs will give their vital contribution in preventing various infectious diseases of animals, artificial insemination under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), tagging of animals and animal insurance.
      2. It was earlier launched in Uttarakhand & Karnataka.
    14. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur launched KTB- Bharat Hain Hum animated series produced by Central Bureau of Communication.
      1. The series features stories from Indian Freedom struggle from 1500s to 1947, hosted by iconic animated characters Krish, Trish and Balti boy.
    15. Event titled Swiss Himalayan Bounty held in Nainital district (Uttarakhand), to mark 75 years of friendship treaty signed between Switzerland and India.
    16. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurated 82-km Padma Bridge Rail Link, as Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project built under China's Belt and Road Initiative (connecting Dhaka-Jashore ).
      1. Remaining portion of the project linking Jessore is expected to be launched in June 2024.
      2. The project is estimated to cost Tk 39,247 crore, with Exim Bank of China providing loan of Tk 21,037 crores.
  54. Govt notified Amendment to Aircraft Rules 1937, to promote ease of doing business and ensuring safety within aviation sector. Notable changes -
    1. Validity of Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) and Commercial Pilot License (CPL) has been increased from 5 to 10 years.
    2. Key changes introduced to address concerns related to display of false lights in vicinity of an aerodrome. Govt's jurisdiction over those exhibiting such lights has been extended from 5 KM to 5 nautical miles around an aerodrome.
    3. Rule 118 for validation of foreign licenses has been removed as being redundant.
    4. A clause to liberalise recency and competency requirements while ensuring continued competence for Air Traffic Controller License holders has been added under Schedule III.
  55. Cabinet Approvals (Oct 11, 2023) -
    1. MOUs -
      1. Trinidad and Tobago, France, Papua New Guinea - Cooperation in field of sharing successful Digital Solutions implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.
    2. General -
      1. Approved establishment of an autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat).
        1. It will aim to be a technology powered enabling mechanism for youth development, and provide equitable access to youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat.
        2. It will benefit youth in age-group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of Youth in the National Youth Policy. In case of programme components specifically meant for adolescents, beneficiaries will be in age-group of 10-19 years.
      2. Approved amendment of 2nd Schedule of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act), for specifying rate of royalty in respect of 3 critical and strategic minerals - Lithium, Niobium and Rare Earth Elements (REEs). It will enable govt to auction blocks for Lithium, Niobium and REEs for the first time.
        1. 2nd Schedule of MMDR Act provides royalty rates for various minerals. It states that royalty rate for minerals whose royalty rate is not specifically provided therein shall be 12% of Average Sale Price (ASP).
        2. As 12% of ASP is considerably high compared to other critical / strategic minerals, it has been decided to specify a reasonable royalty rate of Lithium, Niobium and REE as below -
          1. Lithium – 3% of London Metal Exchange price
          2. Niobium –3% of Average Sale Price (both for primary and secondary sources)
          3. REE- 1% of Average Sale Price of Rare Earth Oxide
        3. Notably, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act 2023 was passed by the Parliament Recently.
          1. It delisted 6 minerals (including Lithium and Niobium) from list of atomic minerals, allowing grant of concessions for these minerals to private sector through auction.
          2. Also, amendment provided that mining lease and composite license of 24 critical and strategic minerals (including Lithium, Niobium and REEs (not containing Uranium and Thorium)), shall be auctioned by Central Govt.
  56. Oct 11 is observed by UN as International Day of Girl Child. 2023 Theme is Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being.
  57. Fibe (formerly known as EarlySalary) and Axis Bank jointly launched India’s first numberless credit card (on Rupay Platform), which aims at prioritizing security of customers.
  58. Assam cabinet approved to build a 1000 km-long economic corridor project in state, under Asom Mala Scheme. It will cost approx 3000 crores.
  59. Uttarakhand government launched Yuva Uttarakhand mobile application, to provide information about self-employment to youth across state.
  60. As per 360 One Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2023 -
    1. Top 3 Richest Indians - Mukesh Ambani (RIL), Gautam Adani (Adani Group), Cyrus S Poonawalla (Serum Institute of India).
  61. As per Forbes World’s Best Employers 2023 List -
    1. Top 5 Employers globally -
      1. Samsung, Microsoft, Alphabet, Apple, Ferrari
    2. Indian Brands in List -
      1. Reliance Industries is best ranked Indian employer (Ranked 70th globally), Followed by Bajaj Group (242), Aditya Birla Group (253), NTPC (261).
  62. RBI announced results for 2nd edition of its global hackathon HARBINGER 2023 – Innovation for Transformation, with theme Inclusive Digital Services.
    1. Winners for Problem Statements -
      1. Innovative, easy-to-use, digital banking services for differently abled (Divyaang) - Ezetap Mobile Solutions (India)
      2. RegTech solutions to facilitate more efficient compliance by Regulated Entities (REs) - WeavAir (Singapore)
      3. Exploring use cases/solutions for CBDC-Retail transactions, including transactions in offline mode - Dygnify Ventures Private Limited (India)
      4. Increasing Transactions Per Second (TPS)/ throughput and scalability of blockchains - Fortis Net Ltd (UK).
  63. Oct 12, 2023 is obseved as World Sight Day, observed annually on second Thursday of October.
  64. India launched Operation Ajay to facilitate return from Israel of its citizens who wish to return, amid esclation of Israel-Hamas conflict after terror Attacks on Israel by Islamic terrorist Group Hamas.
  65. Uttar Pradesh Govt designated Gangetic Dolphin as state’s aquatic animal.
  66. Vivek Agnihotri (director of The Kashmir Files) launched his new book The Book of Life: My Dance with Buddha for Success.
  67. Global Hunger Index 2023 -
    1. India ranked 111th in list. Notably, India rejected its Global Hunger Index ranking, claiming it as having methodological issues.
    2. Neighbors - Bangladesh (81), Pakistan (102), Sri Lanka (60).
  68. Oct 13 is observed by UN as International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction.
  69. NASA Launched its Psyche mission, to explore origin of planetary cores by orbiting and studying metallic asteroid 16 Psyche, between 2029-2031.
    1. 16 Psyche is heaviest known M-type asteroid with a mean diameter of 220 kilometers, and may be an exposed iron core of a protoplanet.
    2. Mission is expected to travel 5 years to reach the asteroid. It will stay in orbit for 21 months, to perform planned studies.
  70. Finance Ministry granted Navaratna Status on Railways PSUs Ircon International Limited (IRCON) and RITES Ltd.
  71. Environment Ministry introduced initiatives named Green Credit Program (GCP) and Ecomark Scheme, to further govt's LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment movement. It aims to help tackle climate change and promote sustainable eco-conscious practices.
    1. Green Credit Program (GCP) -
      1. It is a market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors.
      2. GCP's governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee and Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) as Administrator.
      3. In initial phase, GCP focuses on water conservation and afforestation.
      4. To obtain Green Credits, individuals / entities must register their activities through app/website (www.moefcc-gcp.in). Upon verification, the Administrator will grant a Green Credit certificate which will be tradable on the green credit platform.
    2. Ecomark Scheme (Promoting Eco-Friendly Products) -
      1. It will enable consumers to opt for eco-friendly products, by providing accreditation / labelling for products that meet specific environmental criteria, while maintaining quality standards.
      2. It will also motivate manufacturers to shift towards environmentally friendly production.
      3. Central Pollution Control Board will administer Ecomark Scheme, in partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
  72. Oct 14 is observed as World Standards Day. 2023 theme is shared vision for a better world.
    1. Oct 14 is also observed as International E-Waste Day.
  73. Oct 14, 2023 is observed as World Migratory Bird Day. 2023 theme is Water: Sustaining Bird Life.
