INDEX

S.
TOPIC PAGE NO
No.
1. DEFENCE NEWS 9-21
2. APP & PORTALS 21-25
3. AWARDS AND HONOURS 25-33
4. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 34-43
5. SUMMIT & CONFERENCE 44-53
6. APPOINTMENTS 54-57
7. AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU 58-59
8. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES 60-68
9. SPORTS NEWS 69-86
10. BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS 87-119
11. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 120-130
12. NATIONAL AFFAIRS 131-136
13. INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES 137-147
14. HIGHLIGHTS UNION BUDGET 2024-25 148-155
15. MCQs INDIA'S UNION BUDGET 2024-25 156-162
16. ECONOMIC SURVEY 2024 HIGHLIGHTS 163-165
17. PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 HIGHLIGHTS 166-167
18. PARIS PARALYMPICS 2024 HIGHLIGHTS 168-171
BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
19. 172-237
AUGUST 2024
BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
20. 239-286
JULY 2024
BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
21. 287-332
JUNE 2024
BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
22. 333-375
MAY 2024
BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
23. 376-410
APRIL 2024
24. BEST MCQ WITH FACTS AUGUST 2024 411-529
25. BEST MCQ WITH FACTS JULY 2024 530 – 618
26. BEST MCQ WITH FACTS JUNE 2024 619-700
27. BEST MCQ WITH FACTS MAY 2024 701-777
28. BEST MCQ WITH FACTS APRIL 2024 778-838

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DEFENCE NEWS AUGUST 2024

Indian Army launched the first phase of Project NAMAN.
About Project NAMAN:
It is designed to provide dedicated support and services to Defence Pensioners, Veterans and their families.
It is centered around the implementation of the SPARSH (System for Pension Administration Raksha),
digital pension system, which streamlines pension related processes for Defence Pensioners, addressing the
critical need for accessible facilitation points for Veterans and Next of Kin (NOK) across the country.
In the first phase of Project NAMAN, 14 CSCs have been established at key locations across India,
including New Delhi, Jalandhar, Leh, Dehradun, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Bengdubi, Gorakhpur, Jhansi,
Secunderabad, Saugor, Guntur, Ahmedabad and Bangalore.
Financial assistance: HDFC Bank also supports the VLEs with a monthly monetary grant of ₹ 20,000 for
the first 12 months, assisting in the stabilisation and sustainability of the centres.
President of Ukraine recently announced that Ukraine has successfully tested its first ballistic missile,
Hrim-2, manufactured by the country’s defence industry.
About Hrim-2:
Hrіm-2, Grim, Grom, or OTRK Sapsan, also known as Operational-Tactical Missile System Hrim is a
Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system.
It is designed to combine the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher.
The Hrim-2 version, developed for export, has a range limited to 280 kilometers in order to fall within the
300- kilometre limit set by the Missile Technology Control Regime
Union Ministry of Defence recently signed a repeat order for 73,000 SIG716 rifles from Sig Sauer of the
U.S., and deliveries are expected to be completed by end-2025.
About SIG 716 Rifle:
It is an American-made automatic assault rifle.
It is manufactured by the United States firearms maker, Sig Sauer.
The rifle has a total length of 34.39 inches and a barrel length of 15.98 inches.
Its total weight is 3.58 kg.
It has a higher recoil and higher calibre, meant to shoot-to-kill targets at 600 metres.
These rifles have a high-powered 7.62x51mm caliber, offering longer range and greater lethality than the
existing INSAS and AK-47 rifles currently in service of Indian armed forces.
India achieved a significant milestone in its space journey with the launch of its first reusable hybrid
rocket, RHUMI-1, recently.
About RHUMI-1:
It is India’s first reusable hybrid rocket.
It was developed by the Tamil Nadu-based startup Space Zone India in collaboration with Martin Group.
It stands out for its innovative hybrid propulsion system, combining the advantages of both liquid and solid
fuels.
RHUMI-1’s hybrid design, which uses solid propellant and liquid oxidizer, reduces the risk of accidental
detonation by combining these components only during combustion.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mumbai will arrive at the port of Colombo for a three-day maiden visit to Sri
Lanka.
About INS Mumbai:
INS Mumbai is the third of the Delhi-class guided missile destroyers, indigenously built and commissioned

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into the Indian Navy on 22 January 2001.
It was constructed at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
She was adjudged the ‘Best Ship’ thrice and the ‘Most Spirited Ship’ twice, which is a rare feat for any
warship.
The ship has been at the forefront of major Naval Operations like Op Parakram (2002), Op Sukoon (2006:
evacuation of Indian, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan citizens from Lebanon), and Op Rahat (2015: evacuation
of Indian and foreign nationals from Yemen).
United States of America (USA) recently approved a USD 52.8 million government-to-government deal
for the sale of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Sonobuoys that will be integrated with the Indian
Navy’s Romeo helicopters.
Pakistani military recently conducted the successful training launch of its surface-to-surface ballistic
missile Shaheen-II.
About Shaheen-II Missile:
It is a Pakistani medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
It is believed that the Shaheen 2 is derived from the People’s Republic of China (PRC)-developed M-
18, though this has not been confirmed.
Specifications:
It is a solid-fueled, two-stage missile with an estimated range of 1,500–2,000 km.
DRDO recently handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of ‘Nipun’ munition to
Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA).
About Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA):
DGQA is an Inter-Service Organisation functioning under the Department of Defence Production in
the Ministry of Defence.
This organisation is more than a hundred years old and is responsible for second-party Quality Assurance
(QA) of all defence stores and equipment, both imported as well as indigenous, for the Army,
Navy (excluding Naval Armaments), and common user items for the Air Force procured from Private
Sector, Public Sector Undertakings, and Ordnance Factories.
Union Minister of Port Shipping and Waterways officially launched the Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) for Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP).
About Green Tug Transition Program:
GTTP was launched on May 22, 2023, is a key initiative under the ‘Panch Karma Sankalp’.
It is designed to phase out conventional fuel-based harbour tugs operating in Indian Major Ports and
replace them with green tugs powered by cleaner and more sustainable alternative fuels.
Implementation phases
Phase 1 of the GTTP will begin on October 1, 2024, and continue until December 31, 2027.
During this phase, four Major Ports—Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Deendayal Port Authority,
Paradip Port Authority, and O. Chidambaranar Port Authority will procure or charter at least two green
tugs each, based on standardized designs and specifications issued by the Standing Specification
Committee (SSC).
Nodal Agency: National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) will act as the nodal
entity for this programme.
India aims at becoming a ‘Global Hub for Green Ship’ building by 2030 with the launch of the Green Tug
Transition Programme (GTTP).
US Navy has introduced the AIM-174B aiming to counter China’s aerial dominance.
About AIM-174B Missile:
It is an air-launched variant of the versatile SM-6 missile of the US Navy.
It became operational in July, 2024 and is derived by Raytheon, an Aerospace and defense company.
It is an extremely long-range air-to-air missile.
It is capable of striking targets up to 400 km (250 miles) away and it surpasses the range of China’s PL-15
missile.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out a successful maiden flight test of
a Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), GAURAV from the Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force
(IAF).

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About Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB):
It is an air-launched 1,000 kg class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distances.
Features
It is an Air to Surface LRGB with conventional warheads to destroy enemy airstrips, bunkers, hard
installations, buildings etc.
It is designed to integrate with fighter aircraft.
It consists of an Inertial Navigation based guidance system with Digital Control.
GAURAV has been designed and developed indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI),
Hyderabad.
India is now all set to commission its second nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arighat, armed with
nuclear missiles for strategic deterrence.
About INS Arighat:
It is India’s second indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), following
India's first nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, commissioned in 2018.
It was constructed at the Indian Navy's Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam.
It represents a critical component of India's nuclear triad, enabling the nation to launch nuclear missiles
from land, air, and sea.
Features:
It measures 111.6 meters in length, has a beam of 11 meters, a draught of 9.5 meters, and a displacement of
6,000 tonnes.
It will have one seven-blade propeller powered by a pressurized water reactor.
It can achieve a maximum speed of 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) when on surface and 24 knots (44 km/h)
when submerged.
It can carry up to four nuclear-capable K-4 SLBMs (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile) with a range of
over 3500 kilometers or twelve conventional warheads K-15 SLBMs with a range of about 750 kilometers.
Indian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force participated in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024.
About Exercise Udara Shakti:
It is the joint air exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) at
Kuantan, Malaysia.
It was aimed at bolstering operational efficiency, technical experts of both Air Forces engaged in exchange
of their maintenance practices.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is equipping India with a formidable new
weapon: the Pinaka-MK3, which is currently under development.
What is Pinaka?
Pinaka is a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL).
It is designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), a laboratory of the
DRDO.
It delivers lethal and responsive fire against a variety of area targets, such as exposed enemy troops,
armoured and soft-skin vehicles, communication centres, air terminal complexes, and fuel and ammunition
dumps.
The range of the Pinaka Mk-1 is 48 kilometers, the Pinaka Mk-I Enhanced has a range of 60 kilometres and
the Pinaka Mk-II has a range of 90 kilometer.
DRDO developing Pinaka-MK3, long-range rocket launcher to boost India’s strike range to 300 km.
Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army will kick off their joint exercise, “Mitra Shakti,” at Maduruoya
in Sri Lanka’s Southern Province.
About Exercise Mitra Shakti:
It is a joint military exercise between India and the Sri Lankan army.
This year it is the 10th edition of the exercise.
A unit of 120 soldiers from the Indian Army’s Rajputana Rifles (Raj Rif) will participate in this exercise.
The focus of this year’s exercise is on joint operations in semi-urban environments, aligning with Chapter
VII of the United Nations Charter, which deals with actions regarding threats to peace and security.
A Bangladesh-registered C-130J Hercules jet became the most tracked flight on Flightradar24.com amid
reports of Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina quitting and leaving her country.

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About C-130J Super Hercules:
It is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft.
It is the US Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft.
It was developed by Lockheed Martin, a US security and aerospace company.
Indian Air Force (IAF) has given clearance to the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) and the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to produce 200 Astra air-to-air missiles for its Su-3O
and LCA Tejas fighter aircraft.
About Astra Missile:
Astra is a Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.
It is indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and
manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The missile was built to engage and destroy aerial targets, which have high maneuverability and supersonic
speed.
Astra is 3.6 m long and with a diameter of 178 mm, weighing 154 kg.
It has a range of 80 to 110 km in a head-on chase and can travel at 5 Mach speed (almost hypersonic).
Indian Army’s Madras Engineer Group or Madras Sappers built a “Bailey bridge”, which was
assembled at Chooralmala, to reach Mundakkai village — one of the sites worst hit by the landslides.
About Bailey bridge:
It is a type of modular bridge, one whose parts are pre-built so that they need minimal construction work
and can be assembled quickly when needed.
Origin: A US Army Engineer School manual notes that the Bailey bridge originated during wartime.
Donald Coleman Bailey, an English civil engineer, invented it during World War 2 (1939-45).
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has successfully conducted a demonstration and trial of the formidable
Typhoon vehicle at its Transport Battalion in Chandigarh.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has successfully conducted a demonstration and trial of the
formidable Typhoon vehicle at its Transport Battalion in Chandigarh.
About Typhoon-K Vehicle:
Kamaz-53949 Typhoon-K is a Russian-made 4x4 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.
It was developed by Remdiesel, a subsidiary of KamAZ.
It was developed for the safe transportation of troops and military cargo in areas with a high risk of mines.
It has a maximum road speed of 100 km/h and a range of up to 1,000 km without refueling
A Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) was conducted between India and Russia in St. Petersbu
About Maritime Partnership Exercise:
It was conducted between Russia and India on the occasion of the 328th Russian Navy Day.
Participating Naval ships: It involved INS Tabar naval ship from India and Soobrazitelny from Russia.
It marks a significant milestone in the maritime cooperation between India and Russia, reinforcing the
commitment of both nations to maintain peace, stability and security in the region.
The Indian Naval Submarine (INS) Shalki recently arrived at the port of Colombo for a two-day formal
visit.
About INS Shalki:
It is a Shishumar-class diesel-electric submarine.
It is also the first-ever submarine that was built in India.
It was constructed under licence by the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
Indian Air Force is grappling with significant delays in the delivery of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA) from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, raising concerns over its combat readiness
and operational capabilities.
About Tejas Light Combat Aircraft:
It is a 4.5-generation single seat supersonic multirole fighter aircraft.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency
(ADA) led the design and development of the aircraft under the light combat aircraft (LCA) programme,
with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) working as the prime industrial contractor
India will host the international air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ in two phases, taking place in Tamil Nadu
and Rajasthan.

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About Exercise ‘Tarang Shakti:
It will be the largest international air exercise ever conducted in India, with invitations extended to 51
countries.
This exercise aims to strengthen strategic relations with our friends from the international community.
Objective: The plan is to invite friendly foreign countries with whom the IAF interacts regularly and has a
certain degree of interoperability.

DEFENCE NEWS JULY 2024

The Indian Army contingent departed to take part in India- Thailand joint military Exercise MAITREE.
About Exercise MAITREE:
It is the 13th edition of India- Thailand joint military Exercise MAITREE.
The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 1st to 15th July 2024 at Fort Vachiraprakan in Tak
Province of Thailand.
India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT is scheduled to be conducted from 03rd
to 16th July 2024 in Umroi, Meghalaya.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken up a preliminary study on the design
and development of an indigenous conventional submarine under Project-76.
About Project-76:
Under Project 76, the Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy is working on designing and developing
the country’s first indigenously conventional diesel-electric submarine.
The Indian Navy wants to build 12 submarines under Project 76.
Envisioned as air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped diesel-electric attack submarines, these
submarines, expected to have a submerged displacement of 3,000 tons, represent a leap beyond their
foreign-designed predecessors like Project-751 (India) and Project-75 submarines.
It aims to succeed the Sindhughosh (Kilo) class, emphasizing the Navy’s commitment to maintaining a
robust 3,000-ton class of submarines.
The objective is to initiate the construction of the prototype by 2028.
India has successfully test-fired its first indigenous anti-radiation missile, the Rudram-1, developed by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
About Rudram-1 Missile:
It is an air–to–surface missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO).
It is integrated with the IAF's Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, serving as the launch platform.
Range: The missile can be launched from varying altitudes, ranging from 500 meters to 15 kilometers and
has a range of up to 250 kilometers depending on the launch conditions.
Speed: Up to Mach 2
This flexibility allows the IAF to adapt to different operational scenarios, enhancing its combat
effectiveness.
The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), a joint venture between India and Russia, has
successfully delivered 35,000 AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles to the Indian Army.
About AK-203 Rifle:
It is a modern firearm originating from Russia, designed by the renowned engineer Mikhail
Kalashnikov between 2007 and 2010.
It is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire assault rifle.
It is a version of the AK-200 rifle chambered for the 62x39mm cartridge used in the Indian Army.
The weapon has the traditional advantages of Kalashnikov assault rifles: reliability and ease of
maintenance.
These AK-203 rifles are produced in India using proprietary Russian technologies and certified equipment,
ensuring high product quality and adherence to specifications.
It will be manufactured by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL).
Indian “Iron-Dome” Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) is competing against Chinese-made Sky Dragon-
50 air defense systems to secure an order from Brazil.

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About Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM):
It is a Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air
attacks.
It was indigenously designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) and is produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL).
It is designed to protect vulnerable areas from multifarious air threats.
It has the capability to neutralise aerial targets like fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles, as
well as ballistic missiles.
It is in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
Features:
It is 5.8 m long, has a diameter of 350 mm and a wingspan of 1,105mm.
It has a launch weight of 720 kg.
The missile can fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5 and has a height ceiling of 18 km.
It can target aircraft up to 45 km away
An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent is participating in Exercise Pitch Black 2024 which is scheduled
to be conducted from 12 July 24 to 02 August 24 in Australia.
About Exercise Pitch Black:
It is a biennial and multi-national exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
The name 'Pitch Black' was derived from the emphasis on night time flying over large unpopulated areas.
The 2024 edition is slated to be the largest in the 43-year-long history of Ex Pitch Black, which includes
participation by 20 countries, with over 140 aircraft and 4400 military personnel of various air forces.
Armenia’s reported interest in acquiring India’s Pralay missile is a great opportunity for India.
About Pralay Missile:
'Pralay' is a 350-500 km short-range, quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile with a payload capacity of
500-1,000 kg.
The solid-fuel, battlefield missile is based on the Prithvi Defence Vehicle.
The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in view
of the country's defence requirements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC).
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) recently launched the first indigenously-built Talwar class frigate,
'Triput'.
About INS Triput:
It is the first indigenously built Talwar-class frigate.
Project:
In October 2016, India and Russia signed a deal to buy four stealth frigates of the Admiral Grigorovich
class (also known as Project 1135.6 class).
Two of these frigates, 'Tushil' and 'Tamal', will be directly imported, and the remaining two frigates will be
built in India by GSL through a transfer of technology (ToT).
Triput is the first ship built by GSL under this. The second frigate, 'Tamal', will be delivered by February
2025.
The Indian Army contingent departed for the Exercise KHAAN QUEST which is scheduled to be
conducted from 27th July to 9th August 2024 at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

DEFENCE NEWS JUNE 2024

Indian multi-role stealth frigate INS Shivalik, mission deployed in the South China Sea and North
Pacific Ocean, has reached Pearl Harbour in Hawaii to take part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC)
exercise.
About Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise:
It is the world’s largest international maritime exercise, being held in Hawaii.
It is being held under the theme of Partners: Integrated and Prepared, which runs until August 1.
It is led by the US Navy, approx 29 countries are participating in the current edition of the multi-
dimensional exercise.
The harbour phase of the exercise from 27 Jun to 07 Jul 2024 will see participation in multiple

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symposiums, exercise planning discussions, sports competitions and reciprocal deck visits.
The sea phase of RIMPAC–24, divided into three sub-phases will witness ships undertaking basic and
advanced level integration exercises during the first two sub-phases.
Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF) launched the mobile application-Sangyaan App.
About Sangyaan App:
It is designed and developed by the tech team of RPF.
It is a practical tool for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest legal developments in India.
It aims to educate and empower RPF Personnel by providing comprehensive information to understand the
provisions of both new and old criminal laws, while highlighting the relevance of these new acts in the
context of RPF operations.
It will provide in-depth information on three new Criminal Acts: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023,
the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023.
DRDO handed over the Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) to the
Indian Navy at a ceremony held in New Delhi.
About Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket:
Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC) is a niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory,
Jodhpur
It obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar
detection.
DRDO has indigenously developed three variants of this critical technology namely Short Range Chaff
Rocket (SRCR), Medium Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR) and Long Range Chaff Rocket (LRCR).
DRDO has successfully completed six consecutive developmental trials of High Speed Expendable
Aerial Target (HEAT) ‘ABHYAS’ in Chandipur, Odisha.
About ABHYAS:
It is a High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT).
It has been designed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru, and developed
through Production Agencies - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited & Larsen & Toubro.
Indian Air Force (IAF) recently proposed to the central government the purchase of 10 TAPAS drones.
About TAPAS UAV:
The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance Beyond Horizon-201, or Tapas BH-201, is a
medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drone.
It was previously referred to as Rustom-II.
It was developed indigenously by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
It also projects a range of 250 km, which can carry a variety of payloads up to a maximum of 350 kg with a
wing span of 20.6 metres.
Maximum speed: 225 kmph.
Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) recently attacked Ukrainian infrastructure, using its sea-launched Kalibr
cruise missiles.
About Kalibr Missile:
It is a family of Russian cruise missiles that can be launched from ships, submarines, containers, airplanes,
or transport erector launchers.
It has variants designed for anti-ship, anti-submarine and land attack purposes.
They were developed and produced by Russia's Almaz-Antey corporation.
Range: It varies between 200 km and 2500 km, depending on the type.
Indian Air Force and Egyptian Air Force participated in the Exercise HOPEX 2024.
About Exercise HOPEX:
It is the fourth joint exercise of IAF (Indian Air Force) and EAF (Egyptian Air Force) which was held in
Egypt from 21 to 26 June.
The aim of this exercise is to promote bilateral and regional cooperation, which is a symbol of the long-
standing relations between the two countries
India and the US recently held discussions on the co-production of American javelin missiles in India to
meet the requirements of the Indian military.