    1. It is officially celebrated twice in a year since 2006, Firstly on Second Saturday of May and again on Second Saturday of October. In 2023, earlier observance was on May 13.
  74. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) partnered with Coca-Cola India, to launch Super Power Retailer Program under Skill India Mission, to empower retailer community in states of Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
  75. Christopher Luxon has been elected as new Prime Minister of New Zealand.
  76. World Health Summit 2023 hosted in Berlin (Germany), with theme A Defining Year for Global Health Action.
    1. World Health Summit is hosted annually in Berlin (Germany), since 2009.
  77. Oct 15 is observed by UN as International Day of Rural Women. 2023 theme is  Invaluable Contribution of Rural Women to Development.
    1. India observes this day as Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas, since 2016.
    2. Oct 15 is also marked as Global Handwashing Day.
  78. Oct 15 is observed globally by UN as World Student’s Day, on occasion of birth anniversary of former president of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
    1. UN marked this day in 2010.
    2. Note that similar sounding International Students' Day is observed internationally on 17 November.
  79. Tallest statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar outside India has been inaugurated in Accokeek city (Maryland, USA).
    1. The 19 ft tall statue has been named Statue of Equality.
    2. B R Ambedkar was principal architect of India's Constitution.
  80. Monthly Trade and Inflation Data (Sep 2023) -
    1. Inflation and Trade Data for Sep 2023 -
      1. Wholesale price Index Based (WPI) -
        1. WPI based inflation stayed at - 0.26% (Negative) in September 2023.
        2. WPI Inflation in last 12 months -
          1. August 2023 - (-) 0.52 % (Negative)
          2. July 2023 - (-) 1.36 % (Negative)
          3. June 2023 - (-) 4.12 % (Negative) (lowest in 8 years)
          4. May 2023 - (-) 3.48 % (Negative)
          5. April 2023 - (-) 0.92 % (Negative)
          6. March 2023 - 1.34 %
          7. February 2023 - 3.85 % 
          8. January 2023 - 4.73 %
          9. December 2022 - 4.95 %
          10. November 2022 - 5.85 %
          11. October 2022 - 8.39 %
          12. September 2022 - 10.07 %
      2. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Based (retail inflation) -
        1. CPI-based inflation rate for September 2023 fell to 5.02 %.
        2. CPI Inflation in Last 12 Months -
          1. August 2023 - 6.83 % 
          2. July 2023 - 7.44 % (15 Month High)
          3. June 2023 - 4.81 %
          4. May 2023 - 4.25 % (25 Month Low)
          5. April 2023 - 4.7 %
          6. March 2023 - 5.66 %
          7. February 2023 - 6.44 %
          8. January 2023 - 6.52 %
          9. December 2022 - 5.72 %
          10. November 2022 - 5.88 %
          11. October 2022 - 6.77 %
          12. September 2022 - 7.41 %
      3. Trade -
          1. Overall Trade in September 2023 (Merchandise + Services) -
            1. Overall Imports - 68.75
            2. Overall Exports - 63.84
            3. Overall Trade Deficit - 4.92 Billion USD
          2. Compared to Last Month (August 2023)
            1. Overall Imports - 72.50
            2. Overall Exports - 60.87
            3. Overall Trade Deficit - 11.63 Billion USD
            4. Notably, India's Overall Trade Deficit stood at 21 month low of 1.38 Billion USD, in April 2023.
          3. Notable facts about India’s Trade during Previous Financial Year (FY 23 (2022-23)) -
            1. Exports stood at highest ever USD 770.18 billion during FY 2022-23, growing 13.84 % over FY 2021-22.
              1. Out of this, Merchandise exports stood at USD 447.46 billion & Services exports at USD 322.72 billion, both a new annual record.
              2. US and UAE retained first and second places respectively as India's largest export destinations, during FY 2022-23. Netherlands rose to third place, replacing China.
            2. In terms of overall trade too (exports + imports), US remained India's top partner in 2022-23, with $128.55 Billion Trade (Exports $78.31 billion & imports $50.24 billion).
            3. As per data by National Import-Export for Yearly Analysis of Trade (NIRYAT) portal -
              1. Tamil Nadu stayed at top in terms of export of electronic goods for FY 23 (2022-23), tripling in a year at $5.37 billion from $1.86 billion in previous year.
  81. Oct 16 as observed by UN as World Food Day, commemorating creation of UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.  2023 Theme is Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.
  82. ICICI Bank launched iFinance, which aims to change customers (including retail clients and sole proprietors) manage their finances.
    1. It will empower customers to consolidate their savings and current accounts from multiple banks into one convenient location.
  83. Microsoft completed $69 billion acquisition of Video game firm Activision Blizzard, as Microsoft's largest-ever acquisition.
  84. Education Ministry introduced One Nation, One Student ID for school students around country, under project named Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR). It will be a life-long ID that will track students’ achievements and academic journeys.
    1.  It was part of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, under which govt aims to create unique ID numbers for school students across India.
  85. Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $181 million loan to build quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban livability and mobility in peri-urban areas of Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
  86. Oct 17 is observed by UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. 2023 Theme is Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all.
  87. 9th P20 Summit 2023 hosted by Parliament of India in cooperation with IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) in New Delhi, with theme One Earth, One Family, One Future.
  88. VJ Kurian has been named non-executive part-time chairman of Thrissur-based South Indian Bank.
  89. Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande presented President’s Colours to Third Battalion of the Naga Regiment.
    1. President's Colour Award is highest honour that can be bestowed upon any military unit of India, also known as Nishaan.
  90. Jharkhand govt became first to initiate groundwork to define minimum wages for gig workers working with different app-based companies..
  91. Crop production Estimates released by Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare -
    1. Total horticulture production during 2022-23 - 351.92 million tonnes (2nd Advance Estimates).
    2. Production of major crops during 2022-23 - 3296.87 Lakh tonnes (Final Estimates). It is 140.71 Lakh tonnes more than production of foodgrains during 2021-22.
  92. HDFC Bank launched digital platform XpressWay, to streamline and expedite its products and services.
    1. It has been launched as an integral component of HDFC Bank’s NOW, an umbrella brand encompassing bank’s digital products and services.
  93. Ashok Vaswani has been elected as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, to succeed Uday Kotak.
  94. China announced to build world's largest ghost particle detector, called Tropical Deep-sea Neutrino Telescope (TRIDENT).
    1. Located 11500 feet beneath surface of the ocean (called Hai ling or Ocean Bell in Chinese), it will be anchored to seabed of Western Pacific Ocean. Upon completion in 2030, it will scan for rare flashes of light made by elusive particles as they briefly become tangible in ocean depths.
    2. About -
      1. Neutrinos are second only to photons as most abundant subatomic particles in universe. Despite their ubiquity, their minimal interactions with other matter make neutrinos incredibly difficult to detect.
      2. Neutrinos pass completely unimpeded through most matter, but they do occasionally interact with water molecules. As neutrinos travel through water or ice, they sometimes create particle byproducts called muons that give off flashes of light. To increase chances of ghost particle interactions, detectors have to sit under a lot of water or ice.
  95. Cabinet Approvals (Oct 18, 2023) -
    1. CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) Approvals -
      1. Approved project on Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II – Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for 13 GW Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh.
        1. Project is targeted to be set up by FY 2029-30, with cost 20,774 crores (with 40% Central Financial Assistance).
        2. Keeping in view complex terrain, adverse climatic conditions and defence sensitivities of Ladakh region, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) will be Implementing Agency for this project.
        3. Project will contribute to achieving target of 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.
      2. Approved increase in Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25.

        1. Crops

          MSP

          2014-15

          MSP 2023-24

          MSP 2024-25

          Cost of production RMS 2024-25

          Increase in MSP (Absolute)

          Margin over cost (in %)

          Wheat

          1400

          2125

          2275

          1128

          150

          102

          Barley

          1100

          1735

          1850

          1158

          115

          60

          Gram

          3100

          5335

          5440

          3400

          105

          60

          Lentil

          (Masur)

          2950

          6000

          6425

          3405

          425

          89

          Rapeseed

          & Mustard

          3050

          5450

          5650

          2855

          200

          98

          Safflower

          3000

          5650

          5800

          3807

          150

          52
    2. General -
      1. Approved Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for FY 23 (2022-23), to all eligible non-gazetted Railway employees.
        1. Under it, 1966 crores will be paid to over 11 lakh railway employees. Indian Railways in 2022-23 loaded record cargo of 1509 Million Tonnes and carried 6.5 Billion Passengers.
  96. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways organized 3rd Edition of Global Maritime India Summit 2023 (GMIS 2023) at Pragati Maidan (New Delhi).
  97. Indian Olympic champion Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been named a Laureus Ambassador, pledging his support to Laureus Sport for Good, the global foundation that uses sport to eradicate inequality and discrimination for young people around world.
    1. Neeraj Chopra has also been nominated for Men’s Athlete of the Year award 2023, by World Athletics (global governing body for athletics).
  98. Former Cricketer Amol Muzumdar has been named head coach of India women’s national team.
  99. Kerala govt approved setting up a graphene pilot production facility in state under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
    1. Earlier, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) had launched Graphene-Aurora program in Kerala, to be implemented by Digital University Kerala.
    2. Graphene is an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice nanostructure. Graphene is 200 times more resistant than steel and 5 times lighter than aluminum. With these properties, graphene has applications in energy, construction, health, and electronics sectors.
  100. Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar launched project Heartland Tripura, to enhance employability and skills of the youth of Tripura.
    1. It has been launched in partnership with Deloitte India and National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT).
  101. PM Narendra Modi launched 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras across 34 rural districts of Maharashtra.
    1. These Kendras will conduct skill development training programs across various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth.
  102. Oct 20 is observed by UN as World Statistics Day, with 2023 theme Connecting the world with data we can trust.
    1. Oct 20 is also observed as -
      1. National Solidarity Day in India, marking date on which China began assaults on India in 1962.
      2. International Chefs' Day.
  103. PM Narendra Modi inaugurated 17 Km priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor (Called RapidX), flagging off Namo Bharat RapidX train connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot. It marks launch of Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in India.
    1. To be operated by NCRTC, RapidX aims to replace conventional MEMU-operated local train network with an elevated rapid rail system. Trainsets on RapidX have been named as Namo Bharat, to operate on average speed of 100 km/h (and design speed of upto 180 km/h).
    2. Total 8 RRTS corridors have been identified to be developed in NCR, out of which 3 corridors have been prioritised to be implemented in Phase-I including Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut Corridor (82 km); Delhi - Gurugram - SNB - Alwar Corridor (164 km); and Delhi - Panipat Corridor (103 km).
      1. All 3 phase-1 RapidX corridors will converge at Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan, and will be interoperable.
      2. Delhi Metro lines will also be connected to RapidX, acting as feeder lines.
    3. Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is being developed at cost over 30000 crores, and will connect Delhi to Meerut in under 60 Minutes. Germany’s Deutsche Bahn will operate and maintain Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut rapid rail transit corridor for 12 years.
  104. NATO concluded collective defence exercise STEADFAST JUPITER 2023 at 27 locations across Europe and North America, as NATO’s largest and most complex computer-assisted command post exercise (CAX/CPX) so far.
    1. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31 member states – 29 European and 2 North American.
  105. Indian Navy’s third indigenous stealth destroyer of Project 15B class, Named Imphal, has been delivered to Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL).
    1. Contract for four ships of Project 15B was signed with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in 2011, as a follow-on of Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers.
    2. 2 ships have been commissioned into Indian Navy under Project 15B, named INS Visakhapatnam & INS Mormugao.
    3. Another ship Surat has also been launched. Imphal and Surat will be commissioned into Indian Navy in 2023 & 2024 respectively.
  106. General News / Events (Oct 11-20, 2023) -
    1. Inaugural India-UK 2+2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue held in New Delhi.
    2. 3rd edition of North East India Festival (NEIF) held in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). 1st and 2nd editions of NEIF were held in 2019 and 2022 in Bangkok.
    3. Rajasthan govt nominated Udaipur to be marked as India's first wetland city. Udaipur, also called city of lakes, has been surrounded by five major lakes - Fateh Sagar, Pichola, Swaroop Sagar, Rang Sagar, and Doodh Talai.
    4. Competition Commission of India (CCI) hosted BRICS International Competition Conference 2023 in New Delhi.
    5. Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh launched EV-Ready India Dashboard (evreadyindia.org), developed by OMI Foundation.