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About Javelin Anti-Tank Missile:
It is a man-portable antitank guided missile (ATGM) system.
It is developed and produced jointly by American defence majors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
It was designed to defeat heavily armored vehicles, such as main battle tanks and lighter-skinned military
vehicles.
It has a qualified maximum range of 2,500
India and the United States are in advanced talks for the joint manufacture of the latest generation of
Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs).
About Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs):
The Stryker is a family of eight-wheel-drive combat armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs).
It is jointly developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) Canada and the General Dynamics
Land Systems Division in the United States.
INS Sunayna entered Port Victoria, Seychelles on 15 Jun 24 in the company of Seychelles Coast Guard
Ship (SCGS) Zoroaster and aims to strengthening the camaraderie and mutual cooperation between
Indian Navy and Seychelles Coast Guard in line with the vision of SAGAR (Security & Growth for All
in the Region).
The Indian Air Force will host an air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024 in August.
About Exercise Tarang Shakti:
It is a first multinational air exercise to be hosted by the Indian Air force.
Objective: The plan is to invite friendly foreign countries with whom the IAF interacts regularly and has a
certain degree of interoperability.
Participating countries: Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United
Kingdom, and the United States. Germany will deploy fighter jets and also an A-400M transport aircraft.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent participated in the Exercise Red Flag 2024 conducted at Eielson
Air Force Base, Alaska of the United States Air Force, from 04 Jun to 14 Jun 24.
This was the second edition of Ex Red Flag 2024, which is an advanced aerial combat training exercise,
held four times in a year by the US Air Force.
Participation of the Indian Air Force along with Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Royal Air Force
(RAF) of the United Kingdom, Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), German Luftwaffe, and the US
Air Force (USAF).
JIMEX exercise–24 commenced at Yokosuka in Japan.
About JIMEX- 2024:
This is the eighth edition of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012.
The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases.
The harbour phase will comprise professional, sports and social interactions.
Russia claimed to have targeted the Ukrainian military airbase in Mirgorod using the nuclear-capable
Iskander-M missile system.
About Iskander-M:
The Iskander (Western reporting name: SS-26 Stone) is a road-mobile short-range ballistic missile system
developed by Russia.
It has a range of 400-500 km and uses both inertial and optical guidance systems.
Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled a new air-launched variant of its Lora ballistic missile.
About Air LORA:
It is an air-launched variant of the Long-Range Artillery (LORA) ballistic missile.
It is designed and developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
According to a recent report, the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, lost an Iris-T missile, sparking
serious concerns about the crucial technology being compromised.
About Iris-T Missile:
It is a next-generation short-range air-to-air missile.
The IRIS-T is a six-nation program under German lead, with Diehl BGT Defence (a German defense
company) acting as industrial prime contractor.

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 DEFENCE NEWS MAY 2024
An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent recently arrived at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska to
participate in the prestigious multi-national exercise, Red Flag 24.
About Red Flag 24:
It is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise aimed at integrating aircrew in a multinational
environment.
There are two distinct Red Flag exercise locations: Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and Eielson Air Force
Base in Alaska.
India's Make-in-India defence projects, include K-9 Vajra Howitzers and fighter jet engines.
About K-9 Vajra:
It is a 155 mm, 52-caliber tracked self-propelled artillery system.
It can fire shells at great elevation angles to hit targets far away.
It is built by Larsen & Toubrowith technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha
Défense based on its K9 Thunder platform.
DRDO successfully flight-tested the RudraM-II from Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force (IAF)
off the coast of Odisha.
About RudraM-II Missile:
It is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system.
It is meant for Air-to-Surface role to neutralise many types of enemy assets.
It is designed to have a strike range of almost 350-km, from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter of the IAF.
It involves several state-of-the-art indigenous technologies developed by various DRDO laboratories that
have been incorporated into the missile system.
France Conducts Successful Test of ASMPA Supersonic Nuclear Missile Amid Global Tensions.
About ASMPA Missile:
The Air-Sol Medium Range (ASMP/ASMP-A) is an air-launched land-attack supersonic cruise missile that
carries a nuclear payload. It is a central component of France’s nuclear deterrent.
ASMP-A, an upgraded version of the ASMP, arrived into French service in 2009. This version had an
extended range of up to 500 km, and supported a new 300 kt thermonuclear warhead.
Indian Army, under its initiative Project Udbhav, is delving into the epic battles of the Mahabharata
and the strategic brilliance of past Indian dynasties, shaping India's rich military heritage.
About Project Udbhav:
It is collaboration between the Indian Army and the United Service Institution of India(USI), a defence
services think tank.
The project, named ‘Udbhav’, translates to ‘origin’ or ‘genesis’, recognizing the profound knowledge
embedded in our nation’s historical texts spanning centuries.
Aim: This initiative aims to bridge the gap between age-old wisdom and contemporary military education.
Army is all set to begin receiving another set of Russian Igla-S very short range air defence systems
(VSHORAD) by the end of May or early next month.
About Igla-S:
It is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) developed by Russia.
India-U.S joint exercise in conducting coordinated operations in urban counter terrorism contingencies
will conclude in Kolkata.
About Exercise Tarkash:
It is the seventh edition of the Indo-U.S. joint counter terrorism exercise. It is held between the elite
National Security Guard (NSG) and the U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) commenced on April 22,
2024.
The 7th edition of India-France Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI commenced at the Joint Training
Node in Umroi, Meghalaya recently.
About Exercise Shakti:
It is a biennial training event conducted alternatively in India and France.
Aim: To enhance the joint military capability of both sides to undertake multi-domain operations in a Sub-
Conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate.
India’s first indigenous bomber UAV aircraft, the FWD-200B, developed by Flying Wedge Defence, an

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Indian defence and aerospace company, was unveiled recently.
About FWD-200B:
It is an indigenous military grade bomber unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is India’s first indigenous
unmanned bomber aircraft.
It is designed and manufactured by Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace Technologies, an Indian defence
and aerospace company.
It has a payload capacity of 100 kg and is classified as a MALE (medium-altitude, long-endurance)
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle.
The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) consists of optical surveillance payloads and is integrated with
missile-like weapons for precision air strikes.
It has a maximum speed of 370 kmph (200 knots), an endurance capacity of 12 to 20 hours, and a ground
control station range of 200 km.
The MQ-9B Predator drones India will be buying from the United States will be placed in two states:
Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
About MQ-9B Predator:
It is a high-altitude, long-endurance armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), capable of remotely
controlled or autonomous flight operations.
It is a variant of the MQ-9 "Reaper" developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), with
its primary purpose being for the United States Air Force (USAF).
Aeronautical Development Establishment, a Bengaluru-based DRDO lab that developed the Lakshya
aircraft, has been visited by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
About Lakshya Aircraft:
It is an indigenously developed micro-light and pilot-less target aircraft. It designed and built by the
Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a subsidiary of the Defence Research and Development
Organization (DRDO), for the Indian Armed Forces.
The engine is designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore. It is
required for evaluation and development trials of new surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems.
A Rs 60,000 crore contract to modernize the Indian Navy submarine fleet to build six stealth
submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology has started.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is using the fuel cells-based AIP System. It
is unique as hydrogen is generatedThe plant was operated in endurance mode and max power mode as per
the user requirements. The system is being developed by the Naval Materials Research Laboratory
(NMRL) of DRDO.
What is AIP?
With the emergence of submarines, there was a problem finding satisfactory forms of propulsion
underwater.
Traditional diesel-electric submarines need to surface frequently to charge their batteries and have an
underwater endurance of only a few days.
Indian Air Force (IAF) recently received delivery of the second of the 56 C295 aircraft.
About C295 Transport Aircraft:
It is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment. It was designed and built by
Airbus, a European multinational aerospace corporation.
In September 2021, India formalised the acquisition of 56 C295 aircraft to replace the legacy Avro fleet of
the IAF at a cost of Rs 21,935 crore.
Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition from its final assembly line in
Seville by 2025, and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced
Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
Russia's government recently published new footage claiming to show the targeting of two Ukrainian
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
About High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS):
It is a light, multiple rocket launcher. It is manufactured by Lockheed MartinCorporation, a US-based
security and aerospace company.
It is an air-transportable wheeled launcher mounted on a 5-ton Family of Medium Tactical

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Vehicles(FMTV).
It can carry either a launcher pod of six rockets or one MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System
(ATACMS), which have a range of 300 km (186 miles).
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested a next-generation torpedo release
system.
About Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) System:
It has been designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
It was launched from a ground mobile launcher from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
This missile-based mechanism to launch lightweight torpedoes can target submarines hundreds of
kilometres away — far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoes.
India has kickstarted the process of unifying its four airspace regions into one spanning the entire
nation under Project ISHAN.
About Project ISHAN:
The Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) initiative aims to streamline and
enhance air traffic management.
India is planning a major move to unify its four Flight Information Regions (FIRs) in Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata and Chennai into one continuous airspace in Nagpur and have harmonized Air Traffic
Management from Nagpur.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI), the public entity invited expressions of interest (EoI) for the
preparation of a detailed project report.

DEFENCE NEWS APRIL 2024

Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully carried out a test firing of the Crystal Maze 2 missile.
About Crystal Maze 2:
Also referred to as ROCKS, it is an air-launched medium-rangeballistic missile. It is of Israeli origin.
It is designed to target high-value stationary and relocatable assets, such as long-range radars and air
defense systems, of potential adversaries.
India successfully tests new 250 km strike range air-launched ballistic missile.
The Crystal Maze 2 boasts extended stand-off range capabilities as an air-to-surface missile.
It is capable of hitting targets over 250 kilometers.
The Indian Navy recently conducted Exercise Poorvi Lehar on the East Coast.
About Exercise Poorvi Lehar (XPOL):
It is a maritime exercise conducted by the Indian Navy along the East Coast, under the operational
direction of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
Israel recently used the Rampage, an efficient air-to-surface missile, in an attack on an Iranian military
base.
About Rampage Missile:
It is a long-range, supersonic, air-to-ground, seekerless, precision strike missile. It was developed by Israel
Aerospace Industries and Israeli Military Industries Systems
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is reported to be testing a prototype of its
DURGA-2 (Directionally Unrestricted Ray Gun Array) system.
About DURGA-2:
It damages or destroys its target using focused energy by means of lasers, microwaves or particle beams.
They transmit lethal force at the speed of light (about 300,000 kilometers per second).
Their beams are not affected by the constraining effects of gravity or atmospheric drag.
Other countries which have this system: Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, and China.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of
Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM).
About Indigenous technology cruise missile:
It is equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and reliable performance.
It is developed by Bengaluru-based DRDO laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE)
along with contribution from other laboratories and Indian industries.
It was monitored by several range sensors like radar, Electro Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and

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telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path.
SPACE, a premier testing & evaluation hub for sonar systems for Indian Navy, set up by DRDO,
inaugurated in Kerala.
Recently, a state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation
(SPACE) was inaugurated by Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO in
Kerala.
About Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation:
It is set up by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
It has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems destined for the Indian Nav y
onboard various platforms including ships, submarines and helicopters.
Supreme Court appreciates steps taken by Railways to roll out Kavach anti-collision system.
About KAVACH System:
The KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system by the Research
Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with the Indian industry.
It is a state-of-the-art electronic system with Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4) standards. It makes use of high
frequency radio communication and operates on the principle of continuous update of movement to
prevent collisions.
It is meant to provide protection by preventing trains to pass the signal at Red (which marks danger) and
avoid collision.
Indian Army contingent departed for the 5th edition of India-Uzbekistan joint military Exercise
DUSTLIK, scheduled from 15th to 28th April 2024 in Termez, Uzbekistan
Israel for the first time deployed its ship-mounted defence system, called the C-Dome.
About C-Dome:
It is a naval version of Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system, used to shield against rocket and missile
attacks.
The Iron Dome, which was activated in 2011 and has an effectiveness of about 90%, works by using radars
to detect short-range rockets before destroying them with its own missiles.
The U.S., Britain and Australia are set to begin talks on bringing new members into their AUKUS
security pact.
About AUKUS:
It is a trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States of America and
Australia agreed in 2021.
It is intended to strengthen the ability of each government to support security and defense interests,
building on longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has accomplished a significant milestone by establishing
connectivity on the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha Road in Ladakh.
About Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road:
It serves as a vital link between the Indian Union territory of Ladakh and the state of Himachal Pradesh,
traversing through the picturesque region of Zanskar, Ladakh.
It is an all-weather road from Manali (Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (Ladakh) through Darcha and Nimmu on
the Kargil–Leh Highway. It was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
It crosses only one pass—Shinkun La (16,558 feet)—on which tunnel work is about to commence by the
BRO.
NATO Foreign Ministers recently gathered at NATO Headquarters to mark 75 years since the signing
of the Washington Treaty.
About Washington Treaty:
The Washington Treaty, or North Atlantic Treaty, forms the basis of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO). It was signed in Washington D.C. in 1949, by 12 founding members.
Key Facts about NATO:
It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty. It currently has 32 alliance members from
North America and Europe.
Its fundamental goal is to safeguard the Allies’ freedom and security through political and military means.

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Headquarter: Brussels, Belgium
The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested from the Dr APJ Abdul
Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
It was conducted jointly by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO).
The launch aligns with India's strategic goals, as part of its 'Mission Divyastra' program, further solidifying
its position among nations with formidable strategic capabilities.
Agni Prime is a nuclear-capable new-generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a two-
stage canister missile with a maximum range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
The Indian Army has initiated the induction of control and reporting systems under 'Project Akashteer'
to bolster its air defense capabilities.
About Project Akashteer:
It is a cutting-edge initiative designed to automate air defense control and reporting processes by digitizing
them.
It is developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) as part of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.
The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested by the Strategic Forces
Command (SFC) along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
About Agni-Prime Missile:
It is a nuclear-capable new-generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a two-stage
canisterised missile with a maximum range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
The Manali-Leh highway was blocked due to fresh snowfall near the Atal Tunnel in Lahaul and Spiti
districts recently.
About Atal Tunnel:
Atal Tunnel, formerly known as Rohtang Tunnel, is the world's longest high-altitude tunnel, situated at an
elevation of approximately 3,100 meters (10,171 feet) above sea level.
It is located in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, in Himachal Pradesh. It passes through Rohtang
pass.
It stretches 9.02 km, connecting Manali to Lahaul and Spiti Valley

APP & PORTALS AUGUST 2024

Union Ministry of Women and Child Development recently launched the new SHe-Box portal.
About SHe-Box Portal:
It is a centralized platform for registering and monitoring complaints of sexual harassment of women in the
workplace.
It serves as a centralized repository of information related to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local
Committees (LCs) formed across the country, encompassing both the government and private sectors.
It offers a common platform to file complaints, track their status, and ensure time-bound processing of
complaints by ICs.
Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has mandated the registration of
exotic pets listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Act with state wildlife departments via the PARIVESH
2.0 portal within 6 months.
About Exotic Species:
Definition: Exotic species refer to animals or plants that are moved from their natural habitat to a new
location, often due to human activities.
Criteria: According to the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, any individual
possessing species listed under Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, must report and
register them.
Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022: It mandates the registration of the possession, transfer, birth,
and death of species listed in the CITES Appendices and Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act,
1972.
About the PARIVESH 2.0 Portal:
PARIVESH 2.0 (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous, and Environmental

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Single Window Hub) is a web-based workflow application developed by the Union Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for the online submission and monitoring of
proposals related to environmental, forest, wildlife, and coastal regulation zone clearances.
Union Minister for Jal Shakti launched Version 2.0 of the ‘FloodWatch India’ mobile application
developed by the Central Water Commission (CWC).
About FloodWatch India:
It gives information related to the flood situation and forecasts for up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the
public.
The in-house developed user-friendly app has readable and audio broadcastand all the information is
available in 2 languages, viz. English and Hindi.
Other feature of the app includes real-time flood monitoring where users can check up-to-date flood
situations throughout the country.

APP & PORTALS JULY 2024

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has developed an eSankhyiki portal.
About eSankhyiki Portal:
It provides real-time inputs for planners, policy-makers, researchers and the public at large.
The objective of this portal is to establish a comprehensive data management and sharing system for ease of
dissemination of official statistics in the country.
It has two modules namely:
Data Catalogue Module:This module catalogues the major data assets of the Ministry at one place for ease
of access.
It allows users to search within datasets, including within tables, and download data of interest to increase
its value and re-usability.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched Ideas4LiFE at IIT Delhi.
About Ideas4LiFE portal:
It was launched for inviting ideas related to products and services, which induce behavioral changes related
to environment-friendly lifestyles.
It aims to encourage and motivate students, faculty and research scholars to contribute their innovative
ideas to the global initiative of Mission LiFE.
It is a remarkable opportunity for inspired minds to participate in a global movement dedicated to
environmental sustainability.
Rashtrapati Bhavan will auction selected gift items, presented to the President and former Presidents
on various occasions, through an online portal called E-Upahaar.
About E-Upahaar Portal:
It is an auction portal of the President's Secretariat (office of the President of India), Rashtrapati Bhavan for
auctioning of gift items presented to Hon'ble President and former Presidents of India.
The portal was launched by the President of India, on July 25, 2024,
It is conceptualized, designed, developed and hosted by National Informatics Centre (NIC), Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology.
The aim of this initiative is not only to increase citizen engagement but also to support noble causes. All
proceeds from the auction will be donated to help children in need.
Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, launched SIMS 2.0, the upgraded Steel Import
Monitoring System.
About Steel Import Monitoring System’ 2.0 Portal:
It features API integration with multiple government portals, enhancing quality control and streamlining
processes for improved efficiency and effectiveness.
The portal boasts a robust data entry system, ensuring consistent and authentic data, which promotes
transparency and accountability. Integration of various databases enable stakeholders to locate areas of risk
and, thereby, permit better risk management.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines launched Mineral Exploration Hackathon and the National District
Mineral Foundation (DMF) Portal.
About National District Mineral Foundation Portal:

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It is a centralized platform to gather the information on the District Mineral Foundations across the
country.
Aim: The aim for launching this portal is to facilitate the access to the DMF data and track the
developments and utilizations thereunder.
This portal provides details of 645 DMFs in the country with enhanced transparency, featuring centralized
visibility of activities, project oversight, and dynamic analytics, as well as a repository of best practices for
effective implementation.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines inaugurated the National Landslide Forecasting Centre at
Geological Survey of India (GSI) Kolkata and also launched the Bhusanket Web Portal and
Bhooskhalan Mobile App.
About Bhusanket Web Portal:
This web portal will facilitate the dissemination of relevant data and information on landslide hazards,
initiating short-range and medium-range landslide forecasting in the country.
Integrated with the Bhusanket Web Portal, the user-friendly Bhooskhalan Mobile App will enable quick
dissemination of daily landslide forecasts and allow stakeholders to share and update spatial and temporal
information on landslide occurrences.
The app is available on Bhusanket web portal and will soon be available on Google Play Store.
Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence has notified the fifth Positive
Indigenisation List (PIL) consisting of 346 items. The items will only be procured from the Indian
Industry after the timelines of indigenisation as indicated in the list available on the Srijan portal.
About Srijan Portal:
It is an indigenization portal developed by the Department of Defence Production.
It will give information on items that can be taken up for indigenization by the private sector.
On this portal, DPSUs/OFB/SHQs can display the items which they have been importing or are going to
import which the Indian Industry can design, develop and manufacture as per their capability or through a
joint venture with OEMs.
The Indian Industry will be able to show their interest. The concerned DPSUs/OFB/SHQs, based on their
requirement of the items and their guidelines & procedures will interact with the Indian industry for
indigenization.
Nodal Ministry:Ministry of Defence

APP & PORTALS JUNE 2024

RPF launches Sangyaan App- A Comprehensive application for legal reference.
About Sangyaan App:
It is designed and developed by the tech team of RPF.
It is a practical tool for anyone seeking to stay informed about the latest legal developments in India.
It aims to educate and empower RPF Personnel by providing comprehensive information to understand the
provisions of both new and old criminal laws, while highlighting the relevance of these new acts in the
context of RPF operations.
It will provide in-depth information on three new Criminal Acts: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023,
the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launches two Geoportals namely ‘Bhuvan Panchayat (Ver. 4.0)"
portal for rural land record and "National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM Ver. 5.0)"
developed by Indian Space research Organization (ISRO).
About Bhuvan Panchayat geoportal 4.0:
It is an online geospatial data and services dissemination platform to support integration and utilisation of
space-based information into governance and research initiatives involving spatial planning up to Gram
Panchayat level.
Developed by: This WebGIS platform developed by NRSC, ISRO.
It enables visualisation, analysis, sharing of web map service (WMS) services of all thematic data products
generated at 1:10k under the Space based Information Support for Decentralized Planning (SISDP) project.
Days ahead of the implementation of the three criminal laws, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) is testing eSakshya (e-evidence) app.