      1. It will enbale tracking near real-time Electric Vehicle adoption and forecasts, associated battery demand, charging density, and market growth trends. 
    6. President Droupadi Murmu launched 4th Krishi Road Map (2023-2028) of Bihar.
    7. Govt launched Standards & Labelling Programme for solar panels, to enbale customers to make an informed decision while purchasing and deploying solar photovoltaic modules.
    8. Bharat Tex 2024 will be organized in New Delhi in Feb 2024, as biggest textiles event globally so far.
    9. Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan declared 166-year-old Sir JJ School of Art (Mumbai) as a de novo Deemed University.
    10. Cyclone Hamoon struck Bangladesh and Indian States of West Bengal, Mizoram.
    11. Kati Bihu festival celebrated across Assam, marking beginning of rice crop’s growth and start of new harvest season. Kati Bihu is one of 3 major festivals in Assam, alongside Bhogali Bihu and Rongali Bihu.
  107. ISRO Successfully conducted Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) high altitude abort test, as part of Gaganyaan program.
    1. Crew module successfully separated from the launch vehicle, and were successfully recovered by Indian Navy. India is 4th country (after Russia, US , and China), to successfully test this technology.
    2. As part of Gaganyaan Mission -
      1. ISRO will hold 3 more Test Vehicle Abort Missions.
      2. It will be followed by 3 orbital test flights, in 2024.
      3. Finally, First crewed flight of Gaganyaan Mission will be launched in 2025, carrying 2-3 Indian astronauts in an orbit at 400 km altitude for up to 7 days.
    3. Notably, ISRO also aims to set up an Indian space station by 2035 and land first Indian on Moon by 2040.
  108. India's Indra Mani Pandey has been named new Secretary General of Dhaka (Bangladesh)-based Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), making him first Indian to hold the post.
  109. Arindam Bagchi has been appointed new Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva (Switzerland). He will succeed Indra Mani Pandey, who has been named BIMSTEC Secretary General.
    1. Notably, The post is different from permanent representative of India to the United Nations (Ruchira Kamboj presently), which is India's foremost diplomatic representative to UN, and head of Permanent Mission of India to UN in New York City.
  110. As per S&P Global Market Intelligence -
    1. Indian economy will grow to $7.3 trillion and become third-largest economy by 2030, surpassing Japan and Germany.
    2. India's GDP is expected to grow between 6.2 - 6.3 % in current FY 24 (2023-24), remaining fastest-growing major economy.
    3. Top 5 Economies Presently -
      1. US ($25.5 trillion)
      2. China ($18 trillion)
      3. Japan ($4.2 trillion)
      4. Germany ($4 trillion)
      5. India ($3.5 trillion)
  111. Oct 21 is observed as Police Commemoration Day in India, in memory of the policemen killed at Hot Springs in North Eastern Ladakh by Chinese troops on this date in 1959. Till October to November of 1959, Indian Police personnel were responsible for defending 2,500 mile long border of India with then Tibet. Oct 21 also observed as -
    1. World Iodine Deficiency Day.
    2. Marks anniversary of Azad Hind Movement, which marks establishment of Azad Hind Movement in Singapore, on Oct 21, in 1943. It was conceptualized by Shri Netaji Subhsh Chandra Bose Ji, who has been credited with greater share in helping India in gaining Independence.
  112. Red Bull's Dutch-Belgian F1 Racer Max Verstappen won US Grand Prix 2023.
    1. Also, Max Verstappen has already won 2023 F1 Season title (his 3rd F1 title).
    2. F1 Season 2023 -
      1. Grand Prix Winner Race date
        Bahrain Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 5 March
        Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 19 March
        Australian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 April
        Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 30 April
        Miami Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 7 May
        Monaco Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 28 May
        Spanish Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 4 June
        Canadian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 18 June
        Austrian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 July
        British Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 9 July
        Hungarian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 23 July
        Belgian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 30 July
        Dutch Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 27 August
        Italian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 3 September
        Singapore Grand Prix   Carlos Sainz Jr. (France) 17 September
        Japanese Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 24 September
        Qatar Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 8 October
        United States Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 22 October
        Mexico City Grand Prix   29 October
        São Paulo Grand Prix   5 November
        Las Vegas Grand Prix   18 November
        Abu Dhabi Grand Prix   26 November
  113. Sri Lanka announced to issue free visas to citizens of 7 countries (India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand), as part of a pilot project to boost tourism. The pilot project will run until March 31, 2024.
    1. Notably, Thailand and Malaysia have also announced visa free entries for Indians, for limited time period.
  114. Spacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace unveiled its multi-stage launch vehicle Vikram-1, which has payload capacity of 300 kg, along with capability to place satellites in lower earth orbit (LEO).
    1. Skyroot Aerospace will perform its first orbital space launch in first quarter of 2024.
    2. Earlier in 2022, Skyroot Aerospace had sent India’s first privately built rocket, Vikram-S, into space.
  115. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin launched Project Nilgiri Tahr, as an initiative aimed at conserving and protecting endangered Nilgiri Tahr species (Also Tamil Nadu's state animal).
  116. US President Joe Biden awarded National Medals in fields of science and technology to 2 Indian American scientists. Ashok Gadgil has been awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and Subra Suresh has been awarded National Medal of Science.
    1. About -
      1. National Medal of Technology and Innovation is highest honor that can be conferred to a US citizen for achievements related to technological progress.
      2. National Medal of Science is conferred to individuals with important contributions to advancement of knowledge in fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics.
  117. Oct 23 - International Snow Leopard Day, observed since 2014. It commemorates anniversary of Bishkek Declaration 2013, to raise awareness for its conservation and protection of snow leopards.
  118. Kotak Mahindra Bank received RBI approval to acquire 100% stake in micro-lender Sonata Finance, valued at 537 crores.
  119. European Union Tax Observatory's Global Tax Evasion Report 2024 recommended implementation of global minimum tax on billionaires, set at 2% of their wealth.
    1. This is expected to address issue of tax evasion, and generate approx $250 billion.
  120. Tech firm Google launched DigiKavach, to help address growing concern of online financial frauds in India.
    1. It aims to create and implement countermeasures to combat emerging online scams in India.
  121. West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose conferred Durga Bharat Samman 2023 (1st edition) on -
    1. Hindustani classical vocalist and composer Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty
    2. Visva-Bharati (central university)
    3. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
    4. Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE)
  122. India Semiconductor R&D Committee handed over its report on setting up India Semiconductor Research Center (ISRC), envisioned as a world-class research institution focusing on semiconductor processes, advanced packaging, compound semiconductors and Fabless design and EDA tools.
  123. Oct 24 is observed as -
    1. United Nations Day. It marks enactment of UN Charter on this day in 1945. 2023 theme is A symbol of hope for global unity.
    2. WHO World Polio Day.
    3. International Day of Diplomats.
    4. World Development Information Day.
    5. Oct 24 is also foundation day of ITBP.
  124. Arunachal Pradesh cabinet approved constitution of a Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), as per guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
    1. STPF would comprise of one company of 112 personnel each for three tiger reserves of state – Namdapha, Pakke and Kamlang.
  125. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s (ICAI) won UN Award for its contribution to sustainability reporting.
    1. Award was conferred by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) working group on International Standards for Accounting and Reporting (ISAR).
  126. European Parliament honored Jina Mahsa Amini (Iran) and Woman, Life, Freedom Movement (Iran) with 2023 Sakharov Prize.
    1. Jina Mahsa Amini's arrest for opposing mandatory hijab and subsequent death in police custody sparked a wave of protests throughout Iran and world.
    2. Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought (commonly known as Sakharov Prize) is an honorary award for individuals / groups who have dedicated their lives to defence of human rights and freedom of thought. It has been Named after Russian scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.
  127. Qatar Masters Chess 2023 (3rd edition) -
    1. Winners - Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzbekistan), followed by Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan).
    2. Notably -
      1. India's Vaishali R won top women's prize in the tournament.
      2. During the tournament, India's Karthikeyan Murali became 3rd Indian player (after Harikrishna and Viswanathan Anand) to beat world's number one player Magnus Carlsen.
  128. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres launched a new AI Advisory Body to support international community’s efforts to govern artificial intelligence.
    1. It will aim to foster a globally inclusive approach, drawing on UN’s unique convening power as a universal and inclusive forum on critical challenges.
  129. Competition Commission of India (CCI) become a member of steering group of International Competition Network (ICN), which comprises 140 competition agencies from 130 countries.
    1. CCI become a member of ICN's steering group for the first time, which is for 2 years.
  130. Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated India’s first Nano DAP plant by IFFCO near Kalol in Gandhinagar (Gujarat). The plant will produce 5 crore bottles of Nano dap liquid equivalent to 25 tons of DAP.
    1. 1 bag of conventional DAP costs around 1300 rupees, while 1 bottle of nano liquid DAP will cost 600 rupees. The plant will lead to a significant reduction in imports of DAP and also will bring down logistics and warehousing costs.
    2. Notably, Home Minister Amit Shah also inaugurated Samau Shaheed Memorial and Library in Gandhinagar, to honor 12 freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in 1857 during freedom struggle in Samau.
  131. 2023 Abu Dhabi Masters Badminton (UAE) -
    1. Men's singles - Mads Christophersen (Denmark)
    2. Women's singles - Unnati Hooda (India). She defeated India's Samiya Imad Farooqui in final.
    3. Men's doubles - Goh Sze Fei & Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia)
    4. Women's doubles - Tanisha Crasto & Ashwini Ponnappa (India)
    5. Mixed doubles - Mads Vestergaard & Christine Busch (Denmark)
  132. Cabinet Approvals (Oct 25, 2023) -
    1. MOUs -
      1. Japan - On Japan-India Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnership.
    2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Approvals -
      1. Approved inclusion of Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project (Uttarakhand) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP) of Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
        1. Under it, CCEA has approved central support of 1557 crore to Uttarakhand for completion of the project with estimated cost of 2584 crores, by March 2028.
        2. Project envisages construction of a dam near Jamrani village across river Gola, a tributary of river Ram Ganga, in Nainital district of Uttarakhand.
    3. General -
      1. Approved proposal of Department of Fertilizers for fixing Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi Season 2023-24 (from 01-10-2023 to 31-03-2024) on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers.