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About eSakhsya App
It is a mobile-based application to help police record the scene of crime, search and seizure in a criminal
case and upload the file on the cloud-based platform.
Working
The police official will have to upload a selfie after the procedure is complete.
Each recording could be a maximum four minutes long and several such files could be uploaded for each
First Information Report (FIR).
This mobile application developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) will be available to all police
stations which register and download the App.
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development urged the state
governments to encourage more and more farmers to register on e-Samridhi portal so that they can
avail the facility of assured procurement.
About e-Samridhi Portal:
It was launched through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)
and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF).
It is for registration of farmers and the government is committed to procure pulses at Minimum Support
Prices (MSP) for farmers registered on the portal.
Portal registration of farmers can be done directly or through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)
and FPO.
e-Shram portal showcased during 112th International Labour Conference at Geneva, Switzerland.
About e-Shram Portal:
It was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2021 for registration and creation of a
comprehensive National Database of Unorganized Workers.
It allows an unorganised worker to register himself or herself on the portal on self-declaration basis, under
400 occupations in 30 broad occupation sectors.
It is a “One-Stop-Solution” for Unorganised Workers of the country.
The portal is presently integrated with National Career Service (NCS) Portal, Skill India Digital Hub
(SIDH), myScheme portal and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhaan (PMSYM) scheme.
Ministry of External Affairs and the SBI have signed an MoU to provide an additional digital payment
service of the bank through its payment gateway SBIePay to users of the eMigrate portal.
About eMigrate Portal:
It was launched in 2014 and it has been instrumental in making the emigration process online and
transparent for Indian workers heading to countries where emigration checks are required.
The portal connects foreign employers, registered recruiting agents, and insurance companies issuing the
Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna, facilitating seamless, safe, and legal migration.
The portal also has a mechanism for voluntary registration of emigrants holding ECNR (Emigration Check
Not Required) category passports proceeding for overseas employment.
It is integrated with the external affairs ministry’s Passport Seva Project to validate the passport details of
ECR category workers

APP & PORTALS MAY 2024

DigiLocker has become a digital placeholder for administrative and government-related documents and
now students have the option of viewing their scores and even obtaining their verified marksheets.
About DigiLocker:
It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under the Digital India programme in
2015.
It is a government approved application and is ideally maintained with strict security protocols framed by
officials.
It operates as an app to store users’ digital records. The app can be used when applying for a passport,
reviewing marksheets, or proving one’s identity during travel.

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 APP & PORTALS APRIL 2024
The Election Commission recently said its Suvidha portal has received over 73,000 applications since
the Lok Sabha polls were announced.
About Suvidha Portal:
It is developed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure a level playing field upholding the
democratic principles of free, fair and transparent elections.
It streamlined the process of obtaining and acting upon requests for permissions and facilities from political
parties and candidates during the election period.
It caters to a diverse range of permission requests transparently on the First in First Out principle.
Union Health Ministry launches myCGHS iOS app.
About myCGHS app:
It is designed to enhance access to Electronic Health Records, information and resources for Central
Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries.
It is developed by the technical teams of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Himachal Pradesh and
NIC Health Team.

AWARDS AND HONOURS AUGUST 2024

For the second consecutive year, the Global Finance Central Banker Report 2024 has rated the
performance of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das as A+.
The performance of the central bank governors is rated by the Global Finance magazine's "Central Banker
Report Cards 2024 on four criteria: controlling inflation, managing interest rates, promoting economic
growth, and maintaining stability in the domestic currency’s exchange rate.
Three central bank governors - Shaktikanata Das, Christian Kettel Thomsen of Denmark and Thomas
Jordan of Switzerland- were rated A+.
The Central Banker Report Cards is released annually by the New York, USA-based Global Finance
Magazine.
70th National Film Awards for the year 2022 were announced on 16 August 2024.
Best Feature Film - Aattam (Malayalam), Director: Anand Ekarshi
Best Direction -Uunchai (Hindi), Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya
Best Actor in a Leading Role- Rishab Shetty for the film Kantara
Best Actress in a Leading Role- Nithya Menen for film Thiruchitrambalam (Tamil), Manasi Parekh -
Kutch Express (Gujarati),
Best Male Playback Singer -Arijit Singh for the film Brahmastra
Best Female Playback Singer -Bombay Jayashri for film Chaayum Veyil (Malayalam)
Best Music Direction - Pritam for the film Brahmastra
Best Hindi Film- Gulmohar Directed by Rahul V. Chittella.
President Droupadi Murmu was honoured with the highest civilian award of Timor Leste - Grand Collar
of Order of Timor Leste.
President Droupadi Murmu was honoured with Fiji’s highest civilian award- Companion of the Order of
Fiji.
The Chandrayaan 3 team of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has won the Vigyan Team
Award of the first Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar.
Kashmir City received the Certificate of World Craft City from the World Crafts Council International
Kerala Tourism Clinches prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award 2024 for
Innovative ‘Holiday Heist’ Campaign.
FICCI Honours Ayushmann Khurrana and Neeraj Chopra as Youth Icons of India.
Ayushmann Khurrana: Bollywood superstar and versatile actor
Neeraj Chopra: Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad has once again been recognized as the Best
Airport at the prestigious India Travel Awards.
Bollywood’s charismatic ‘King Khan’, graced the 77th Locarno Film Festival with his presence, receiving a
career achievement award that further gilds his storied career.

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 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has inscribed several iconic
South African sites associated with Nelson Mandela as World Heritage Sites
Google CEO Sundar Pichai Honored with Honorary Doctorate from IIT-Kharagpur

AWARDS AND HONOURS JULY 2024

15th Agriculture Leadership Awards Committee has announced that Maharastra has won the Best
Agriculture State Award for 2024.
HCL Technologies chairperson Roshini Nadar has been conferred with France's highest civilian award, the
Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur or the Knight of the Legion of Honour.
The Andhra Pradesh government initiative, Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming
(APCNF), has won the 2024 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. The APCNF will share the one million euro
prize money with the renowned soil scientist Rattan Lal and the SKEEM of Egypt.
Space scientists Prahlad Chandra Agrawal and Anil Bhardwaj were honoured by the Committee on Space
Research (COSPAR) at its biannual meeting in Busan, South Korea, for their contributions to space
research.
The 45th COSPAR scientific assembly is being held in Busan, South Korea, from 13 -21 July 2024.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded its prestigious Olympic Order to the ace Indian
shooter Abhinav Bindra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS JUNE 2024

Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy has been chosen for the 2024 PEN Pinter Literary Prize for her
courageous and unswerving writing.
Arundhati Roy will receive her award at a ceremony to be held in October in London, England.
Arundhati Roy joins a list of literary giants like Salaman Rushdie, Margret Atwood, Tom Stoppard, Carol
Ann Duffy and Malorie Blackman, who have previously won the prize.
About Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy is the first Indian to win the prestigious Booker Prize in 1997 for her fiction ‘The God of
Small Things’.
Her second novel, ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ was published in 2017.
She is also the author of Capitalism: A Ghost Story and The Algebra of Infinite Justice.
PEN Pinter Award
The PEN(Poet, Playwright, Editors Essayist, Novelist) Pinter Award was instituted in memory of
playwright Harold Pinter in 2009. Harold Pinter, who was a citizen of Great Britain, won the Nobel Prize
for Literature in 2005.
The annual award is given to a writer who is a resident of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, or
the Commonwealth.
Nistha Jain’s ‘Golden Thread’ film won the prestigious Golden Conch award for the best documentary
at the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2024.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs, a citation and a Golden Conch as a trophy.
wildlife filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu was conferred with the 18th V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement
Award at the inauguration of the 18th MIFF 2024.
Indian entrepreneur Vellayan Subbiah was conferred the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2024 at a
ceremony held in Monaco's Salle des Etoiles.
Vellayan Subbiah became the fourth Indian to win this prestigious award in its 24 years of history.
He joined the illustrious list of NR Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Uday Kotak of Kotak Finance, and Kiran
Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Limited.
At present, Vellayan Subbiah is the Executive Vice Chairman of Tube Investments of India (TII) and the
Chairman of the Non-Banking Finance Company Cholamandalam (Chola) Investment and Finance
Limited.
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), has won the United Nations World Summit of
Information Society (WISS) 2024 “Champion” award.

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The award to C-DOT was announced at the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024, which was held in
Geneva, Switzerland, from 27 to 31 May 2024.
The C-DOT project “Mobile-Enabled Disaster Resilience through Cell Broadcast Emergency Alerting”
received the ‘Champion’ award under the AI, C-7, E-environment, in the category of "Benefits in all
aspects of life—E-environment.”
WHO Nelson Mandela Award for Health Protection 2024 for NIMHANS.
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru has been conferred
with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion.
Dr. Pratima Murthy, the director of NIMHANS, received the award.
The 2024 award was won jointly by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
(NIMHANS), India and Professor Bontle Mbongwe of Botswana.
Woman Police Station in Itanagar, under Capital Police, has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification.
GRSE wins 'Sustainable Governance Champion Award 2024.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. received the "Sustainable Governance Champion
Award" at the Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit & Awards 2024.
GRSE is recognized for driving innovation in sustainable shipbuilding practices.
Dr. Usha Thakur was awarded the 12th Vishwa Hindi Samman (World Hindi Conference) at a Hindi
Samvad event organized by the Embassy of India in Nepal.
The award recognized her contributions to the development of Hindi literature.
Dr. Thakur has translated over 40 works into Hindi and Nepali, strengthening the Hindi language.
The 12th World Hindi Conference was held in Fiji in 2023.
Bilan Media, Somalia's pioneering all-women news team, received the prestigious 2024 One World
Media Press Freedom Award.
The award acknowledges Bilan's fearless journalism over the past two years, which has tackled sensitive
topics and empowered female journalists in Somalia.
About Bilan Media
Established in 2021 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bilan Media has been
supported by the European Union (EU) through UNDP funding since 2024.
Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) Honored with National Award for Atal Pension Yojana
Enrolment Excellence.
Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), sponsored by Canara Bank, received the National Award from
the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) for highest enrolment under Atal
Pension Yojana (APY).
About Atal Pension Yojana (APY):
APY is a voluntary old-age income security scheme aimed at addressing longevity risks among workers in
the unorganized sector.
Implemented by PFRDA under the National Pension System (NPS) framework.
Minimum age for enrolment is 18 years, maximum age is 40 years, and the age of pension commencement
is 60 years.
Beneficiaries receive a guaranteed minimum monthly pension ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 based on
their contributions.
Indian documentary 'The Golden Thread' won the Best Documentary in the international category
with the Golden Conch Award at the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival.
In the special category of ‘India in Amrit Kaal’, director Edmond Ranson received the Best Short Film
awardfor ‘Life In Loom’.
Vinod Ganatra became the first Indian to win the Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award.
Vinod Ganatra, a noted filmmaker and editor hailing from Gujarat and now based in Mumbai,
Maharashtra, is the firstIndian to be honoured with South Africa's prestigious 'Nelson Mandela Lifetime
Achievement Award.
He received the honour at the 7th Nelson Mandela Children's Film Festival held in Johannesburg, South
Africa, recognising his significant contribution in the field of children's cinema.
Vinod Ganatra is the first Indian to receive the prestigious award.
RBI Wins 'Risk Manager of the Year Award 2024'.

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received the 'RiskManager of the Year Award 2024' at the Central Banking
Awards 2024.
The awards were presented by Central Banking Publications, a London-based financial publisher owned by
Infopro Digital.
Central Bank of the Year : Central Bank of Brazil
Governor of the Year : Andriy Pyshnyy, National Bank of Ukraine.
SEBI Honored as 'Best Conduct of Business Regulator' in Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has been awarded the 'Best Conduct of Business Regulator'
in the Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker.
This recognition highlights SEBI's commitment to transparency, fairness, and investor protection in India's
securities markets.
Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, Whole Time Member of SEBI, received the award at the Asian Banker
Summit 2024 held on May 23, 2024, in Hong Kong.
The summit's theme was "Bridging Innovation and Resilience in Finance."
All India Tennis Association (AITA) has honored Delhi-based tennis coach Nar Singh with the
prestigious Dilip Bose Award for Lifetime Achievement in Coaching

AWARDS AND HONOURS MAY 2024

German author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann have won the prestigious
International Booker Prize for their novel “Kairos.”
The International Booker Prize recognizes fiction from around the world that has been translated into
English and published in the UK or Ireland.
The £50,000 ($64,000) prize money is divided equally between the author and the translator
77th Cannes Film Festival Award 2024.
Palme d'Or or Golden Palm for Best Feature Film—Anora Film (United States), Directed by Sean Baker.
Grand Prix for Best Feature Film- All We Imagine As Light(India-French), Directed by Payal Kapadia.
Best Director for Feature Film- Miguel Gomes (Portugal) for film Grand Tour.
Best Actor for Feature Film - Jesse Plemons (United States) for the film Kinds for Kindness.
Best Actress for Feature Film - Selena Gomez (United States) for film Emilia Perez.
Actress Anasuya Sengupta created history at the Cannes Film Festival by winning the Best Actress award
in the Un Certain Regard segment for her film Shameless.
Payal Kapadia’s directed film ‘All We Imagine as Light’ won the Grand Prix award.
"Sunflowers were the first ones to know" directed by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) student
Chidananda S Naik wins the ‘La Cinef’ Award at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
Payal Kapadia becomes the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film
Festival.
Kapadia's film “All We Imagine as Light” won the Grand Prix, the second-most prestigious prize after the
Palme d’Or.
The film is the first Indian film in 30 years and the first ever by an Indian female director to be showcased
in the main competition at Cannes.
POWERGRID Receives Third-Time ATD Best Award 2024 for Excellence in Learning &
Development.
The ATD BEST Awards are established by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), USA.
Uttar Pradesh teenager Aarti wins Amal Clooney Women Empowerment Award in London.
Arti, an 18-year-old rickshaw driver hailing from Uttar Pradesh (UP), has been honored with the
prestigious Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award at the Prince's Trust Awards in London, UK.
The Pink E-Rickshaw Initiative was introduced under the Mission Shakti scheme by the Indian
government.
McGill Awards Honorary Doctorate to Dr. Soumya Swaminathan.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO Chief Scientist, is set to receive an honorary doctorate from
McGill University during the Spring 2024 Convocation ceremonies.
United Nations has selected the Indian Army Major Radhika Sen for the prestigious 2023 Military
Gender Advocate of the Year award.

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Major Radhika Sen becomes the second Indian to be awarded the United Nations Military Gender
Advocate of the Year Award.
Major Suman Gawani was the first Indian to be honoured with the UN Military Gender Advocate of the
Year Award in 2019.
Major Suman Gawani was deployed with the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan
(UNMISS).
NHPC Honoured with ‘The Economic Times HR World Future Ready Organization Award 2024 -25’.
NHPC, India's premier hydropower company, has been bestowed with the prestigious 'The Economic
Times HR World Future Ready Organization Award 2024-25'.
Scientist Srinivas Kulkarni Honoured With 2024 Shaw Prize In Astronomy.
Srinivas R Kulkarni, an Indian-origin American scientist and professor at California Institute of
Technology (Caltech), has been awarded the 2024 Shaw Prize in astronomy.
The Shaw Prize, known as the ‘Nobel of the East’, honours Kulkarni’s discoveries on millisecond pulsars,
gamma ray bursts, supernovae, and other transient astronomical phenomena.
Kulkarni, brother of author and educator Sudha Murty.
NTPC secures 3rd rank at ATD BEST Awards 2024 for Talent Development.
NTPC was awarded the third rank in the world for the Talent Development category at the ATD BEST
Awards 2024.
The award ceremony was held in New Orleans, United States of America, on 21 May 2024.
The Association of Talent Development (ATD), USA, gives the ATD BEST Awards in the field of
Learning and Development. The award was instituted in 2003.
The eminent Indian author Ruskin Bond has been conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the
highest literary honour bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi.
Honours Received : Padma Shri (1999), Padma Bhushan (2019), Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar
(2012), and Sahitya Akademi Award (1992).
“The Blue Umbrella,” “Rusty, the Boy from the Hills,” and “The Room on the Roof,” which won the John
Llewellyn Rhys Prize, are some of his most famous works.
Chandrakant Satija Honoured with Global Excellence Award 2024
Chandrakant Satija, the renowned educationist and Founder/CEO of Chandra Admission Consultants,
was honored with the Global Excellence Award 2024.
With 21+ years in education, Satija guides students' careers with quality education, counseling, and
admission guidance.
Hindustan Shipyard Limited’s CMD Cmde Hemant Khatri Honored with ‘PSU Samarpan Award’.
Cmde Hemant Khatri, the Chairman and Managing Director (C&MD) of Hindustan Shipyard Limited
(HSL), was bestowed with the esteemed 'PSU Samarpan Award' by Gov Connect.
Pawan Sindhi Honored with Global Pride of Sindhi Award 2024.
Pawan Sindhi was bestowed with the prestigious Global Pride of Sindhi Award 2024 at an ev ent attended
by esteemed saints, Mahatmas, and sadhus.
Oxford Bookstores has announced Bhavi Mehta as the winner of the 9th edition of Oxford Bookstore
Book Cover Prize.
Mehta won the prize for the book jacket of “The Book Beautiful” published by Hachette India and
authored by Pradeep Sebastian.
UNESCO Guillermo Cano Prize 2024 Awarded to Palestine Journalists in Gaza.
Palestinian journalists covering the Gaza crisis receive the 2024 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press
Freedom Prize as a show of solidarity and recognition for their dedication
Purnima Devi Barman gets the 'Green Oscar' Whitley Gold Award 2024.
Dr Purnima Devi Barman, a wildlife biologist from Assam, has won her second Whitley Gold Award, also
known as the Green Oscar.
She was honoured for her conservation effort of the endangered bird, Hargila or Greater Adjutant Stork
and its wetland habitat.
This is the second time that Dr Barman has been honoured with the Whitley Gold Award. She was also
awarded the prize in 2017.
Dr. Bina Modi Honoured for Outstanding Contribution to Corporate Social Responsibility.

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Dr. Bina Modi, Chairperson and Managing Director of Modi Enterprises – KK Modi Group, was
honoured by the esteemed Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankar, for her ‘Outstanding Co ntribution to
the cause of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)‘.