        1. Year

          Rs. Per Kg

          RABI, 2023-24

          (from 01.10.2023 to 31.03.2024)

          N

          P

          K

          S

          47.02

          20.82

          2.38

          1.89
  133. Andrea Rubio (Venezuela) won Miss International 2023 pageant title, in Tokyo (Japan).
    1. India was represented by Praveena Aanjna, at the global beauty Pageant.
  134. Oct 26 is observed as Accession Day of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
    1. On Oct 26 in 1947, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession to become part of India.
    2. This came after Maharaja Hari Singh sought the help of the Indian Armed Forces after an invasion from Pakistan Army supported tribesmen of Pakistan. Indian Government extended its help on condition of accession of the state to India.
  135. Odia scientist Swati Nayak received Norman Borlaug Field Award 2023.
    1. She has been recognized for her innovative approach to engaging smallholder farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to equitable access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice varieties.
    2. About -
      1. Norman E Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, endowed by Rockefeller Foundation, is presented annually by World Food Prize Foundation.
      2. This $10,000 award recognizes exceptional science-based achievement in international agriculture and food production by an individual under age of 40.
  136. RBI increased bulk deposit limits for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) from 15 lakh to 1 crore, to help create a more equitable banking landscape.
    1. RBI also mandated that banks must allow premature withdrawals on all term deposits up to 1 crore, up from previous limit of 15 lakh for non-callable fixed deposits.
  137. Malaysia‘s royal families elected Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar (ruler of southern Johor state) as country’s new king (5 year term), under rotating monarchy system (among 9 state rulers).
  138. Notable Points from PM Narendra Modi's visit to Maharashtra and Goa -
    1. Maharashtra -
      1. Launched left bank (85 km) canal network of Nilwande Dam, to benefit 182 villages in Ahmednagar & Nashik districts.
      2. Launched Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, to benefit over 86 lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Maharashtra, by providing an additional amount of Rs 6000 per year to beneficiaries.
    2. Goa -
      1. Inaugurated 37th National Games at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao (Goa). National Games are being held in Goa for the first time.
  139. Oct 27 is observed as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, observed by UNESCO.
    1. Oct 27 is also observed as Infantry Day (Shaurya Diwas) by Indian Army, as on this day an Infantry Company of First Battalion of Sikh Regiment was airlifted from Delhi to Srinagar to liberate Kashmir from invading Pakistan Army, in 1947.
  140. Biographical film about life of Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has been released, directed by Anurag Rajan Bhusari.
  141. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) announced removal of Jordan, Cayman Islands, Panama, and Albania from its Grey List.
    1. Grey list, also known as jurisdiction under increased monitoring list, includes countries that are actively working with FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
    2. Notably, FATF added Bulgaria in the Grey list. The Grey list now includes 23 nations.
  142. Norway announced to fund The Hunger Project in India, and help strengthen women leaders to protect environment and promote food security in Uttarakhand. Norway's support of USD 44.7 Million will be for 3 years, until September 2026.
    1. The Hunger Project works in 23 countries, in partnership with local organizations, for sustainable end of hunger. In India, it works in 6 states - Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka.
  143. AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) approved to merge Fincare Small Finance Bank with itself, in an all-share deal.
    1. This is 1st such merger between 2 SFBs in India. It will enable AU SFB to diversify its portfolio by gaining access to Fincare SFB's rural and financial inclusion-focused microfinance business.
    2. The merger is set to come into effect from February 1, 2024.
    3. Under it, shareholders of Fincare SFB will receive 579 shares in AU SFB for every 2000 shares they hold in Fincare SFB.
  144. Oct 28 is observed as International Animation Day, to celebrate art of animation.
    1. It commemorates first public performance of Charles-Émile Reynaud's Théâtre Optique at Grevin Museum in Paris, 1892.
  145. As per report by Statista -
    1. India ranks 3rd among countries with most financial technology (fintech) unicorns, with US and UK retaining top 2 positions globally.
    2. US has 134 fintech unicorns, followed by UK (27) & India (17).
  146. Election Commission of India named Actor Rajkummar Rao as a National Icon for voter awareness and education.
    1. He has been noted primarily for his portrayal of a clerk in Hindi film Newton, tasked with conducting elections in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh.
  147. President Droupadi Murmu appointed new governors in 2 States -
    1. Odisha - Raghubar Das
    2. Tripura - Indrasena Reddy
  148. Mercer CFA Institute's Global Pension Index 2023 -
    1. Top 3 - Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark
    2. India Ranked 45th in list.
  149. 4th Para Asian Games 2022 (Hangzhou, China) -
    1. About -
      1. 3100 Athletes from 44 Nations participated in 501 events (22 sports).
      2. Signs -
        1. Motto - Hearts Meet, Dreams Shine
        2. Mascots - Fei Fei, a character inspired by motive of the divine bird in Liangzhu culture.
      3. Originally scheduled to be held in Oct 2022, the Games were postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
      4. Notable Changes compared to 2018 Para Asian Games -
        1. 1 Sport removed - Bowling
        2. 5 Sports added - Para Taekwondo, Para Canoeing, Go , Blind Football , Para Rowing
      5. Next Edition, 2026 Para Asian Games will be held in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture (Japan).
    2. Medals -
      1. Medal Table -
        1. Rank NPC Gold Silver Bronze Total
          1  China 214 167 140 521
          2  Iran 44 46 41 131
          3  Japan  42 49 59 150
          4  South Korea  30 33 40 103
          5  India  29 31 51 111
          6  Indonesia  29 30 36 95
          7  Thailand 27 26 55 108
          8  Uzbekistan  25 24 30 79
          9  Philippines  10 4 5 19
          10  Hong Kong  8 15 24 47
      2. India at 2022 Para Asian Games -
        1. With 111 Medals (29 Gold, 31 Silver & 51 Bronze), India achieved its best ever medal tally at Para Asian Games.
        2. Gold Medals -
          1. Athelete (s) Sport Event
            Pranav Soorma Athletics Men's Club Throw-F51
            Shailesh Kumar Men's High Jump-T63
            Nishad Kumar Men's High Jump-T47
            Ankur Dhama Men's 5000m-T11
            Praveen Kumar Men's High Jump-T64
            Avani Lekhara Shooting Women's 10m AR Stand SH1
            Prachi Yadav Canoeing Women's KL2
            Deepthi Jeevanji Athletics Women's 400m-T20
            Neeraj Yadav Men's Discus Throw-F54/55/56
            Sumit Antil Athletics Men's Javelin Throw Throw-F64
            Haney Men's Javelin Throw Throw-F37/38
            Sundar Singh Gurjar Men's Javelin Throw Throw-F46
            Ankur Dhama Men's 1500m-T11
            Rakshitha Raju Women's 1500m-T11
            Nimisha Chakkungalparambil Women's Long Jump-T47
            Rakesh Kumar

            Sheetal Devi

            		 Archery Mixed Team Compound - Open
            Sidhartha Babu Shooting Mixed 50m Rifle Prone
            Sachin Khilari Athletics Men's Shot Put-F46
            Sheetal Devi Archery Women's Individual Compound - Open
            Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj Badminton Men's Singles SL4
            Pramod Bhagat Men's Singles SL3
            Thulasimathi Murugesan Women's Singles SU5
            Tarun Dhillon
            Nitesh Kumar            		 Men's DOUBLES SL3-SL4
            Raman Sharma Athletics Men's 1500m-T38
            Solairaj Dharmaraj Men's Long Jump-T64
            Darpan Inani Chess Men's Individual Rapid VI-B1
            Darpan Inani

            Soundarya Kumar Pradhan

            Ashwin Makwana

            		 Men's Team Rapid VI-B1
            Neeraj Yadav Athletics Men's Javelin Throw Throw-F55
            Dilip Gavit Men's 400m-T47
        3. Notably -
          1. Reigning Paralympics & World champion Javelin Thrower Sumit Antil bettered his own javelin throw F64 world record with a throw of 73.29 meters, to win gold at 2022 Para Asian Games.
          2. Sundar Singh Gurjar has set men’s F46 javelin throw world record, with throw of 68.60 meters.
          3. Ankur Dhama became first Indian to claim 2 gold medals in a single edition of Asian Para Games, in Men's 5000m-T11.
  150. Oct 29, 2023 is observed by UN as First-ever International Day of Care and Support, to be observed annually.
  151. 2023 Rugby World Cup (10th edition, hosted by France) -
    1. South Africa won the title (their 4th), with New Zealand as Runner-up and England at 3rd place. 20 Nations participated in the event.
    2. England's Owen Farrell remained Top scorer (75).
  152. 7th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2023 held at Bharat Mandapam (New Delhi), as largest telecom, media, and technology forum in Asia. 2023 theme is Global Digital Innovation.
    1. During the event -
      1. PM Narendra Modi awarded 100 ‘5G Use Case Labs’ to educational institutions across country.
        1. 100 5G labs initiative aims to realize opportunities with 5G technology by encouraging development of 5G applications which cater to India’s unique needs and global demands.
      2. Reliance Jio unveiled JioSpaceFiber, as India's first satellite-based gigabit broadband service for nationwide broadband internet access.
  153. Red Bull's Dutch-Belgian F1 Racer Max Verstappen won Mexico City Grand Prix 2023.
    1. With this -
      1. Max Verstappen broke his own record for most wins in a single Formula One season, with his 16th victory of 2023 at Mexico City Grand Prix.
      2. Also, Max Verstappen has already won 2023 F1 Season title (his 3rd F1 title).
    2. F1 Season 2023 -
      1. Grand Prix Winner Race date
        Bahrain Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 5 March
        Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 19 March
        Australian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 April
        Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sergio Pérez (Mexico) 30 April
        Miami Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 7 May
        Monaco Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 28 May
        Spanish Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 4 June
        Canadian Grand Prix Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 18 June
        Austrian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 2 July
        British Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 9 July
        Hungarian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 23 July
        Belgian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 30 July
        Dutch Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 27 August
        Italian Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 3 September
        Singapore Grand Prix   Carlos Sainz Jr. (France) 17 September
        Japanese Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 24 September
        Qatar Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 8 October
        United States Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 22 October
        Mexico City Grand Prix  Max Verstappen (Dutch-Belgian) 29 October
        São Paulo Grand Prix   5 November
        Las Vegas Grand Prix   18 November
        Abu Dhabi Grand Prix   26 November
  154. Rajasthan govt launched iStart Talent Connect Portal, under flagship initiative iStart Rajasthan, in collaboration with Jaipur-based startup Hyrefox.
    1. It aims to be a user-friendly platform for both job providers and job seekers, to boost employment opportunities in state.
  155. Dhordo Village in Gujarat's Kutch district has been named among Best Tourism Villages 2023 by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), to mark Dhordo's contributions to sustainable tourism, cultural preservation, and rural development.
    1. Also, Madla (from Madhya Pradesh's Panna district) has been named among villages selected to participate in Upgrade Programme this year.
  156. Oct 24-30 is observed by UN annually as Global Disarmament Week.
  157. Tata Group acquired Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Wistron's India operations, paving way for it to manufacture and assemble Apple iPhones in India for both domestic and global markets.
    1. This will enable Tata Electronics to become 1st Indian iPhone maker.
  158. Robert Fico has been named new Prime Minister of Slovakia (Central Europe), for his 4th term.
  159. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) introduced India's first Reference fuel, to cater to domestic demand.
    1. Reference fuels are distinct from regular / premium grade fuel, as they possess higher specifications (primarily octane number), making them vital for calibrating and testing vehicles by manufacturers and agencies.
    2. Regular fuel typically has octane number of 87, while premium fuel has octane number of 91. Reference grade fuel, comes with an octane number of 97.
    3. Producing reference fuel domestically offers significant economic advantage. While imported reference fuel costs 800-850 per liter, its domestic production will reduce costs to 450 / liter.
    4. IOC’s Paradip refinery in Odisha will produce reference grade petrol, while Panipat unit in Haryana will produce high-quality diesel.
  160. 2023 Ballon d'Or (2022- 23 season) -
    1. Winners -
      1. Men's -Argentina's Lionel Messi (record-extending 8th award). Club - Inter Miami (USA).
      2. Women's - Spain's Aitana Bonmatí (1st award). Club - Barcelona (Spain).
      3. Other Awards -
        1. Kopa Trophy (best performing player under age of 21) - Jude Bellingham (England)
        2. Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) - Emiliano Martínez (Argentina)
        3. Sócrates Award - Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)
    2. About -
      1. Ballon d'Or are Presented by France Football, recognising best footballers in world.
  161. Oct 31 is Observed by UN as World Cities Day. 2023 Theme is Financing a sustainable urban future for all.
  162. Oct 31 is observed as National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas), which marks birth anniversary of Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1st Deputy PM and Home Minister of India).
    1. On this occasion -
      1. Yashaswini, the bike expedition of women bikers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) culminated its journey at Ekta nagar (Gujarat). It was flagged off From Srinagar (J&K).
      2. Iconic Throne Room at Raj Bhavan (Kolkata), which stands as a testament to the British era’s grandeur, has been renamed after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Independent India.
      3. PM Narendra Modi launched Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform for youth of the country.
        1. Earlier, cabinet had apporoved establishment of an autonomous body Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat).
          1. It will aim to be a technology powered enabling mechanism for youth development, and provide equitable access to youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat.
          2. It will benefit youth in age-group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of Youth in the National Youth Policy. In case of programme components specifically meant for adolescents, beneficiaries will be in age-group of 10-19 years.
      4. PM Narendra Modi participated in programme marking culmination of Meri Maati Mera Desh campaign’s Amrit Kalash Yatra.
        1. Meri Mati Mera Desh Campaign was launched nationwide, to pay tribute to  freedom fighters & Martyrs. As part of it, An Amrit Kalash Yatra was conducted, carrying soil from all corners of country in 7500 kalash to create an Amrit Vatika in Delhi.
        2. The programme also marked closing ceremony of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (75-week grand celebration to mark 75 years of Independence).
          1. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was inaugurated by PM on March 12, 2021; by flagging off Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad).