AWARDS AND HONOURS APRIL 2024

Alok Shukla get’s 2024 Goldman Prize for his Hasdeo Arand movement.
Chhattisgarh’s environmental activist and convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan Alok Shukla has
been selected for the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize.
The Goldman Environmental Prize, also popularly known as the Green Nobel Prize, is awarded annually
to grassroots environmental champions worldwide.
Hasdeo Arand forest area of Chhattisgarh is considered to be the lungs of Chhattisgarh.
To save the forest area and its ecosystem, Alok Shukla founded Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.
Till now, seven indian have been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize .
Medha Patkar was the first Indian to get the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1992. She was associated
with Narmada Bachao Andolan.
Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Environmental Prize was founded by American couple Richard and Rhoda Goldman in
1989.
The first Goldman Environmental Prize was announced in 1990.
Every year, grassroots environmental leaders are selected from six regions of the world: Africa, Asia,
Europe, North America, South and Central America and Islands and Islands Nations.
India Today Group's AI anchor Sana won two awards at the International News Media Association
Global Media Awards held in London.
Sana, an AI-powered news anchor developed by India Today Group, has won the first prize in the 'Best
Use of AI in Customer-Facing Products' category at the International News Media Association's 2024
Global Media Awards.
Sharjah Teacher Gina Justus Wins Regional Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award.
Gina Justus, an English High School teacher at the Sharjah Girls Branch in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), has been named the regional winner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at the
prestigious 2024 Cambridge
Dedicated Teacher Awards.
Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagrih, actor Randeep Hooda was bestowed with the Lata Deenanath
Mangeshkar Award. This honor recognizes his remarkable contributions to Indian cinema and his recent
film “Swatantrya Veer Savarkar”.
2024 Laureus Sports Awards
Sportsman of the Year Award : Novak Djokovic
Sportswoman of the Year Award : Aitana Bonmati
Comeback of the Year Award : Simone Biles
Breakthrough of the Year Award : Jude Bellingham
Team of the Year Award : Spain Women's Football Team
Action Sportsperson of the Year Award : Arisa Trew
Laureus Sport for Good Award : Fundaci³n Rafa Nadal
Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award : Diede de Groot.
Novak Djokovic, the world's top-ranked tennis player, was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the
Year for the fifth time, matching Roger Federer's record for the most decorated male athlete in this
category.
Djokovic had previously won this award in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
The Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar won the Laureus Sporting Moment Award (2000-2020).
Neeraj Chopra, an Indian Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, is the third Indian after Vinesh Phogat and
Sachin Tendulkar who was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards.
Ratan Tata receives prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award.
Renowned industrialist Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata was honoured with the prestigious KISS
Humanitarian Award 2021.

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Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was honoured
with the KISS Humanitarian Award 2023 for his remarkable and philanthropic work.
Mohammed Salem’s Award-Winning Photograph at World Press Photo 2024.
Mohammed Salem is a Palestinian photographer who works for the news agency Reuters. In 2024, he won
a very important award called the World Press Photo of the Year award.
Pavuluri Subba Rao Founder and CEO, Chairman of Ananth Technologies has been received with the
‘Aryabhatta Award’.
The Aeronautical Society of India (ASI) has instituted an award to recognize outstanding contributions
made to the promotion of astronautics in India.
Cash Prize Rs. 100000 Citation.
World’s First ‘Miss AI’ Beauty Pageant Announced Featuring AI Judges.
For the first time in the world, models and influencers that are solely created through artificial intelligence
will be competing in a beauty pageant called "Miss AI".
The winner of the contest will receive a prize money of $20,000, making it the world's first AI beauty
pageant.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has been honored with the ‘Best Airport Staff in
India & South Asia 2024’ award by Skytrax.
Hamad International Airport (DOH), located in Doha, Qatar, has been awarded the “World’s Best
Airport” title by the esteemed Skytrax World Airport Awards.
Amitabh Bachchan will receive Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award.
Famous Hindi cinema actor Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with the third Lata Deenanath
Mangeshkar Award to be held this year.
The award was announced at a press conference organized by the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smriti
Pratisthan Public Charitable Trust and the Mangeshkar family.
This award was started by the Trust and the Mangeshkar family in the year 2022 in the memory of Bh arat
Ratna and Swara Kokila late Lata Mangeshkar.
Bhumi Pednekar & 4 Indians in WEF Young Global Leaders Class of 2024.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced its 20th edition of Young Global Leaders Community:
The Class of 2024 on 4 April 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The list includes nearly 90 young people under 40 years of age from diverse fields of politics, business, civil
society, the arts, and academia.
Indians included in the WEF Forum of Young Global Leaders 2024

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Kannada poet Mamta G Sagar receives an international literary award.
Kannada poet, Mamta Ji Sagar was honored with the World Literary Prize for her contribution to
literature by the World Organization of Writers (WOW) in April 2024.
Mamta is currently a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu, has been honored with the prestigious "South Asian
Person of the Year" award by Harvard University.
Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni has become the first Indian monk to be honoured with the American
President's Gold Volunteer Service Award.
Prestigious John Dirks Gairdner global health award for Dr Gagandeep Kang.
Dr. Gagandeep Kang, presently serving as the Director of Global Health at the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, has been honored with the esteemed John Dirks Global Health Award.
The award, provided by the Gairdner Foundation of Canada, recognizes Dr. Kang's significant
contributions to child health in India.
Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital Wins ‘Best Scientific Poster Award’ 2024.
Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital’s research team has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Best Scientific Poster
Award’ at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery
(ASCRS).
Yulia Navalnaya to receive DW Freedom of Speech Award 2024.
The late Russian dissident Aleksei Navalny and his wife, Yulia Navalnaya, will receive the Freedom Prize
of the Media from a leading German forum, the Ludwig Erhard Summit
GAIL Wins 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Award for Barauni – Guwahati Pipeline.
GAIL (India) Limited has been honored with the prestigious 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Award in the
‘Achievement Award for Best Construction Projects’ category for its remarkable accomplishment in the

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Barauni – Guwahati Natural Gas Pipeline project (BGPL).
The Barauni – Guwahati Natural Gas Pipeline project spans 718 km
SJVN receives 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2024 for CSR Contribution.
SJVN Limited was awarded the 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2024 for Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) Contribution.
SJVN has received two prestigious awards at the CIDC Vishwakarma Awards 2024 instituted by the
Construction Industry Development Council.
SJVN has been awarded the 'Achievement Award for Social Development and Creating Impact' and
'CIDC Partners in Progress Trophy'.
Dr. Karthik Kommuri Honoured at National Fame Awards 2024.
SKOCH ESG Award 2024 in RE Financing Category Won by REC.
REC Limited under the Ministry of Power won the SKOCH ESG Award 2024 in the 'Renewable Energy
Financing' category.
The SKOCH ESG Awards recognize organizations which demonstrate outstanding performance in the
field of environment, social and governance (ESG).
The SKOCH ESG Awards and Assessment serves as an important benchmark for evaluating organizations'
commitment to India 2047.
Vineet Jain Honoured with ENBA Lifetime Achievement Award 2023.
Vineet Jain, the managing director of the Times Group, received the prestigious Exchange4Media News
Broadcasting Awards (ENBA) Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 for his significant contributions to
Indian television news.
Prof. Meena Charanda honored with 'International Culture Award'.
Professor Meena Charanda, Principal of Kalindi College, Delhi University, was given the 'International
Culture Award' for the year 2024.
Prof. Meena Charanda has been given this honor for her remarkable work in the field of education and
social service
Vijay Jain, the Managing Director of Star Estate, was awarded the prestigious Times Power Icon 2024
Award.
Abel Prize 2024 awarded to Michel Talagrand.
Michel Talagrand of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Paris, France, has been
honored with the 2024 Abel Prize by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.
Michel Talagrand was recognized for his pioneering work in probability theory and functional analysis.
Talagrand received the prestigious prize “for his groundbreaking contributions to probability theory
and functional analysis, with outstanding applications in mathematical physics and statistics.”
About Abel Prize
First awarded in 2003, the Abel prize “recognises pioneering scientific achievements in mathematics”.
The award carries a monetary prize of 7.5 million kronor (about $720,000) and a glass plaque designed by
Norwegian artist Henrik Haugen.
The prize is awarded by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on behalf of the Ministry of
Education.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AUGUST 2024

Mastercard, a global technology in the payments industry announced the worldwide launch of its new
Payment Passkey Service.
About Payment Passkey Service:
It uses device-based biometric authentication methods such as fingerprints or facial scans.
It will provide customers with a non-OTP-based solution for transaction management.
Working
Passkeys work using algorithms to encrypt data so users can verify their identity fast and securely.
When users first sign into an account, their device creates a pair of keys: one that is public and shared with
the website to validate the passkey, and one that is private on your device to unlock the passkey to access
your account.
President of Ukraine recently announced that Ukraine has successfully tested its first ballistic missile,

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Hrim-2, manufactured by the country’s defence industry.
About Hrim-2:
Hrіm-2, Grim, Grom, or OTRK Sapsan, also known as Operational-Tactical Missile System Hrim is a
Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system.
It is designed to combine the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher.
The Hrim-2 version, developed for export, has a range limited to 280 kilometers in order to fall within the
300- kilometre limit set by the Missile Technology Control Regime.
However, for Ukrainian military needs, the system's range has been extended to 700 km.
The Sapsan system comprises a 10-wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) capable of carrying two
containerized missiles simultaneously.
As the world grapples with the urgent need to transition to renewable energy, solar paraboloid
technology is emerging as a potentially transformative solution.
About Solar Paraboloid Technology:
It is an advanced form of concentrating solar power (CSP) technology.
It not only enhances the efficiency of solar energy capture but also addresses the limitations that have long
plagued traditional photovoltaic (PV) systems.
Researchers from Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), an autonomous institute of
Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with scientists from National Chemical
Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune have developed a security alert system based on piezoelectric polymer
nanocomposite.
Union Ministry of Defence recently signed a repeat order for 73,000 SIG716 rifles from Sig Sauer of the
U.S., and deliveries are expected to be completed by end-2025.
About SIG 716 Rifle:
It is an American-made automatic assault rifle.
It is manufactured by the United States firearms maker, Sig Sauer.
In India, the army has extensively integrated the SIG 716 into its ranks, particularly for troops operating in
mountainous areas and critical border regions.
Features:
The rifle has a total length of 34.39 inches and a barrel length of 15.98 inches.
Its total weight is 3.58 kg.
It has a higher recoil and higher calibre, meant to shoot-to-kill targets at 600 metres.
These rifles have a high-powered 7.62x51mm caliber, offering longer range and greater lethality than
the existing INSAS and AK-47 rifles currently in service of Indian armed forces.
South Korea’s president recently ordered a crackdown on an epidemic of digital sex crimes targeting
women and girls who become the unwitting victims of deepfake pornography.
About Deepfakes:
Deepfakes are synthetic media, including images, videos, and audio, generated by Artificial
Intelligence (AI) technology that portray something that does not exist in reality or events that have never
occurred.
The term deepfake combines deep, taken from AI deep-learning technology (a type of machine
learning that involves multiple levels of processing), and fake, addressing that the content is not real.
It can create people who do not exist, and it can fake real people saying and doing things they did not say
or do.
Background: The origin of the word “deepfake” can be traced back to 2017, when a Reddit user
with the username “deepfakes”, posted explicit videos of celebrities.
The Indian government has recently banned 156 Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) drugs.
What are Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) drugs?
Fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs are medications that combine two or more Active Pharmaceutical
Ingredients (APIs) in a single dosage form, such as a pill, capsule, or injection.
These drugs are often prescribed for conditions requiring multiple medications, such as tuberculosis,
diabetes, and hypertension, to enhance patient compliance by reducing the number of pills taken daily.
India achieved a significant milestone in its space journey with the launch of its first reusable hybrid
rocket, RHUMI-1, recently.

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About RHUMI-1:
It is India’s first reusable hybrid rocket.
It was developed by the Tamil Nadu-based startup Space Zone India in collaboration with Martin Group.
It stands out for its innovative hybrid propulsion system, combining the advantages of both liquid and solid
fuels.
RHUMI-1’s hybrid design, which uses solid propellant and liquid oxidizer, reduces the risk of accidental
detonation by combining these components only during combustion.
This technology promises improved efficiency and reduced operational costs.
NASA has launched a satellite to track methane emissions.
About Tanager-1 Satellite:
Launch details:
Launch vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Launch site: Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Development collaboration: Jointly developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other partners.
Mission purpose:
Primary Objective: Detection of major carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) emissions.
Environmental Focus: Targeting key greenhouse gases that significantly contribute to global warming.
The recent findings from India's Chandrayaan-3 mission have sparked renewed interest in the Lunar
Magma Ocean (LMO) theory, a crucial concept in planetary science that explains the moon's early
formation.
Chandrayaan-3's discovery:
Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan rover identified a rock type known as ferroan anorthosite in the lunar south pole
region.
This discovery is significant as it aligns with earlier observations made by the Apollo and Luna missions,
confirming the theory that these rocks are remnants of an ancient magma ocean that once covered the
moon.
Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DOPPW) introduced a unique innovative centralized
pension processing software called ‘Bhavishya’ for all central government Ministries/Departments.
About Bhavishya Software:
It is an online Pension Sanction & Payment Tracking System launched by the Department of Pension &
Pensioners’ Welfare.
It was made mandatory for all central civil Ministries and Departments w.e.f 01.01.2017.
It was launched to address the problems of delay & clerical errors in processing the pension cases, as well as
financial loss and harassment to the pensioners
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the EOS-08 Earth Observation Satellite onboard
the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
About Small Satellite Launch Vehicle:
It is a three-stage Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion stages.
It also has a liquid propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage, which can help
adjust the velocity as it prepares to place the satellite.
Aim: The aim behind SSLVs is to produce low-cost launch vehicles with short turnaround times and
minimal infrastructural requirements.
It can launch satellites weighing up to 500 kg and accommodate multiple satellites.
India is now all set to commission its second nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arighat, armed with
nuclear missiles for strategic deterrence.
About INS Arighat:
It is India’s second indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), following
India's first nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, commissioned in 2018.
It was constructed at the Indian Navy's Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam.
It represents a critical component of India's nuclear triad, enabling the nation to launch nuclear missiles
from land, air, and sea.
Features:
It measures 111.6 meters in length, has a beam of 11 meters, a draught of 9.5 meters, and a displacement of

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6,000 tonnes.
It will have one seven-blade propeller powered by a pressurized water reactor.
Nasa’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) has concluded its mission,
marking the end of a journey spanning over a decade.
About NEOWISE Telescope:
It was launched in 2009 by NASA as the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE.
The space telescope was originally designed to survey the sky in infrared, detecting asteroids, stars and
some of the faintest galaxies in space.
It had completed its primary mission in February 2011.
Observations resumed in December 2013, when the telescope was taken out of hibernation and re-purposed
for the NEOWISE project as an instrument to study near-Earth objects, or NEOs, as well as more distant
asteroids and comets.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has designed special shoes for soldiers equipped with a
Tri-boelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) Technology.
About Tri-boelectric Nanogenerator (TENG) Technology:
It is a self-powered, feasible solution to convert mechanical energy into electricity.
The electricity will get stored in a device fixed in the soles and can be used to operate small appliances
Features: It is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
technologies, these shoes can help determine the location of personnel in real-time.
ISRO's Earth Observation Satellite-8 (EOS-8) is expected to be launched by the Small Satellite Launch
Vehicle (SSLV)-D3 on August 15 from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
About Earth Observation Satellite-8:
It will be launched by the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3.
Objective: The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite,
creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies
required for future operational satellites.
It is built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus .

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JULY 2024

European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is gearing up for a pivotal maneuver in
its mission to the gas giant and it is scheduled to fly past Earth on August 20, 2024.
About Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer:
It is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission to explore Jupiterand three of its icy moons: Europa, Callisto
and Ganymede.
Objective: The probe aims to explore the possibilities of life in space and the origins of Jupiter.
It will monitor Jupiter’s complex magnetic, radiation, and plasma environment in depth and its interplay
with the moons.
GROWTH-India Telescope made a remarkable observation, capturing a 116-meter, building-sized
asteroid as it made its closest approach to Earth.
About GROWTH-India Telescope:
It is India's first fully robotic optical research telescope.
The telescope's primary mission is to observe explosive transients and variable sources, including near-
Earth asteroids.
Location: The telescope is located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory site at Hanle, Ladakh. Situated
at 4500 meters above mean sea level, this is one of the highest observatory sites in the world and one of the
best telescope locations in the country.
It joins the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), the gamma-ray array telescope (HAGAR), and the
imaging Cherenkov telescope (MACE) at this site.
NASA's Perseverance rover recently made an intriguing discovery that could shed light on the ancient
history of Mars and the possibility of past microbial life.
About Perseverance Rover:
Perseverance, nicknamed "Percy", is a semi-autonomous rover the size of a small car designed to explore
the surface of Mars.

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It is part of NASA’s ongoing Mars 2020 Mission.
Launch: It was launched on July 30, 2020, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Landing: Successfully landed on the surface of Mars's Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021.
The European Space Agency recently announced that its new Ramses spacecraft may accompany the
asteroid Apophis before and after its safe, albeit rather close, pass of Earth.
About Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (RAMSES):
It is a planetary defence mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).
It will intercept the asteroid 99942 Apophis and accompany it through its safe but exceptionally close flyby
of Earth in 2029.
Roughly 375 m across, Apophis will pass within 32,000 km from Earth's surface on 13 April, 2029.
China’s APSTAR-6E satellite has officially begun operating after successfully passing technical reviews
both in orbit and on the ground in Hong Kong.
About APSTAR-6E Satellite:
It is China's first all-electric propulsion communication satellite.
Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), this satellite operates
in geostationary orbit.
Launched via a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on January 13, 2023,
APSTAR-6E completed its journey to geostationary orbit after separating from its independent propulsion
module.
Indian scientists have developed an open-source tool to generate an infrared star catalogue for the
Adaptive Optics System (AOS) of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT)
About Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT):
It is a revolutionary class of extremely large telescopes that will enable us to explore deeper into space
and observe cosmic objects.
It is an ambitious international project involving India, the United States, Canada, China and Japan that
aims to significantly advance our understanding of the universe.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JUNE 2024

Australian government entered into an $18 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) under the space MAITRI mission.
About Space MAITRI Mission:
Space MAITRI (Mission for Australia-India's Technology, Research and Innovation), represents a major
step forward in the strategic partnership between the two nations in the space domain.
It aims to foster closer ties between commercial, institutional and governmental space organizations from
India and Australia.
Under this agreement, NewSpace India Limited will launch Australia’s Space Machines Company's second
Optimus spacecraft in 2026.
The 450kg Optimus spacecraft, the largest Australian-designed and built spacecraft to date, will be
launched on ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).
Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with Bengaluru-based SpacePixxel Technologies Pvt.
Ltd.
The contract is for designing and developing a Miniaturised Satellite capable of carrying multiple advanced
payloads up to 150 kgs for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
This marks the 350th contract under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, part of
MoD's flagship program.
ISRO has achieved a third consecutive success in the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing
EXperiment (LEX) with the Pushpak vehicle.
The third and final test in the series, RLV LEX-03, was conducted at 07:10 IST on June 23, 2024 at the
Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
The winged vehicle 'Pushpak' was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of
4.5 km.
Wärtsilä Oyj Abp, a Finland-based company, has launched the world's first large-scale 100% hydrogen-

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ready engine power plant to support net-zero power systems.
In a first, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its latest large satellite, GSAT 20, on
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
About GSAT 20 Satellite:
It is India’s latest communications satellite.
It is a hi-tech, heavy-weight satellite weighing 4,700 kg.
It will have a high throughput capacity of 48 GBPS.
The satellite made by ISRO has 32 spot beams, and it has been made to cover all of India, but with a
special emphasis on providing connectivity for Northeastern India.
The satellite will be owned and operated by ISRO's commercial arm New Space India Ltd. (NSIL).
DRDO has successfully completed six consecutive developmental trials of High Speed Expendable
Aerial Target (HEAT) ‘ABHYAS’ in Chandipur, Odisha.
About ABHYAS:
It is a High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT).
It has been designed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru, and developed
through Production Agencies - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited & Larsen & Toubro
DRDO handed over the Medium Range-Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket (MR-MOCR) to the
Indian Navy at a ceremony held in New Delhi.
About Microwave Obscurant Chaff Rocket:
Microwave Obscurant Chaff (MOC) is a niche technology developed by DRDO’s Defence Laboratory,
Jodhpur
It obscures radar signals and creates a microwave shield around platforms and assets, thus reducing radar
detection.
DRDO has indigenously developed three variants of this critical technology namely Short Range Chaff
Rocket (SRCR), Medium Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR) and Long Range Chaff Rocket (LRCR).
Indian Air Force (IAF) recently proposed to the central government the purchase of 10 TAPAS drones.
About TAPAS UAV:
The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance Beyond Horizon-201, or Tapas BH-201, is a
medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drone.
It was previously referred to as Rustom-II.
It was developed indigenously by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO.
It also projects a range of 250 km.
Maximum speed: 225 kmph.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
software named PraVaHa.
About PraVaHa Software:
Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis (PraVaHa) is a
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software developed in ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
(VSSC).
It can simulate external and internal flows on launch vehicles, winged and non-winged re-entry vehicles
India and the United States are in advanced talks for the joint manufacture of the latest generation of
Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs).
About Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs):
The Stryker is a family of eight-wheel-drive combat armoured infantry combat vehicles (ICVs).
It is jointly developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) Canada and the General Dynamics
Land Systems Division in the United States.
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced two proposals—5G Intelligent Village and
Quantum Encryption Algorithm (QEA)—aimed at catalysing innovation and technological
advancement in the telecom sector.
About 5G Intelligent Village Initiative:
This initiative responds to the pressing need for equitable technological advancement by harnessing the
transformative power of 5G technology to uplift rural communities.
It aims to enable effective utilisation of Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) and

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massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) aspects of 5G in selected villages, showcasing the
advantages of 5G connectivity.
India set to be the 6th country to have its own Deep Sea Mission; 1st Stage of harbor trail (40-50m)
deep of deep sea mission planned by September 2024; The Mission has the potential to contribute
greatly to the overall growth of Indian economy.
About:
The Matsya 6000 is a three-person submersible that will be able to go 6,000 metres under the sea. The
vessel is being developed by Chennai's National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
Structure: Made of 80mm-thick titanium alloy, it will be able to withstand a pressure 600 times greater than
that at sea level. The Matsya 6000 will be able to operate from 12 to 16 hours straight and will have an
oxygen supply of 96 hours.
The Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) is an ambitious Indian initiative to explore and harness the depths of the
ocean.
It is a five-year mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021, with a budget of nearly ₹4,077 crore.
A Woman-led Start-up Developed ‘Divya Drishti’, a cutting-edge AI Tool for Personal Identification,
under a Technology Development Fund.
About:
The AI tool “Divya Drishti” integrates face recognition with immutable physiological parameters such as
gait and skeleton.
It was developed by Ingenious Research Solutions Pvt Ltd., a start-up established by a woman
entrepreneur, Shivani Verma.
Israel Aerospace Industries unveiled a new air-launched variant of its Lora ballistic missile recently.
About Air LORA:
It is an air-launched variant of the Long-Range Artillery (LORA) ballistic missile.
It is designed and developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
US recently conducted an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test from the
Californian Vandenberg Space Force Base.
About Minuteman III:
The LGM-30G Minuteman III is a solid-fueled, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which the United
States Air Force (USAF) first deployed in the 1960s.
It was designed and manufactured by the Boeing Corporation
China's space agency said that China landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon on 2nd
of June.
About Chang'e-6:
The Chang'e-6 craft successfully landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the back of the moon.
It is the first human sampling and return mission from the far side of the moon.
It was launched by a Chinese Long March-5 rocket from Wenchang Space Launch Center on the southern
island of Hainan before 53 days.
Chang'e-6 consists of an orbiter, a returner, a lander and an ascender
The Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, lost an Iris-T missile, sparking serious concerns about the
crucial technology being compromised.
About Iris-T Missile:
It is a next-generation short-range air-to-air missile.
The IRIS-T is a six-nation program under German lead, with Diehl BGT Defence (a German defense
company) acting as industrial prime contractor.
The IRIS-T programme sees Germany, Greece, Norway, Italy, Spain and Sweden unite to provide access
to technology and expertise. Diehl Defence is the main contractor.

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Indian space agency ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and the American space agency NASA
(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) will jointly develop and launch the Synthetic Aperture
Radar satellite. The satellite will map the entire Earth twice every 12 days, which will be helpful in
combating climate change and other global challenges;
NASA will provide training to the ISRO astronauts in space flights and human space missions.
India will participate in the U.S. Space Command’s Global Sentinel Exercise at Vandenberg Space Force
Base, to be held in February 2025.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MAY 2024

Agnikul Cosmos launches Agnibaan SOrTeD with world's first 3D printed engine.
Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited successfully launched Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological
Demonstrator) from Agnikul Launch Pad 1 (ALP-1), located within the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SDSC)-SHAR in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India.
This marked the maiden flight of Agnibaan SOrTeD, propelled by the world's first single-piece 3D printed
semi-cryogenic engine.
Agnibaan SOrTeD stands as India's second privately developed rocket, equipped with the world's
pioneering 3D printed engine technology.
DD Kisan, the government TV channel, is set to introduce two AI anchors, AI Krish and AI Bhoomi.
ISRO has inaugurated the carbon reduction initiative by SFO Technologies, Kochi-based flagship
company of the NeST Group.
The initiative aligns with the UN's goal of achieving a 50% carbon reduction by 2035 and zero emissions by
2040.
The Indian government envisions the space industry to grow to a USD 9 to 10 billion industry within the
next 5 to 10 years, compared to its current valuation of USD 2 billion.
Kadet Defence Systems (P) Limited (KDS) introduces India's first Loitering Aerial Munitions (LAM)
for the Indian Armed Forces.
India's First Commercial System on Chip (SoC) Launched.
Mindgrove Technologies Private Limited, in collaboration with IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation
and IIT Madras Incubation Cell, introduced India's first commercial System on Chip (SoC) called Secure
Internet of Things.
Japan to launch world’s first wooden satellite to combat space pollution.
In a world-first, Japanese researchers have built a tiny wooden satellite named LignoSat that will be
launched into space in September.
About LignoSat:
LignoSat”, a fusion of “ligno” (the Latin word for wood) and “satellite”,.
It is developed by collaborative research and development by a team comprising members from Kyoto
University and Sumitomo Forestry Co.
DRDO successfully flight-tested the RudraM-II from Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force
(IAF) off the coast of Odisha.
About RudraM-II Missile:
It is an indigenously-developed solid-propelled air-launched missile system.
It is meant for Air-to-Surface role to neutralise many types of enemy assets.
It is designed to have a strike range of almost 350-km, from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter of the IAF.
Indian-American astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni was awarded the Shaw Prize for Astronomy in 2024 for
his work on the physics of astronomical transients.
A team of Indian astrophysicists has used observations from AstroSat to discover the aperiodic
modulation of high-energy X-ray photons in Swift J1727.8-1613, a black hole binary source.
About AstroSat Mission:
It is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in the X-ray, optical
and UV spectral bands simultaneously.
AstroSat, with a lift-off mass of 1515 kg, was launched on September 28, 2015, into a 650 km orbit by
PSLV-C30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

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Known as ‘AI agents’, GPT-4o and Project Astra have been touted as far superior to conventional
voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
About AI agents:
These are sophisticated AI systems that can engage in real-time, multi-modal (text, image, or voice)
interactions with humans.
India-Japan partnership for their joint moon mission, Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), is
likely to take flight in a few years, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said in an
interview recently.
About Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX):
It is a collaborative endeavor between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The mission is scheduled to launch in 2025.
This mission will take off aboard Japan’s H3 rocket.
A NASA PREFIRE polar mission is set to be launched from New Zealand on May 22.
About PREFIRE Polar Mission:
The Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) polar mission consists of twin
satellites, each carrying one instrument and measuring the poles about six hours apart.
Objective: The objective of the mission is to reveal the full spectrum of heat loss from Earth’s polar regions
for the first time, making climate models more accurate.
The ChatGPT, OpenAI has brought the capabilities of GPT-4 through its latest model named GPT-4o.
About GPT-4o:
GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”) offers GPT-4 level intelligence and it is much faster and improves its capabilities
across text, vision, and audio.
DigiLocker has become a digital placeholder for administrative and government-related documents and
now students have the option of viewing their scores and even obtaining their verified marksheets.
About DigiLocker:
It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under the Digital India programme in
2015.
It is a government approved application and is ideally maintained with strict security protocols framed by
officials.
It operates as an app to store users’ digital records.
ISRO achieved another milestone in design and manufacturing by successfully conducting a long
duration test of the PS4 engine of the PSLV stage.
About PS4 engine:
It is the uppermost stage of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), comprising of two Earth storable liquid
engines.
It uses a bipropellant combinationof nitrogen tetroxide as the oxidizer and monomethyl hydrazine as the
fuel, was developed by ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
The same engine is also used in the Reaction Control System (RCS) of the first stage (PS1) of PSLV.
Recently, 3AI Holding Limited and SML India, announced the launch of ‘Hanooman’, India’s
homegrown multilingual GenAI platform.
About Hanooman AI Platform:
It is the largest multilingual and most affordable Gen AI platform.
It is available in 98 global languages, of which, 12 are Indian languages.
USA has indicted Russian national Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev and announced a $10 million reward
for his alleged involvement with LockBit ransomware.
About LockBit Ransomware:
It is malicious software designed to block user access to computer systems in exchange for a ransom
payment.
It was formerly known as “ABCD” ransomware, but it has since grown into a unique threat within the
scope of extortion tools.

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 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY APRIL 2024
NASA successfully launched its Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft from New Zealand
recently.
About Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3):
It is a NASA technology demonstration mission designed to characterize solar sail structures technologies
for future small spacecraft to engage in deep space missions requiring long-duration, low-thrust propulsion.
Launched in 2024, ACS3 will deploy a sail about the size of a small apartment from a toaster oven-size
spacecraft.
Microsoft unveiled the latest version of its ‘lightweight’ AI model – the Phi-3-Mini.
Voyager 1 probe is returning usable information to ground control, the NASA announced recently.
About Voyager 1 Spacecraft:
It is a space probe launched by NASA on September 5, 1977, about two weeks after its twin Voyager 2 to
study the outer Solar System and beyond.
According to NASA, Voyager 1 has enough fuel to keep its instruments running until at least 2025. By
then, the spacecraft will be approximately 13.8 billion miles (22.1 billion kilometers) away from the sun.
Meta introduced its most capable Large Language Model (LLM), the Meta Llama 3.
About Llama 3:
Llama or Large Language Model Meta AI is a family of LLMs introduced by Meta AI in February 2023.
NASA confirmed Dragonfly rotorcraft mission to Saturn’s organic compound-rich moon Titan with a
budget of $3.35 billion and a launch date set for July 2028.
About Dragonfly Mission:
It is a "dual quadcopter" designed to fly across the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. It will explore a
variety of locations on Saturn's moon Titan.
It will spend most of its time on the moon’s surface making science measurements. It will use a
radioisotope power system like the Curiosity rover on Mars
NASA is now publicly distributing science-quality data from its newest Earth-observing PACE
satellite.
About PACE Satellite:
The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite is placed in Sun-synchronous orbit.
The primary science instrument for PACE is the Ocean Colour Instrument(OCI) which is designed to
measure the ocean’s colour across a spectrum from ultraviolet to shortwave infrared.
It features two polarimeters – the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration(SPEXone) and the Hyper
Angular Research Polarimeter (HARP2).
China National Space Administration (CNSA) recently said its launch of the Queqiao -2 satellite was a
"complete success".
About Queqiao-2:
It is a relay satellite launched by China to serve as a communications bridge between ground operations on
earth and upcoming lunar probe missions on the far side of the moon until at least 2030.
A fleeting visit by the BepiColombo mission to Venus has revealed surprising insights into how gases
are stripped away from the upper layers of the planet's atmosphere.
About BepiColombo:
It is an international mission consisting of two spacecraft riding together to Mercury to orbit and study the
planet from unique vantage points.
It is a joint project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese counterpart JAXA.
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) recently announced the successful deployment in space of its
sub-metre resolution optical satellite, TSAT-1A, by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
About TSAT-1A:
It is an optical sub-metre-resolution Earth observation satellite.
It was built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in collaboration with Latin American company
Satellogic Inc, following a collaboration agreement between the two companies in late 2023.
TSAT-1A was assembled in TASL's Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) plant at its Vemagal facility
in Karnataka.
It was launched by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in the US.

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Astronomers are looking forward to posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon and in orbit around
it, including one from India called PRATUSH.
About PRATUSH Telescope:
Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH) is a radio telescope to be
sited on the moon’s far side.
It is being built by the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) in Bengaluru has developed a new platform
called OptiDrop.
About OptiDrop Platform:
It is an innovative microfluidic chip-based platform that simplifies and reduces the cost of studying single
cells. It employs a novel approach that enables precise and cost-effective analysis of single cells
encapsulated in droplets.
The platform’s unique features include live data visualisation, a smaller data footprint, and a ‘closed’
system design that prevents external contamination.
Recently, a New York-based research lab and technology company Hume, has introduced what can be
called the ‘first conversational AI with emotional intelligence.
About Hume AI:
It is the world’s first emotionally intelligent voice AI. It accepts live audio input and returns both generated
audio and transcripts augmented with measures of vocal expression.
It is essentially an API that is powered by its proprietary empathic large language model (eLLM). This
eLLM reportedly understands and emulates tones of voices and word emphasis to optimise human-AI
conversations
Intel Corporation, a leading semiconductor manufacturer, unveils 'Hala Point,' the world's largest
neuromorphic system.
Codenamed 'Hala Point,' the system is designed to advance sustainable Artificial Intelligence (AI)
initiatives.
Israel has introduced its maritime defense system, known as the C-Dome, for the first time in Eilat,
Israel's southernmost city.
The C-Dome is essentially a naval adaptation of the Iron Dome, a renowned air defense system designed to
safeguard against rocket and missile threats.
Angara-A5 successfully launched on April 11, 2024, from Vostochny Cosmodrome, replacing Proton M
as Russia's heavy-lift rocket.
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) conducted the launch of Bandwagon-1.
This marks the first rideshare mission to low-Earth orbit, facilitated by a Falcon 9 rocket.
The launch took place from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, United States of America (USA).
Romania unveils world's most powerful laser.
Developed by a research center in Romania as part of the EU Infrastructure Extreme Light Infrastructure
(ELI) project.
Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018 for their
pioneering work in laser technology.
Microsoft and OpenAI have announced the introduction of 'Stargate,' a cutting-edge AI supercomputer
with a price tag of $100 billion.
The first phase of the world's largest copper manufacturing plant in Mundra, Gujarat was launched by
the Adani-led group.
The company plans to invest $1.2 billion in this phase
The Gaia telescope, led by Khyati Malhan, reveals two ancient star streams: Shiva and Shakti.
Khyati Malhan is from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Germany.
Grok-1 is an AI chatbot developed by xAI, a company founded by Elon Musk.
Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, one of Tamil Nadu's space companies, is preparing to launch its first
rocket, Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD), from the Satish Dhawan Space Center
in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh

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 SUMMIT & CONFERENCE AUGUST 2024
The annual meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) started on August 26 in Nuku'alofa, the capital
of Tonga.
PIF is an intergovernmental organization with 18 member states in the Pacific region.
The forum aims to boost economic growth, improve political governance, and enhance regional
cooperation.
PIF members are working to raise funds for climate action, with the Pacific Resilience Facility currently
$380 million short of its $500 million goal.
India to Host First World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Goa.
The Government is gearing up to host the inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit
(WAVES), aiming to bolster India’s Media and Entertainment industry and extend its global influence.
The Summit will be being held in Goa from 20th of November to 25th of November this year.
WAVES is poised to become a significant platform for icons of the Media and Entertainment fraternity
worldwide, focusing on entertainment economics and technology.
The 3rd India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue of the Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers of both
countries was held in New Delhi on 20 August 2024.
The 2+2 Dialogue is a mechanism for both countries to discuss bilateral, regional, and global issues of
mutual importance. It was started in 2019 to deepen and enhance India and Japan's security and defence
cooperation.
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted the 3rd
India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue. The Japanese side was led by Defence Minister Kihara Minoru and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ms Yoko Kamikawa.
India holds 2+2 Dialogues with the United States of America, Russia, Japan, Australia, and Brazil
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 August 2024.
The Summit is being held in a virtual format, and many leaders of the Global South are participating in the
meeting.
The Voice of Global South is an Indian concept rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam.
It provides a platform for the countries of the Global South to raise issues that are vital to them.
India hosted the first Voice of Global South Summit in a virtual format from 2 to 13 January 2023.
PM Modi announced that India will start a special fund of 2.5 million dollars to strengthen trade
promotion activities amongst the Global South countries.
123 country leaders and ministers from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania attended the 3rd Voice of
Global South Summit meeting.
China and Pakistan were not invited to the Summit meeting.
“An Empowered Global South for a Sustainable Future” is the theme of the 3rd Voice of Global South
Summit.
New Delhi host the first BIMSTEC Business Summit meeting.
The first BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)
Business Summit meeting is being held in New Delhi from 6 to 8 August 2024.
The Summit will facilitate discussions on key areas of cooperation and bring together all BIMSTEC
stakeholders on one platform.
The first BIMSTEC Business Summit was inaugurated by the External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar in
New Delhi on 6 August 2024.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has
organized the first Business Summit meeting of BIMSTEC.
Thailand will host the 6th BIMSTEC Summit Meeting in September 2024.
New Delhi hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Foreign Minister’s Retreat (meeting) on July 11 and 12, 2024.
The 4th BIMSTEC Security Chiefs meeting was held on 27 July 2024 in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of
Myanmar.
About BIMSTEC
BIMSTEC was established as a regional group in 1997 to promote cooperation among the littoral states of

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the Bay of Bengal regions. Its members are India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, and
Myanmar.
BIMSTEC headquarters is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Secretary General - Indra Mani Pandey (Indian Citizen).
5th meeting of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement Joint Committee held in Jakarta.
The 5th AITIGA Joint Committee and related meetings for review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods
Agreement (AITIGA) were held in ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia from 29th July to 1st August
2024, marking a significant milestone in enhancing economic cooperation between ASEAN and India.
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations):
ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, was established in 1967 when the founding nations
signed the ASEAN Declaration (also known as the Bangkok Declaration).
It comprises ten countries: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia,
Malaysia and Myanmar
5th Global Fintech Fest Held in Mumbai.
The 5th Global Fintech Fest was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from 28-30 August 2024.
The festival, which started in 2021, aims to establish itself as the premier global conference for the global
fintech ecosystem, promote collaboration, and influence the future of the Fintech industry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th Global Fintech Fest on 30 August 2024.
Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das and Chairman of Global Fintech Fest (GFF) Kris
Gopalakrishnan were also present at the occasion.
The Global Fintech Fest is always held in Mumbai.
The Global Fintech Fest is organised by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), the Payment
Council of India and the Fintech Convergence Council.
The theme of the 5th Global Fintech Fest was ‘Blueprint for the next decade of finance: Responsible AI|
Inclusive| Resilient.'
Reserve Bank of India organised the Global Conference on Digital Public Infrastructure and Emerging
Technologies in Bengaluru on 26-27 August 2024.
It was organised as part of its RBI@90 initiative.
During his inaugural address, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said the RBI will soon launch the Unified
Lending Interface (ULI) technology platform across the nation.
The Russian capital city of Moscow on 28 August 2024 hosted the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Russian-
Indian Commission on Cooperation in the Field of Emergency Management 2024.
The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanad Rai.
The Russian Minister for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural
Disasters, Kurenkov Aleksandr Vyacheslavovic, led the Russian delegation.
Singapore hosts the 2nd India- Singapore Ministerial Roundtable(ISMR).
The ISMR is a high-level platform that provides a mechanism for both countries to discuss the entire gamut
of relationships and set future agendas for bilateral relationships.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the 19th CII India Africa Business Conclave in New
Delhi on 21 August 2024.
The CII India Africa Business Conclave is an initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Union
Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry.
The theme of the 19th CII India Africa Business Conclave is - Creating One Future.
President Droupadi Murmu presided over the 52nd Conference of Governors at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
in New Delhi on 2 August 2024.
In 2021, the 51st Conference of Governors was held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The conference was
presided over by the then President Ram Nath Kovind.
The 4th edition of the Rashtriya Hindi Vigyan Sammelan 2024 was held in the Madhya Pradesh
capital, Bhopal, on 30 and 31 July 2024.
The Rashtriya Hindi Vigyan Sammelan's main purpose is to provide a platform for researchers to present
and discuss their work in Hindi, enrich science and technology-based research in Hindi and popularise
science and technology through Hindi medium.
The conference featured six sessions on diverse topics of Science, Technology, Ayurveda, Engineering, and

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Science Communication.
The 4th Rashtriya Hindi Vigyan Sammelan 2024 was organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR-AMPRI), Bhopal.
The theme of the 4th Rashtriya Hindi Vigyan Sammelan 2024 was "Upgradation of National Scientific
Consciousness in Amrit Kaal."
Amrit Kaal is the Prime Minister's vision to make India a developed country by 2047, which will allow the
country to fulfil its aspirations.
The GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) Division of the Union Ministry of Culture has
organised a three-day (1-3 August 2024) 'State Museum Conclave on the upcoming Yuga Yugeen Bharat
Museum' in New Delhi.
The conclave will discuss ways and means by which the state governments and other stakeholders can
contribute to the central government’s project to build the world’s largest museum -Yuga Yugeen Bharat
Museum in New Delhi.
The 'State Museum Conclave on the upcoming Yuga Yugeen Bharat Museum' was inaugurated by
the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 1 August 2024.
28th COCSSO Conference Held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
The 28th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO) was organized by the
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre,
Janpath, New Delhi, from 12th to 13th August 2024.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Rao Inderjit Singh, MoSPI, inaugurated the conference.
The conference's theme was "Use of Data for Decision Making: Strengthening State Statistical Systems."