      5. PM laid foundation stone of Amrit Vatika and Amrit Mahotsav Memorial.
      6. PM presented Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Awards to -
        1. Top 3 performing States / UTs - Jammu and Kashmir (1), Gujarat (2) and Haryana and Rajasthan (joint 3rd).
        2. Top 3 performing ministries - Ministry of External Affairs (1), Ministry of Defence (2), and Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Education (joint 3rd).
    2. Background -
      1. It was introduced by Government in 2014, marking Birth Anniversary of Legendary Leader and 1st Home Minister and Deputy PM of India, Shri Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
      2. On this occasion in 2018, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's memorial in Gujarat's Narmada district. Called the Statue of Unity, the bronze sculpture is the world's tallest statue measuring 600 feet (182m). It has overtook China's Spring Temple Buddha (153m) and USA's Statue of Liberty (93m). It was constructed in 33 months, at cost 2989 crores.
    3. Other observations on Oct 31 -
      1. Oct 31 is also Death Anniversary of Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She was killed on this day in 1984.
      2. Oct 24 - 31 is observed annually as Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week, initiated in 2012.
  163. Visits to India (Oct 2023) -
    1. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania visited India.
      1. MOUs signed during the visit -
        1. Cooperation in field of sharing successful digital solutions implemented at population scale for digital transformation.
        2. Cooperation in the field of sports.
        3. Cooperation in Maritime Industry.
        4. MoU between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Tanzania Investment Centre, for setting up of an Industrial Park in Tanzania.
        5. Technical Agreement between Indian Navy and Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation, on Sharing White Shipping Information.
        6. Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Tanzania for Years 2023-2027.
      2. Samia Suluhu Hassan (1st woman President of Tanzania) was conferred an Honorary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) by India's Jawaharlal Nehru University.
    2. Raquel Peña Rodríguez - Vice President of Dominican Republic (Caribbean).
    3. Ian Borg - Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta.
    4. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency visited India.
  164. Visits from India (Oct 2023) -
    1. Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, R K Singh Visited Saudi Arabia, to attend MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Climate Week 2023 hosted in Riyadh.
      1. During the visit, India and Saudi Arabia signed MoU in Electrical Interconnections, Green / Clean Hydrogen and Supply Chains.
    2. ​Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan visited Republic of Congo, to attend 2nd Summit of three basins (Amazon, Congo and Borneo Mekong South-east Asia) for Biodiversity Ecosystem and Tropical Forests.
    3. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Kyrgyzstan, to attend 22nd meeting of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) Council of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in Bishkek.
      1. Notably, In July 2023, India hosted 23rd SCO summit 2023 in virtual format, under its 2023 SCO Presidency. Kazakhstan took over SCO chairmanship fr0m India, to last until 2024 SCO Summit to be held in Astana.
    4. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka. During the visit -
      1. Attended 23rd Council of Ministers’ (COM) meet of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), hosted by current IORA Chair Sri Lanka.
      2. Ferry service between Nagappatinam in India and Kankesanthurai (KKS) near Jaffna in Northern Province of Sri Lanka commenced. It will enable covering 110 km distance in 3.5 hours.
    5. Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan visited Mauritius. Duiring the visit -
      1. MOU signed for joint development and launch of a satellite for Earth Observation-based applications for Mauritius.
      2. Joint commemorative postage stamp released to mark 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Mauritius.
    6. Union Minister Piyush Goyal visited -
      1. Japan, to attend Group of Seven (G7) Trade Ministers' Meeting in Osaka.
      2. UAE. During the visit -
        1. MOU signed to drive investment and collaboration in industry and advanced technologies.
        2. India's NPCI International Payments Limited (NPCI subsidiary) partnered with UAE's Al Etihad Payments (AEP), for Domestic Card Scheme (DCS) Implementation in UAE.
          1. Under it,  NIPL and AEP will work together to build, implement, and operationalize UAE's national domestic card scheme.
      3. Saudi Arabia, to attend 7th Edition of Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh.
    7. Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande visited Tanzania.
    8. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari attended 27th World Road Congress in Prague (Czech Republic).
    9. Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT) attended AI Safety Summit 2023 hosted in Bletchley Park (UK).
    10. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh visited Italy & France. During the visit -
      1. Agreement signed between India & Italy, to boost cooperation in field of defence.
    11. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited -
      1. Sri Lanka -
        1. Attended NAAM 200, to commemorate 200th anniversary of arrival of India-origin Tamils to Sri Lanka.
        2. Inaugurated SBI Branches at Trincomalee and Jaffna.
      2. Marrakech (Morocco), to attend IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings 2023.
  165. General News / Events (Oct 21-31, 2023) -
    1. 1st Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters (GCCEM) held in New Delhi.
    2. Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Exhibition 2023 held in New Delhi.
    3. Vimarsh 2023 launched as National Hackathon on 5G technology use for police.
    4. Bharat National Cyber Security Exercise (NCX) 2023 hosted at SCOPE Convention Centre in New Delhi.
  166. 6th Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) hosted at Bharat Mandapam (New Delhi), presided over by Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh. Delegates from across 116 Member and Signatory countries participated in the Assembly.
    1. During the meet -
      1. ISA Assembly increased viability gap funding for projects in developing countries, to now be in range of 10% to 35% of project cost (up from upto 10 % of project cost earlier).
        1. ISA has a programme for making available VGF for projects in developing countries. Grant provided is USD 150,000 or 10% of project cost (whichever is lower), per country per project. The same has now been increased to be in range of 10% to 35% of project cost.
      2. Announced to set up Global Solar Facility (GSF) as a payment guarantee fund, to stimulate investments into solar power projects, with a capital contribution of $35 million USD.
        1. GSF will catalyze solar investments in underserved segments by attracting private capital into off-grid solar projects, rooftop solar projects, and productive use solar projects.
        2. India will make capital contribution of $25 million in the GSF, in addition to $10 million coming from ISA.
      3. 4 projects set up with ISA’s assistance were inaugurated -
        1. Solarisation of parliament building of Malawi.
        2. Solarisation of 2 rural health care centres in Fiji.
        3. Installation of 1 solar powered cold storage of capacity 5 MT for benefit of agricultural stakeholders at La Digue Island (Seychelles).
        4. Solarisation of Nawai Junior Secondary school (JSS) in Kiribati.
      4. Chile joined India-led International Solar Alliance, becoming its 95th member.
    2. About ISA -
      1. India holds Presidency of ISA, with France being Co-President. Ajay Mathur is director general of ISA.
      2. ISA is an alliance of over 120 signatory countries, aimed at working for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
      3. This initiative was first proposed by Indian PM Narendra Modi in London in November 2015.
      4. It is first treaty-based inter-governmental organization based in India. It is headquartered in Haryana State.

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