SUMMIT & CONFERENCE JULY 2024

India will host the prestigious International Conference of Agricultural Economists after a 66-year gap.
NITI Aayog Member Prof. Ramesh Chand gave this information in New Delhi on 30 July 2024.
India will host the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists at the Pusa Institute New
Delhi from 2 to 7 August 2024.
The International Conference on Agricultural Economics is held every three years.
"Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems" is the theme of the 32nd International
Conference of Agricultural Economists to be held in New Delhi.
The 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists is being organised by the International
Association of Agricultural Economists in collaboration with the Indian Society of Agricultural
Economics, the International Food Policy Research Institute, the Agricultural Economics Research
Association (India), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and the Indira Gandhi Institute of
Development Research.
The 4th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)
Security Chiefs meeting was held in the capital city of Myanmar, Nay Pyi Taw, on 27 July 2024.
At the meeting, India was represented by the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
BIMSTEC was established in 1997 as a regional group to promote cooperation among the littoral states of
the Bay of Bengal regions.
It currently has seven members - India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar.
BIMSTEC headquarters is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
India Hosts 6th EAS Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation in Mumbai.
The 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation was held in Mumbai,
Maharashtra from 4th to 5th July 2024.
The conference was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI).
Partnered with the Governments of Australia and Indonesia.
New Delhi to host the 46th World Heritage Committee session of UNESCO.
The Indian capital, New Delhi, is all set to host the 46th World Heritage Committee session of the United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation(UNESCO) from 21 -31 July 2024.
This is the first time such an event is being held in India.
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the function on 21 July 2024 in the presence of
the Union Minister for Culture, G.Kishan Reddy.

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The Union Ministry of Culture is organising the event in association with UNESCO.
The event, which will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, will also include the participation of
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay .
During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $1 million grant to support UNESCO’s
global conservation efforts.
India takes over the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre Chairmanship.
India assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center for 2024-25 at the meeting of
the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center held in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 25, 2024.
India took over the chairmanship from China, which was the chairman of the Asian Disaster Preparedness
Center for 2023-24.
Rajendra Singh, Head of the Department of National Disaster Management Authority, representing the
government of India, assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center.
As chairman, Rajendra Singh also chaired the 5th Board of Trustee meeting of the Asian Disaster
Preparedness Center, which was held in Bangkok on 25 July 2024.
About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center was set up in 1986 as a non-profit, autonomous, regional organisation.
Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand
Global INDIAai Summit 2024 concludes in New Delhi.
The two-day ‘Global IndiaAI Summit, organised by the government of India, successfully concluded at
Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
The ‘Global IndiaAI Summit, held on 3 and 4th July 2024, was attended by over 2,000 global artificial
intelligence (AI) experts, Policy makers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) practitioners, Industry/Startups, and
Academia.
Along with the Global IndiaAI Summit, India also organised the 6th Global Partnership in Artificial
Intelligence (GPAI) Ministerial Council meeting on 3 July 2024 in a hybrid mode.
As the lead chair of the GPAI for 2024, India organised the 6th GPAI Ministerial Council meeting.
The Global INDIAai Summit 2024 was organised by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology.
The 6th GPAI Ministerial Council Meeting was also organised by the Union Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology.
The focus of the Global INDIAai Summit 2024 summit was on advancing AI development in areas like
Compute Capacity, Foundational Models, Datasets, Application Development, Future Skills, Startup
Financing, and Safe AI.
The IndiaAiMission was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2024 with an outlay of USD 1.25
Billion.
About Global Partnership in Artificial Intelligence( GPAI)
The Global Partnership in Artificial Intelligence was launched on 15 June 2020 with 15 countries,
including India, as its founding member.
At present, the GPAI has 29 member countries.
Secretariat of the GPAI: The GPAI is hosted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) at its secretariat in Paris, France.
First International Conference on Steel Slag Road was jointly organized by CSIR-CRRI (Central Road
Research Institute) and PHDCCI (PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
It took place in New Delhi on 29th June 2024.
The theme of the 1st International Conference on Steel Slag Road was "A Sustainable Green Infrastructure
Transforming Waste to Wealth".
24th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit was organized by Kazakhstan and took place
in Astana on July 3-4, 2024.
During the summit, Belarus was officially admitted as the 10th member state of the organization.
“Sahkar Se Samriddhi” conference on the occasion of the 102nd ‘International Day of Corp.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah addressed the “Sahkar se Samriddhi”
(Prosperity through Cooperation) program in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Here are the key highlights:
Date: July 6, 2024

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Location: Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Theme: “Cooperatives Build a Better Future for All”.
Nano-Fertilizer Assistance Scheme: Shri Amit Shah launched a scheme providing 50% assistance to
farmers for purchasing nano-fertilizers under the AGR-2 Scheme for FY 2024-25.
Bharat Organic Atta: Shri Shah inaugurated the launch of “Bharat Organic Atta,” produced by the
National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL).
Rupay KCC Distribution: Zero-interest rate Rupay Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) were distributed to women
cooperative members in Banaskantha district.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently held a conference for the Statutory Auditors and Chief Financial
Officers (CFOs) of Commercial Banks and All India Financial Institutions on July 9, 2024, in Mumbai.
The theme of the conference was “Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility: Advancing Assurance in Banking
Supervision.”
22nd Annual Bilateral Summit between Russia and India.
During the 22nd Annual Bilateral Summit, which took place in Moscow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
paid an official visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin on 8th-9th July
2024.
Highest Civilian Honour: President Putin conferred Russia’s highest civilian honor, the “Order of Saint
Andrew the Apostle,” upon Prime Minister Modi.
2024 World Leaders Summit was held in the UK Parliament's House of Lords.
The 2024 World Leaders Summit, held on July 15, 2024, at the UK Parliament's House of Lords, focused
on the theme "Global Collaboration for Sustainable Development."
57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) took place in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 26th July 2024.
The 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) was hosted and chaired by H.E. Saleumxay
Kommasith, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, actively participated in this meeting.
Under the theme of “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,”
Vision 2045: Developing strategic plans for the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic
Community, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community to ensure resilience, innovation, dynamism, and
people-centeredness by 2045
The Tech Leaders Forum of India was indeed launched at the World Education Conference 2024, held
in Dubai on 29th July 2024.
Launched by: The Federation of Economic Development Association (FEDA)
Location: Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, Dubai.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully hosted its inaugural Annual Operational Sea Training
Conference in Visakhapatnam on July 30, 2024.

SUMMIT & CONFERENCE JUNE 2024

64th International Sugar Organisation Council Meeting in New Delhi.
The 64th International Sugar Organisation Council meeting commenced on 25th June 2024 at Bharat
Mandapam in New Delhi.
Delegates from more than 30 countries and representatives of many international organisations are
expected to participate in the meeting to be held from 25-27 June 2024 , to discuss issues related to the
sugar industry and biofuels sectors.
India was elected as the chairman of the International Sugar Council for 2024 at the 63rd International
Sugar Organisation Council meeting held in London.the United Kingdom last year.
India is the Chairman of the International Sugar Organisation.
The largest producer of sugar in the world is Brazil followed by India, European Union , China and the
United States of America.
India is the largest consumer and second largest producer of sugar in the world, with a share o f about 15
per cent in global sugar consumption and about 20 per cent in sugar production.
India is also the 3rd largest country producer of ethanol in the world after the USA and Brazil.
Uttar Pradesh is the leading sugarcane-producing state in India, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.
NSA of India & US Co-chair 2nd India- US meeting on ICET In New Delhi.

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The 2nd meeting of the India-US initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was held between
the two countries on 17 June 2024 in New Delhi.
The meeting was co-chaired by the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India, Ajit Doval and the United
States (U.S) NSA Jake Sullivan.
Jake Sullivan is the first high-ranking official of the American government to visit India after the Narendra
Modi government was sworn in for the third consecutive time.
The first iCET meeting was held in Washington, D.C., USA, in January 2023.
PM Modi returns after a successful G7 Outreach meeting in Italy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned home on 15 June 2024 after his first official foreign visit after
being sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for the third successive term.
He was on a one-day visit to Italy to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Outreach session held in Borgo
Egnazia, Apulia, Italy, on 14 June 2024.
The first summit meeting took place in France in 1975.
The next 51st summit meeting will be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, in 2025
1st BRICS Ministerial meeting held with expanded membership in Russia.
The first ministerial meeting of the BRICS group of countries with the newly added members took place in
the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod on 10 June 2024.
The two-day (10 and 11 June 2024) meetings of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International
Relations was hosted by Russia, as it is the current chairman of the BRICS.
Russia took over the chairmanship of BRICS from South Africa on 1 January 2024.
Russia will host the 16th annual BRICS summit from 22 to 24 October 2024.
The first summit meeting of the leaders of the BRIC countries was held in June 1996 in Yekaterinburg,
Russia.
Six countries—Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—
were invited to join the BRICS group.
Argentina declined to join the group, while Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab
Emirates joined the group on 1 January 2024.
India, the United States of America, South Korea, Japan and the European Union have launched a
Biopharmaceuticals Alliance.
The first meeting of the Alliance was held in San Diego, the United States of America, during the Bio
International Convention 2024, the world’s largest pharmaceutical exhibition.
The BIO International Convention was held in San Diego, United States of America from 3 to June 2024.
The Bio International Convention is considered to be the world’s largest event in the field of biotechnology
with the participation of more than 18,500 industry leaders from across the globe.
First IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum meeting Held in Singapore.
Singapore hosted the first Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy
Investor Forum meeting on 5& 6 June 2024.
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Ministerial meeting.
The Indian delegation was led by Sunil Barthwal, Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
About Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is an American-led initiative that was
launched after the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the world’s supply chain.
It was formally launched by American President Joe Biden on 23 May 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.
The IPEF consists of 14 member countries.
21st Shangri La Dialogue Ends in Singapore.
The 21st edition of the Asia Pacific premier defence meet, the Shangri La Dialogue or the Asian Security
Summit, ended in Singapore on 2 June 2024.
The Shangri La Dialogue was held at the Shangri La Hotel in Singapore from 31 May to 2 June 2024.
The 112th International Labour Organization (ILC) was held in Geneva from 3-14 June 2024.
International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency .
It is founded in October 1919
The ILO has 187 member states.
It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

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The 2024 G7 Summit took place from June 13-15 in Borgo Egnazia, Fasano, Apulia, Italy.
This was the 50th summit since the group's inception, marking a significant milestone.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted the event, which included leaders from the seven member
states: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the
President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
The 2024 G7 Summit, centered on the theme "Building a Sustainable and Secure Future."
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) Forum High-Level Event 2024 was held in
Geneva, Switzerland from 27th to 31st May 2024.
The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary (Telecom) Shri Niraj Verma.
India will host the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 in New Delhi from
15-24 October 2024
The event is co-organized by the ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD.
3rd Indian Analytical Congress (IAC) held at Dehradun.
The 3rd Indian Analytical Congress (IAC-2024) was held at the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) in Dehradun. The event took place from 5th to 7th June
2024.
The theme of the conference was "Role of Science and Technology in Green Transitions".
The congress was jointly organized by CSIR-IIP and the Indian Society of Analytical Scientists (ISAS-
Delhi Chapter).
Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN), in collaboration with Svyasa,
Deemed to be University, organized a Conference on “Yoga for Space” at S-Vyasa University in
Bengaluru.
This event took place in observance of the International Day of Yoga 2024 with the theme “Yoga for Self &
Society.”
First International Dairy Federation Asia-Pacific Summit held in Kochi from June 26 to 28.
The conference focused on the theme "Farmer Centric Innovations in Dairying"

SUMMIT & CONFERENCE MAY 2024

India to host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.
India will host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46) and the 26th Meeting of the
Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) from May 20 to 30, 2024, in Kochi, Kerala.
The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Union Ministry of Earth Science, will host the
meeting. Over 350 delegates from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the 46th ATCM and 26th
CEP meetings.
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 in Washington, D.C., by 12 countries and came into force in
1961. At present, 56 countries have signed the Antarctic Treaty.
The permanent secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty is in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
India signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1983. India enacted the Antarctic Act in 2022.
A Ministerial round table conference was held on April 24th, 2024, during the 26th World Energy
Congress in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The 26th World Energy Congress is an important event that aims to promote clean and inclusive energy
transitions worldwide.
The Congress will focus on the theme of ‘Redesigning Energy for People and Planet’ to mark the World
Energy Council’s centenary in world energy.
International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure's 6th edition has begun in New Delhi.
The conference's theme is "Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow".
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by the Prime Minister of India,
Narendra Modi, at the 2019 UN Climate Summit.
16th World Future Energy Summit started in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The 16th World Future Energy Summit has recently commenced in Abu Dhabi, gathering global leaders,
policymakers, and experts in the field of sustainable energy and climate initiatives.
UN’s 1st International Conference on DPI held under India’s Leadership in New York.
United Nation’s First International Conference on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) was held, April 28,

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2024, in New York, USA.
The conference was organized by the Permanent Mission of India and the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology, in collaboration with iSPIRT.
World Press Freedom Day Conference is a global event that takes place annually to celebrate World
Press Freedom Day on 3rd May.
The conference for the year 2024 is being hosted by Chile and UNESCO from 2nd to 4th May.
The theme for the 2024 conference is "A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental
Crisis".
The UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2024 was awarded to Palestinian journalists
Yousef Al-Helou and Sami Abu Salem for their fearless reporting during the Israeli offensive against Gaza.
India has set up its pavilion at the 2024 World Hydrogen Summit.
World Hydrogen Summit 2024 is a landmark event taking place from 13th to 15th May 2024 at Rotterdam
Ahoy, Netherlands.
For the first time, India has set up its own pavilion at the Summit, showcasing the progress made by the
country in the field of Green Hydrogen.
India launched its National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2023 with an ambitious target to achieve
a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 Million Metric Tonnes by the end of the year 2030.
Cold Chain and Logistics Summit organized by FICCI in New Delhi.
The Cold Chain and Logistics Summit was organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi on 29th May 2024.
The summit aimed to foster collaboration and innovation in developing an integrated, sustainable, and
efficient cold chain ecosystem for India’s perishable goods industry.
Grant Thornton Bharat was the Knowledge Partner for the summit

SUMMIT & CONFERENCE APRIL 2024

Parivartan Chintan Tri-Service Conference, organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff,
was held in New Delhi on 8 April 2024.
The conference was initiated by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, who highlighted the need for
developing a Joint Culture for the Armed Forces.
The main objective of the Parivartan Chintan Tri-Service Conference was to generate new and fresh ideas,
initiatives, and reforms to further propel Jointness and Integration in the Armed Forces.
World Hepatitis Summit 2024 is scheduled to take place from 9th to 11th April in Lisbon, Portugal.
This summit is the only global hepatitis conference that focuses on a multi-stakeholder, multi-sector public
health approach.
The theme for the 2024 summit is "Integrate, Accelerate, Eliminate".
The summit is organized by the World Hepatitis Alliance with the support of the Ministry of Health of
Portugal.
The Retail Summit (TRS) 2024 was held in Dubai on the 23rd and 24th of April.
Since its inception in 2018, TRS has been focused on bringing together the brightest minds in the global
retail community.
The 2024 edition was aimed to be the most relevant, inspirational, thought-provoking, and fun yet.
The event was organized in partnership with Dubai Chambers.
World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2024 was inaugurated by Vice-President Jagdeep
Dhankhar 2024, at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.
The summit was organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
The theme of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2024 was 'Leadership for Sustainable
Development and Climate Justice’.
The 7th Indian Ocean Conference was held in Perth, Australia 2024.
The theme of this edition of the conference was "Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean".
13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) took place from 26 to 29
February 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates..
The general theme for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
was "The WTO, the Multilateral Trading System and the Current Global Economic Environment".

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The 21st edition of BioAsia Summit 2024 has begun in Hyderabad, India.
The theme for this year is “Transforming Life Sciences with Data and AI,”
The 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit commenced in Kampala, Uganda .
The summit was held under the theme 'Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence’.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar represented India at the summit.
The COP29 summit will be held in Azerbaijan in November.

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS AUGUST 2024

India’s longest-serving cabinet secretary, Rajiv Gauba, retired after five years of service on 30 August 2024.
He was replaced by Finance Secretary TV Somanathan.
TV Somanathan is the 33rd cabinet secretary of the government of India.
CS Setty takes over as the 27th Chairman of SBI.
Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, or CS Setty, became the 27th Chairman of India’s largest commercial bank,
State Bank of India (SBI), on 28 August 2024.
He succeeded Dinesh Khara, who retired after the closing of banking hours on 28 August 2024.
According to the State Bank of India Act 1955, the chairman's tenure can be a maximum of five years. The
government of India has also fixed 63 years as the chairman's retirement age.
CS Setty has been appointed for a term of three years, starting 28 August 2024.
Senior IPS officer B. Srinivasan Appointed as Director General of National Security Guard (NSG).
B Srinivasan will replace CRPF Director General Anish Dayal Singh.
The NSG is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of the government of India.
It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Jay Shah:5th Indian and the youngest person to head the ICC.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the
next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 27 August 2024.
He will replace New Zealand’s Greg Barclay, whose term will end on 30 November 2024.
Jay Shah is the 5th Indian to head the ICC and, at the age of 35, is the youngest Chair of the ICC.
Jay Shah will begin his term as Independent Chair of ICC on 1 December 2024.
A person is elected as the Independent Chair of the ICC for two years and a maximum of three terms.
Senior IAS officer Govind Mohan assumed charge as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs secretary on 22
August 2024.
He replaced Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who retired after five years as home secretary on 22 August 2024.
Rajesh Kumar appointed next Defence Secretary by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) .
Rahul Navin new Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He replaced Sanjay Kumar Mishra.
Rahul Navin has been appointed for a term of two years.
Lt Gen Sadhna Saxena Nair: First woman DG of Medical Services (Army).
In a boost to women empowerment in the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena
Nair assumed the office of the Director General of Medical Services (Army) on 1 August 2024.
She is the first woman to hold this prestigious post in the Indian Army’s Medical Services.
Sanjay Shukla assumed charge as the Managing Director of the National Housing Bank .
Preeti Sudan :2nd Woman to be appointed Chairperson of UPSC.
President of India Droupadi Murmu has appointed Preeti Sudan, a 1983 batch IAS officer and former
Union Health Secretary, as the new Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 31
July 2024.
She will replace Dr Manoj Soni, who resigned earlier this month.
Preeti Sudan is the second woman to be appointed as the Chairperson of the UPSC after Mrs.
R.M.Bathew (Kharbuli)(1992-96).
Subhasri Appointed MD & CEO Of Shriram Capital.
Satish Kumar Appointed as Railway Board Chairman and CEO.
Mr. Kumar will be taking over from Jaya Verma Sinha, who has held the distinction of being the first lady
Chairperson of the Railway Board.

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National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) Appoints Sindhu Gangadharan as
New Chairperson.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan was re-elected as the national president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram
Vilas) for the next five years.
Deepti Gaur Mukherjee has taken over as the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
Rajesh Nambiar has been appointed as the president-designate of the National Association of Software and
Service Companies (NASSCOM), succeeding Debjani Ghosh, whose tenure concludes in November 2024.
Amardeep Singh Bhatia Appointed as
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary.
He succeeds Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Satya Prakash Sangwan Appointed as Chef de Mission for Paris Paralympics 2024.
S Ashok Kumar Singh took over the charge of Director General of Employees’ State Insurance
Corporation (ESIC) under Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Salee Sukumaran Nair as the Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) for a three-year term.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra Becomes Thailand’s Youngest Prime Minister
Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the United
States.
Kwatra succeeds India’s former envoy to the United States, BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
Sandeep Poundrik Assumes Role as Secretary of the Ministry of Steel
Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the State Bank of
India (SBI).
NPCI Spins Off BHIM into a Separate Arm; Lalitha Nataraj Appointed CEO.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is spinning off its Bharat Interface for Money
(BHIM) app into a standalone subsidiary to bolster its presence in the digital payments market.
Lalitha Nataraj, previously with IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Bank, has been appointed as CEO of this
new entity.
Rwanda’s all-powerful President Paul Kagame was sworn for a fourth term.
Raj Kumar Chaudhary Takes Helm as Chairman & Managing Director of NHPC Ltd.
Harish Dudani Appointed As Member of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)
DBS Appoints Tan Su Shan As First Female CEO.
Indian-origin top Singapore banker Piyush Gupta is set to step down as the Chief Executive Officer of the
DBS Group in March 2025.
He will be succeeded by Tan Su Shan
SEBI Approves Praveena Rai as New MD & CEO of MCX.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved Praveena Rai’s appointment as the Managing
Director and CEO of the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), India’s largest commodity exchange.
Lt General Vikas Lakhera assumed charge as the new Director General of the Assam Rifles, an
organization fondly known as the “Sentinels of the Northeast”.
Lt Gen Lakhera succeeds Lt General P C Nair.
Dr. Grinson George has assumed the role of Director at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research
Institute (CMFRI).
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has re-approved the appointments of Inderjit Camotra and Govind Singh as
MDs and CEOs of Unity Small Finance Bank and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, respectively

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS JULY 2024

President Murmu Appoints Governors in 9 states & the LG of Puducherry.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Governors to nine states and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
In a communique issued by the office of the President, the President has also accepted the resignation of
Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
Newly Appointed Governors
Jishnu Dev Varma- Governor of Telangana.

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Om Prakash Mathur- Governor of Sikkim.
Santosh Kumar Gangwar- Governor of Jharkhand.
Ramen Deka- Governor of Chhattisgarh.
C H Vijayashankar- Governor of Meghalaya.
Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde- Governor of Rajasthan.
C.P. Radhakrishnan- Governor of Maharashtra (He was earlier Governor of Jharkhand with Additional
Charge of Telangana ).
Gulab Chand Kataria- Governor of Punjab. He has also been appointed as Administrator of the Union
Territory of Chandigarh (He was earlier Governor of Assam).
Lakshman Prasad Acharya- Governor of Assam and has also been given additional charge of the Governor
of Manipur ( He was earlier the Governor of Sikkim).
K. Kailashnathan- Lt. Governor of Puducherry
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur Appointed International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Festival Director.
Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, known for films such as "Mr India", "Bandit Queen" and "Elizabeth",
has been appointed festival director for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appointed senior IPS officer Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal as the new
Director General of Police of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
KV Subramanian Appointed As Federal Bank MD & CEO.
He replaced Shyam Srinivasan.
Sanjeev Krishan has been re-elected as the chairperson of PwC India for a second term, set to begin on
April 1, 2025
Manolo Marquez was appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s football team by the All
India Football Federation (AIFF).
Captain Supreetha C.T. has etched her name in history by becoming the first woman officer from the
Corps of Army Air Defence to be operationally deployed at the Siachen Glacier.
Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to the United
States.
HSBC Holdings Plc has appointed its Chief Financial Officer Georges Elhedery as its next CEO.
Former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Manoj Saunik, has been appointed as the next Chairman of the
Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA).
He will succeed Ajoy Mehta, whose term ends in September 2024.
The Supreme Court now has two more judges after President Droupadi Murmu cleared the appointments
of Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice R Mahadevan.
The Supreme Court Collegium had earlier recommended the elevation of these two judges. With these two
appointments, the Supreme Court has its sanctioned strength of 34 judges, including Chief Justice of India
DY Chandrachud.
K.P. Sharma Oli was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister for the fourth time.
Paytm Payments Bank, an associate entity of One97 Communications (OCL), has appointed Arun Kumar
Bansal as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Surinder Chawla resigned from Paytm PB in April for personal reasons.
Robert Jerard Ravi as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL).
Justice Aalia Neelum took oath as the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) of Pakistan (Lahore),
making her the first woman to be elevated as the court’s top judge.
Olympian PV Sindhu Joins Wellness Brand Hoop as Investor, Brand Ambassador.
Rajat Sharma, the esteemed Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV, has been unanimously elected as
the President of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA).
Prof. (Dr.) Soumya Swaminathan has been appointed as the Principal Adviser for the National
Tuberculosis Elimination Programme at the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Govind Singh as the Managing Director
and Chief Executive Officer of Utkarsh Small Finance Bank (Utkarsh SFB).
His new term will commence on September 21, 2024, and will last for three years.
The board of Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) has approved the reappointment of Satyanarayan Goel as

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its Chairman and Managing Director for a three-year.
Rachel Reeves has become the first woman finance minister of UK.
Elisa de Anda Madrazo of Mexico has assumed the presidency of the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF) for a two-year term from July 2024 to June 2026.
Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has redesignated its chairman Siddhartha Mohanty as chief executive
officer (CEO) and managing director (MD).
Dhirendra K Ojha has been appointed as the principal spokesperson of the central government.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Smt. Charulatha S Kar as Executive Director.
Justice Sheel Nagu has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Sujata Saunik Appointed Maharashtra’s First Woman Chief Secretary.
SBI General Insurance has appointed Naveen Chandra Jha as its new MD & CEO, succeeding Kishore
Kumar Poludasu.
Former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Rajinder Khanna has been promoted to Additional
National Security Adviser (NSA).
T V Ravichandran and Pavan Kapoor have also been appointed as Deputy NSAs.
Dr. B.N. Gangadhar named as Chairperson of the National Medical Commission.
Akhilesh Pathak has assumed office as the new Chief General Manager of the Southern Region
Transmission System-I (SRTS-I) of the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) .
Ravi Agrawal has been appointed as the new chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
He succeeds Nitin Gupta
Financial Services Institution Bureau (FSIB) has selected Challa Sreenivasulu Setty as the next
chairman of State Bank of India (SBI).
Ashwini Tiwari and Vinay Tonse were two other contenders to the post.
Setty will succeed the current chairman, Dinesh Khara, when he turns 63, the upper age limit for the
position of SBI Chairman.
Setty would join as the 27th Chairman of SBI
Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has been formally appointed to take on the second
highest job in the European Union, that of President of the European Council.
Ursula Von der Leyen has been reinstated for a second term as President of the European Commission
Former Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan is set to assume the role of Chairperson of the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC) on August 1, 2024.
This appointment is made under Article 316 A of the Constitution.
Ms. Sudan, who is currently serving as a member of the Commission, will be stepping into the shoes of
Manoj Soni, the outgoing Chairperson.
Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro Becomes President For Third Time.
Manoj Mittal has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS JUNE 2024

Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri will take charge as the Foreign Secretary.
Mr. Misri, who is a former Indian ambassador to China, will succeed current Foreign Secretary Vinay
Mohan Kwatra.
Mrs. Aksha Mohit Kamboj has been appointed as the Vice President of the India Bullion Jewellers
Association (IBJA).
India’s first artificial intelligence university, Universal AI University (UAIU), has appointed international
strategist and multiple award-winning professor Simon Mak as its vice-chancellor.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has been named Leader
of the House in the Rajya Sabha.
Mr. Nadda replaces Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani is set to be the next Vice Chief of Army Staff.
The government has appointed Girija Subramanian as chairman and managing director (CMD) of New
India Assurance, the largest general insurer in India.

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Anuj Tyagi as its new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC ERGO
General Insurance.
Sony Pictures Networks India Appoints Gaurav Banerjee As New MD & CEO.
Paul Thomas, MD & CEO of ESAF Small Finance Bank, has been elected as Chairperson of the board
of Sa-Dhan
The government has appointed Atul Kumar Chaudhary, as the new Secretary, Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India (TRAI).
He replaced V Raghunandan.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has appointed Manoj Jain as the new Chairman and Managing Director
of the company.
Sudhakararao Papa has been appointed as the Director (Enterprise) of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
(BSNL).
Paytm has named Rajeev Krishnamuralilal Agarwal, former whole-time director of SEBI, as its non-
executive independent director for a five-year term.
Ajith Kumar KK has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank for a
three-year.
Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan was named the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
P K Mishra has been re-appointed as the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Centre reappointed Ajit Doval as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Prem Prabhakar Appointed MD and CEO of SBICAP Ventures Limited.
The Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has announced its new leadership for the 2024-25
term.
Abhijit Kishore, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Vodafone Idea (VI), has been appointed as the
Chairman, while Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer (CRO) of Bharti Airtel, will serve as the Vice
Chairman.
Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi will take over as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS).
Prem Singh Tamang Sworn in as Sikkim Chief Minister.
InderPal Singh Bindra will soon take charge as the Secretary of the Competition Commission of India
(CCI).
Raj Priy Singh has been appointed as the Director in the Department of Rural Development under the
Ministry of Rural Development.
PNB MetLife India Insurance has announced Sameer Bansal as its new Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer.
UN General Assembly (UNGA) elected former Cameroonian Prime Minister Philemon Yang as
president of the 79th UNGA session.
Bisleri Limonata Appoints Aditya Roy Kapur as Brand Ambassador.
Rakesh Mohan Joshi has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Foreign
Trade (IIFT).
India’s First Female UN Ambassador, Ruchira Kamboj, Retires after 35 years.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, has retired from the post.
Badminton Star PV Sindhu Appointed Brand Ambassador for Tobacco Control.
Rakesh Ranjan has been appointed as the Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
IRDAI has granted approval for the appointment of Sandeep Batra as the Chairman of the Board of
Directors of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS MAY 2024

Shah Rukh Khan Appointed as New Brand Ambassador of Muthoot Pappachan Group.
The National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL), India’s state-owned bad bank, has appointed
P Santhosh as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Jetha Ahir has been elected uncontested as the chairman of the National Agricultural Cooperative
Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).

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Rushabh Gandhi Appointed as MD and CEO of IndiaFirst Life Insurance.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its nod for the appointment of Pradeep Natarajan as Whole
Time Director on the Board of IDFC FIRST Bank.
Kapil Sibal has been elected as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
NASA has given a new role to David Salvagnini as the agency’s Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer.
Meghalaya has made history by appointing Idashisha Nongrang as the state’s first woman Director
General of Police (DGP).
IRDAI approves Keki Mistry as HDFC Life Chairman following Deepak Parekh's resignation.
Visa Appoints Sujai Raina as India Country Manager.
Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has been appointed as the National Ambassador for UNICEF
India.
Retired Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the President of the Goods & Services
Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) by the Centre.
Pratima Singh Appointed as Director in Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Approves Hitesh Sethia as Jio Financial Services’ MD and CEO for
3 Years.

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS APRIL 2024

Yuvraj Singh Named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador.
Narsingh Yadav Elected Chairman of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the re-appointment of T. Rabi Sankar as
Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a one-year term.
Axis Bank Re-appoints Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO for Three More Years.
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Professor Naima Khatoon as the first woman Vice-Chancellor
of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
India’s Gita Sabharwal Appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia.
French carmaker Citroen has engaged cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador.
Santhosh Viswanathan has been appointed as the Vice President and Managing Director for the India
region.
Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi Appointed as Next Chief of the Naval Staff.
BharatPe Appoints Nalin Negi as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
SPACE India named Sanjana Sanghi as its Brand Ambassador.
Jagjit Pavadia Re-elected to International Narcotics Control Board.
Sushil Sharma Appointed Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of SJVN Limited.
Former Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj to Head US-India Tax Forum.
Harendra Singh Appointed as Coach of Indian Women’s Hockey Team Until 2028 Olympics.
Love Kumar has been appointed as the Inspector General (IG) in the Special Protection Group (SPG) .
Wipro, the IT giant, has announced the resignation of its CEO, Thierry Delaporte.
Srinivas Pallia as the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (MD & CEO).
Meenesh Shah Elected as Chairman of National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd. (NCDFI).
Rakesh Mohan Appointed to World Bank Economic Advisory Panel.
Tata International has announced the appointment of Rajeev Singhal as its new Managing Director
(MD).
Election Commission of India (ECI) has roped in popular actor Ayushmann Khurrana to encourage the
youth to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Sandeep Jain elected as the President of the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises
(FISME) for the year 2024-25.
Santosh Kumar Jha Appointed as New CMD of Konkan Railway Corporation.
Lieutenant General JS Sidana has taken over as the 33rd Director General of the Department of
Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DGEME).
Sanjay Nayar Appointed as New President of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(ASSOCHAM).

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Nayar has replaced Ajay Singh, the Co-Founder of SpiceJet airline.
Sheyphali Sharan Takes Charge as Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Axis Capital has appointed Atul Mehra as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO).
Joyshree Das Verma has taken over as the 41st National President of the FICCI Ladies Organisation
(FLO) for the year 2024-25.
Girija Subramanian has been selected as the next CMD of New India Assurance.

AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU AUGUST 2024

India and Saint Kitts and Nevis have signed an agreement with India STACK, which will enable
cooperation in digitalisation in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
India And Malaysia Sign MoU For Strengthening Co-Operation In The Field Of Tourism.
GAIL to optimise RVUN Gas-based Power Plant in Rajasthan.
GAIL(India) Limited has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan
Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (RVUN) to optimise operations of RVUN gas-based power plants in
Rajasthan.
Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUN), based in Jaipur, was established by the
Rajasthan Government
India and the Maldives have decided to strengthen their bilateral relations by signing two memorandums of
understanding (MoU) during the visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishnakar. Dr S. Jaishanker was on a
three-day visit to the Maldives from 9 to 11 August 2024.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with New Space
India Limited (NSIL) for the launch of the Nepalese satellite Munal.
Under the MoU, the Ministry of External Affairs will provide NSIL with a grant to launch the satellite.
India and Poland have agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership during Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Poland..
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Ukraine, both countries signed four Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU)/agreements to strengthen their bilateral relations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a two-nation visit to Poland and Ukraine from 21-23 August 2024.
India and the United States of America (USA) have signed two new defence agreements—a Security of
Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison—
during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's official visit to the USA from 23 to 26 August 2024.
United States and Peru have signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in the sector of critical minerals.
Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd (TPSSL) has signed an agreement with ICICI Bank to provide financing for
solar units to residential and corporate customers.
Flipkart’s Supply Chain Operations Academy (SCOA) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at the Samarth event with
the mission to upskill thousands of employable youth across India.
Indian Navy has signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BEML Ltd., a leading
defence and heavy engineering manufacturer.
MoU Signed Between Ministry of MSME And SBA, Government of USA.
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME has signed a Memorandum of Understanding,
MoU with the Small Business Administration (SBA) of the Government of the United States of America to
promote Cooperation on Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs).
State Government and SBI General Insurance signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for
Disaster Risk Transfer Parametric Insurance Solution (DRTPS).
Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and the World Health Organization signed a crucial Donor
Agreement.

AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU JULY 2024

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) Signs Agreement With IIT, Roorkee And Mandi.

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Goal for the development of ‘Cell-Free’ 6G Access Points.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Tie-Up With IISc, Bengaluru To Promote Standardisation.
India Prepares to Sign Headquarters Agreement with Global Biofuels Alliance.
Jammu & Kashmir Elevates Agricultural Partnership with New Zealand
Peru and Slovakia sign the Artemis Accords for Peaceful Moon Exploration.
IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for UAVs and DFI, has unveiled UDAAN, a
pioneering drone startup acceleration initiative.
Indian Army has joined hands with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for demonstration trials of
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus technology.

AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU JUNE 2024

J&K advances strategic partnership with New Zealand to enhance sheep sector.
Peru and Slovakia Become Newest Members of the Artemis Accords.
NASA has signed two more countries to the Artemis Accords, welcoming Peru and Slovakia at separate
signing ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
Peru became the 41st country to sign the Artemis Accords and Slovakia the 42nd.
IIT Kanpur, Centre of Excellence for UAVs, and DFI launch UDAAN.
UDAAN is a collaborative effort between the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT
Kanpur, the Centre of Excellence for Capacity Building, Training, and Design of Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles at IIT Kanpur (Drone CoE Kanpur), and the Drone Federation of India (DFI).
UDAAN aims to accelerate the growth of drone startups by providing them with access to state-of-the-art
facilities.
Indian Army has joined hands with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for demonstration
trials of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus technology.

AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU MAY 2024

India to operate a terminal of Iranian Chabahar Port for next 10 years.
India and Iran have signed an agreement under which India will operate the strategically important Shahid
Beheshti terminal of Chabahar Port of Iran for the next 10 years .
Till now India operated the Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar on a short term contract which was renewed
periodically .
This is the first international terminal which will be operated by India.
The Chabahar Port of Iran has two terminals, Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari. India has got the
contract to operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal only.
Coast Guard, Hindalco ink MoU for manufacturing indigenous marine-grade aluminum for ships.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Hindalco
Industries aims to promote the manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium for ship
construction.
Japan and Nagaland Inaugurate Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco Park.
In Nagaland, ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio
jointly inaugurated the Kohima Peace Memorial and laid the foundation stone of Eco Park Kohima.

AGREEMENT, SIGN & MOU APRIL 2024

Air India has signed a codeshare agreement with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest airline.
Under the codeshare agreement, Air India will add its ‘AI’ designator code to ANA’s flights between
Tokyo Haneda and Delhi, as well as Tokyo Narita and Mumbai. Similarly, ANA will add its ‘NH’ code to
Air India’s flights between Tokyo Narita and Delhi.
IIM Mumbai and Starburst Forge Strategic Collaboration to Boost Aerospace, New Space, and Defence
Startups in India.

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 GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AUGUST 2024
Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand has launched the Mukhyamantri Maiyaan.
Samman Yojana to provide financial assistance to eligible women in the state.
The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana was earlier called Jharkhand Behan Beti Swavalamban
Protsahan Yojana.
The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme in which eligible
women beneficiaries receive Rs 1000 per month from the state government directly in their bank accounts.
Women in the age group of 21-50 years are eligible for the scheme.
PMAY- U 2.0 approved by Union Cabinet with 10 lakh crore investment.
Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-
Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 in a meeting on 9 August 2024, which envisages an investment of Rs 10 lakh crores.
The PMAY-U 2.0 will replace the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which was launched
on 25 June 2015 and ended on 31 December 2024.
The duration of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 is five years.
It aims to facilitate the construction of one crore houses in urban areas for the urban poor and middle -class
families.
Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will be the nodal body for implementing the Pradhan
Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme.
The total investment required under the PMAY-U 2.0 scheme to build one core house is Rs 10 lakh crore
over five years.
The central government/state government/Union Territories will provide Rs 2.30 lakh crore assistance
under the scheme.
The government will provide Rs 2.50 lakh of assistance per house constructed in the BLC and AHP
component of the scheme.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched 'Mukhyamantri Bal Paushtik Aahar
Yojana' to provide nutritious foods to schoolchildren and a scheme to provide free Tablets to primary
school teachers to boost digitalisation in the state educational and administrative system.
Department of Post under the Union Ministry of Communication has launched the Deen Dayal
SPARSH Yojana to promote research and scholarship in stamps amongst the country's students.
About the Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
The Deen Dayal SPARSH (Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby)
Yojana is an all-India scheme open to class VI, VII, VIII & IX students of a recognised school.
Only students who are members of a philately club or have a Philately Deposit Account will be selected for
the scholarship.
920 scholarships will be awarded at all India levels to students who are pursuing Philately as a hobby.
Every postal circle in the country can award a maximum of 40 scholarships to 10 students each from
Standard VI, VII, VIII, and IX.
The scholarship amount is Rs 6000 per year and will be paid quarterly.
Selections for the scholarship will be made for one year, and students can apply next year, subject to
fulfilling the terms and conditions of the Yojana.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra and Rajasthan on 25 August 2024 to participate
in the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and the closing ceremony of the celebration
of the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur.
During his visit to Jalagaon, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan,
distribute certificates, and facilitate the 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis.
Lakhpati Didi Scheme
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Lakhpati Didi scheme in his address to the nation on 15
August 2023 from Red Fort.
The scheme aims to create three crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in villages through the collective power of Women’s
Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Self-Help Group (SHG) members with household incomes of Rs one lakh or more per year are considered
Lakhpati Didi.
The Lakhpati Didi scheme aims to financially empower poor women and lift them from the vicious cycle

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of poverty.
The Union Ministry of Rural Development is implementing the Lakhpati Didi scheme, which is the
outcome of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana—National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)
scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development.
The annual income of the woman’s family shall not be more than Rs 3 lakh.
Union Cabinet, in a meeting held on 24 August 2024 and chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
has approved the Unified Pension System (UPS) for its employees.
The new scheme will replace the existing National Pension System (NPS).
The National Pension System was mandatory for central government employees except for the armed
forces, which joined the service on 1 January 2004. Later, many state governments implemented the NPS
for their employees.
According to the government of India the Unified Pension Scheme is proposed to be implemented from 1
April 2025.
The new Unified Pension Scheme will have an assured pension with inflation indexation benefits and
greater contributions from the central government.
Mains points of the Unified Pension Scheme:
A person who has worked for the central government for at least 10 years is eligible for a pension.
The minimum assured pension will be Rs 10,000 per month.
Central Government employees with at least 25 years of service will get an assured pension of 50 per
cent of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to retirement.
Pension will be proportionate to the duration of the employee's employment.
Family members will get 60% of the employee's pension immediately before her/his demise.
The benefit of inflation indexation is that the pension amount will be increased based on the increase in the
inflation rate.
The scheme will use the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers for inflation indexation
purposes.
After retirement, the employee will get a lump sum amount according to a fixed formula
Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in a meeting at Shimla chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu,
has approved a new scheme, “Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana”.
The scheme aims to provide financial support to identified socially and economically vulnerable women
and parents of disabled children so as to enable the education and well-being of their children.
Parents of children under 18 years will receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 1000 per month from the
state government to cover the child's educational, nutritional, and health expenses.
The world’s largest financial inclusion programme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
completed 10 years on 28 August 2024.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched by the government of India on 28 August
2014 with the aim of bringing the unbanked population within the formal banking system.
The government of India launched the Swabhiman campaign in 2010 as part of its National Mission for
Financial Inclusion.
The Dr Manmohan Singh government launched the Swabhiman scheme on the recommendation of the
2009 RBI’s High-Level Committee on Lead Bank Scheme, which was headed by Usha Thorat.
The Swabhiman Scheme was later renamed Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and officially
launched on 28 August 2014.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is a comprehensive financial inclusion programme of the
government which aims to encourage saving habits amongst the public by opening bank accounts, access to
cheap credit, fund transfer facilities, insurance facilities and pension facilities.
Following are the features of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
Open a bank account for every adult who doesn't have a bank account.
A specially designed Basic Saving Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA) is offered with no minimum balance
requirement.
According to the RBI, a person can open only one BSBDA account in a Bank.
A free Rupay Debit card is provided to the PMJDY account holder.
The RuPay Debit card under PMJDY provides accidental death insurance coverage of Rs two lakhs to the

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account holder.
A Rs 10,000 overdraft facility is available to eligible account holders.
PMJDY accounts are eligible to receive funds from the government under their Direct Benefit Transfer
(DBT) scheme,
PMJDY offers two insurance schemes: Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan
Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY),
It also provides a pension scheme through the Atal Pension Yojana.
The total number of account holders was 53.13 crore, of which 55.6 per cent, or 29.56 crores, were women,
and 66.6 per cent, or 35.37 crores, Jan Dhan accounts were in rural and semi-urban areas.
The total deposit under PMJDY Accounts was Rs 2,31,236 crore.
The average deposit per account is Rs. 4,352.
36.14 crore RuPay debit cards issued.
The Central Government recently expanded the scope of the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
scheme to make it more attractive, as part of its objective to strengthen farm-related infrastructure facilities
in the country.
About Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme:
It is a Central Sector Schemewhich was launched in 2020.
Objective: The scheme shall provide a medium- to long-term debt financing facility for investment in viable
projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest
subvention and financial support.
The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2032 (10 years).
Exclusions: Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) are not directly eligible under the scheme, but projects
sponsored by them under PPP are eligible.
All scheduled commercial banks, scheduled cooperative banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small
Finance Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and National Cooperative Development
Corporation (NCDC) may participate to provide this financing facility.
If required, need-based refinance support will be made available by NABARD to all eligible lending
entities, including cooperative banks and RRBs, as per its policy.
All loans up to a limit of ₹ 2 crores under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3% per
annum. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of 7 years.
An applicant can put up to 25 projects in different locations, and each of such projects will be eligible under
the scheme for a loan upto ₹ 2 crore.
This limit of 25 projects is applicable to private sector entities, such as farmers, Agri entrepreneurs, and
start-ups.
This limitation of 25 projects will not be applicable to state agencies, cooperatives, national and state
federations of cooperatives, FPOs, federations of FPOs, SHGs, and federations of SHGs.
Multiple projects in one location are also eligible with an overall cap of ₹2 crore.
Union Cabinet recently approved the continuation of three umbrella schemes merged into a unified
central sector scheme called “Vigyan Dhara” under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
About Vigyan Dhara Scheme:
It is a new central sector scheme unifying three umbrella schemes of the Department of Science and
Technology (DST).
The scheme has three broad components:
Science and Technology (S&T) Institutional and Human Capacity Building,
Research and Development and
Innovation, Technology Development and Deployment.
These three schemes have been merged into the unified scheme ‘Vigyan Dhara’.
This initiative, managed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is designed to enhance
India's S&T capabilities through a streamlined approach.
The proposed outlay for the implementation of the unified scheme ‘Vigyan Dhara’ is 10,579.84 crore
during the 15th Finance Commission period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
All the programs proposed under the ‘Vigyan Dhara’ scheme would be aligned with the 5-year goals of
DST towards realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The R&D component of the scheme will be aligned in line with the Anusandhan National Research

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Foundation (ANRF).
Western Railway has announced the inclusion of Kandivali and Dahisar railway stations in the recently
launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).
About Amrit Bharat Station Scheme:
It is an ongoing Indian Railways mission launched in February 2023 by the Ministry of Railways to
redevelop railway stations across India.
It is designed for the ongoing development of railway stations with a long-term perspective.
It involves the creation of master plans and their phased implementation to improve various aspects of
station facilities.
The development plan takes into account the unique needs of each station, promoting a holistic approach
to railway station enhancement.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES JULY 2024

Union Finance Minister recently announced a revision to the model skill loan scheme, which will now
facilitate loans up to Rs 7.5 lakh backed by a guarantee from a government-promoted fund.
About Skill Loan Scheme:
It was introduced in July, 2015, to offer institutional credit to individuals pursuing skill development
courses aligned with National Occupations Standards and Qualification Packs.
These courses are conducted by training institutes following the National Skill Qualification Framework
(NSQF) and lead to certifications, diplomas, or degrees.
The Scheme applies to all member banks of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and other banks and
financial institutions as advised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Courses: Aligned with NSQF.
Duration of Course: No minimum duration.
Quantum of Finance: 5,000-1,50,000. Now, it has increased to Rs 7.5 lakh.
Moratorium: Duration of the course.
Repayment Period:
Loans up to Rs. 50,000: Up to 3 years.
Loans between Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh: Up to 5 years.
Loans above Rs. 1 lakh: Up to 7 years.
Finance minister recently made the announcement of a new pension scheme under the National Pension
Scheme (NPS), called NPS Vatsalya.
About NPS Vatsalya Scheme:
It is a scheme under the National Pension Scheme (NPS).
It is designed to help parents and guardians plan for their children's future financial needs.
Under this scheme, parents or guardians can open an account for their minor children and make
contributions towards their retirement savings.
The funds will accumulate until the child turns 18.
Once the child reaches adulthood, the accumulated amount will be transferred to the standard NPS
account.
This plan could be seamlessly converted into a non-NPS plan when the child becomes an adult.
The scheme operates similarly to the existing NPS.
The government has issued operational guidelines for the implementation of incentives to DISCOMs
under the PM-Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana.
About PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana:
It is a government scheme launched on February 15, 2024, that aims to provide free electricity to
households in India.
Under the scheme, households will be provided with a subsidy to install solar panels on their roofs.
The subsidy will cover up to 40% of the cost of the solar panels.
The scheme is expected to benefit 1 crore households across India.
It is estimated that the scheme will save the government Rs. 75,000 crore per year in electricity costs.
The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27.

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Eligibility:
The household must be an Indian citizen.
The household must own a house with a roof that is suitable for installing solar panels.
The household must have a valid electricity connection.
The household must not have availed any other subsidy for solar panels.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has sanctioned seven new projects for the
private sector under the Technology Development Fund scheme.
About Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme:
It has been established to promote self-reliance in Defence Technology as a part of the 'Make in India'
initiative.
It is a programme of the Ministry of Defence.
This programme is executed by the DRDO to meet the requirements of the Tri-Services, Defence
Production and DRDO.
The Scheme encourages the participation of public/private industries, especially MSMEs and startups, so
as to create an ecosystem for enhancing cutting-edge technology capability in the defence sector.
Funding Support:
The project cost of up to INR 50 crorewill be considered for funding.
The funding may be up to 90% of the total project cost.
Industry may work in collaboration with academia or research institutions. The work involvement of
academia cannot exceed 40% of the total project cost.
Project Duration: The maximum development period will be four (4) years.
Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on the occasion of the 46th Session of the World Heritage
Committee Meeting, which is being held in New Delhi from 21st-31st July 2024, has initiated Project
PARI (Public Art of India).
About Project PARI:
The Project PARI (Public Art of India) aims to stimulate dialogue, reflection, and inspiration, contributing
to the dynamic cultural fabric of the nation.
It provides a platform to uplift the aesthetic and cultural outlook of Delhi while adding grandeur to the rich
historical legacy of our national capital.
The representation of Art in public spaces is particularly significant as it showcases the nation's rich and
diverse cultural heritage.
Women artists have been an integral part of Project PARI and their participation in large numbers is a
testimony of Bharat’s NARI SHAKTI.
This initiative is being executed by the Lalit Kala Akademi, an autonomous institution under the Ministry
of Culture.
Union Minister for Coal and Mines recently launched the portal “Noble Initiative for Rewarding
Mains Aspirants of National Civil Services Examination (NIRMAN)”.
About NIRMAN Scheme:
Noble Initiative for Rewarding Mains Aspirants of the National Civil Services Examination (NIRMAN) is
a unique Corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme by Coal India Limited (CIL) designed to
support meritorious candidates from its operational districts.
The NIRMAN scheme is tailored to provide financial assistance of ₹1,00,000 to candidates who have
successfully cleared the preliminary round of the UPSC Civil Services and Forest Service Examinations in
2024.
The eligible beneficiaries include those with an annual family income of less than ₹8 lakhs, and who
are permanent residents of the 39 districts where CIL operates.
This support extends to individuals from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), as well as
female and third-gender candidates.
The application process for NIRMAN is fully digital and facilitated through a dedicated portal.
RBI recently joined Project Nexus, an initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by
linking domestic Fast Payment Systems.
About Project Nexus:
It is a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking

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 domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs).
Rather than requiring FPS operators to establish multiple custom connections for each country, Nexus
provides a standardized, single-connection solution that enables seamless transactions across borders.
With Nexus, an FPS operator can connect to a single network, enabling instant access to other countries
within the network.
It was conceptualized by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
It aims to connect the FPSs of four ASEAN countries (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand);
and India, who would be the founding members and first mover countries of this platform.
The platform, which can be extended to more countries, is expected to go live by 2026.
When a new country joins Nexus, existing members are automatically connected to that country and vice
versa.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME JUNE 2024

Cabinet clears scheme for forensic infra with outlay of Rs 2,200 crore.
About National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES):
It is a Central Sector Scheme with a financial outlay of Rs 2,254.43 crore during the period from 2024-25 to
2028-29.
It aims to enhance forensic infrastructure in the country.
Components under this Scheme:
Establishment of campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in the country.
Establishment of Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) in the country.
Enhancement of existing infrastructure of the Delhi Campus of the NFSU.
Meghalaya Lokayukta recently issued notifications to the former chief secretary and other former
officials of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) for their alleged irregularities in the
implementation of the Saubhagya scheme in the state.
About Saubhagya Scheme:
The Government of India launched Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) in
October, 2017
Objective: Achieving universal household electrification, by providing electricity connections to all un-
electrified households in rural areas and all poor households in urban areas in the country.
Under the Saubhagaya scheme, LED bulbs, wire, holders, switches, etc are to be provided to BPL families
free of cost.
Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) has been designated as its nodal agency for the Saubhagya
scheme.
Ministry of Mines recently launched the Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenses
for Holders of Exploration Licences (EL) in a bid to accelerate mineral exploration and alleviate the
high associated costs.
About Scheme for Partial Reimbursement of Exploration Expenses for Holders of Exploration Licences
(EL):
It was launched by the Ministry of Mines to offer partial reimbursement of exploration expenses to licence
holders.
It offers a 50 percent reimbursement on expenses incurred during the exploration of critical minerals, with a
maximum cap of Rs 20 crore.
The maximum cap can be increased to Rs 24 crore if the EL holder hands over a G2 (general exploration)
block for auction for the grant of a mining lease within three years from the execution of the exploration
licence and it is successfully auctioned.
The incentives for all selected licensees will be provided from the Rs 5,000 crore National Mineral
Exploration Trust (NMET) fund.
Central Government is conceiving a “new project” to ensure that rural households, which were
provided taps under the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission but had not yet been able to avail water, would
soon be provided potable water.
About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):

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JJM is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual Functional Household
Tap Connections (FHTCs) by 2024 to all households in rural India.
JJM will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education
and communication as key components of the mission.
The Mission was launched on August 15, 2019.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Funding Pattern: The fund sharing pattern is in the proportion of:
50:50 between Centre and States
90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
In case of UTs, 100% of the funding is provided by the Central governmentAbout Jal Jeevan Mission
(JJM):
JJM is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual Functional Household
Tap Connections (FHTCs) by 2024 to all households in rural India.
JJM will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education
and communication as key components of the mission.
The Mission was launched on August 15, 2019.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Funding Pattern: The fund sharing pattern is in the proportion of:
50:50 between Centre and States
90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
In case of UTs, 100% of the funding is provided by the Central government
Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) of National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) has
approved 7 startup proposals under the GREAT scheme.
About GREAT Scheme:
Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT)
encourages young innovators, scientists/technologists, and startup ventures in the field of Technical
Textiles to translate their ideas into commercial technologies/products and make India self-reliant.
It supports individual entrepreneurs or start-ups for functional prototypes or commercialization of their
technologies for Technical Textile
Funding:
A grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakhfor up to a period of 18 months will be provided.
The newly formed Cabinet has decided to further expand the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and
construct 3 crore additional rural and urban houses.
About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a credit-linked subsidy scheme initiated to provide affordable
housing to low and moderate-income residents across the country.
The newly formed government has approved the proposal to provide 3 crore additional rural and urban
houses under PMAY.
The scheme has two components: PMAY-U for the urban poor and PMAY-G and PMAY-R for the rural
poor.About:
The Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS) is a national initiative by the National Health Authority
(NHA) aimed at promoting the adoption of digital health practices in India.
It was launched on January 1, 2023, under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to create a
robust digital health ecosystem and enhance the quality of care for patients.
With this extension, the scheme will now remain in effect till June 30, 2025.
PMAY-U (Urban)
Objective: To provide housing for all in urban areas.
Beneficiaries: Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low-Income Group (LIG) and Middle-Income
Group (MIG).
Subsidy Schemes:
Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme: Offers interest subsidy on home loans for EWS, LIG, and MIG categories.
PMAY-G (Gramin)
Objective: To provide a pucca house with basic amenities to all rural families who are homeless or living in
kutcha or dilapidated houses.

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Beneficiaries: Identified using the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011.
Features:
Financial Assistance: 1.2 lakh in plain areas and Rs. 1.3 lakh in hilly, difficult and Integrated Action Plan
(IAP) areas.
Construction: Houses are to be constructed by beneficiaries with technical assistance from the government.
Solar Energy Corporation of India issues RfS for selection of Green Ammonia Producers under SIGHT
Programme of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).
About SIGHT
It is a subcomponent of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (under Ministry of New & Renewable
Energy (MNRE), aimed at bolstering domestic electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production.
Financial commitment: The programme has an outlay of ₹ 17,490 crore until 2029-30.
Dual incentive mechanisms: Incentive for Electrolyser Manufacturing
Implementation: The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is responsible for executing the scheme.
National Green Hydrogen Mission
It was launched on 4th January 2023 with an outlay of Rs. 19,744 crores up to FY 2029-30.
It will contribute to India’s goal to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) through clean energy and serve as an
inspiration for the global clean energy transition.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently started automatic electronic payment of
duty drawback amounts directly into exporters’ bank accounts.
About Duty Drawback Scheme:
It is a trusted and time-tested scheme administered by CBIC to promote exports.
It rebates the incidence of Customs and Central Excise duties, chargeable on imported and excisable
material, respectively, when used as inputs for goods to be exported.
The duty drawback provisions are described under the Customs Act, 1962.
This WTO compliant scheme ensures that exports are zero-rated and do not carry the burden of the
specified taxes

GOVERNMENT SCHEME MAY 2024

The Ministry of Renewable Energy recently issued a warning to farmers on PM-KUSUM website
against fake websites and mobile applications that provide fake online application forms and demand
registration fees for installing solar water pumps under PM Kusum scheme.
About PM-KUSUM Scheme:
It was launched in 2019 for de-dieselisation of the farm sector and enhancing the income of farmers.
It is aimed at ensuring energy security for farmers in India, along with honouring India’s commitment to
increase the share of installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil-fuel sources to 40% by 2030 as part
of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
It aims to add Solar capacity of about 34,800 MW by March 2026 with the total Central Financial support
of Rs 34,422 crore.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). It is being implemented by the
designated departments of the State Government.
Public wifi hotspots under the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme
are nearing the 2-lakh mark in the country.
About PM-WANI Scheme:
It was launched by the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) in December 2020 to provide affordable
and high-speed internet connectivity to the public in rural and remote areas of the country.
The scheme aims to establish a public Wi-Fi network across the country through the creation of Wi-Fi
Access Points (WAPs) set up by public data offices (PDOs).
The WAPs will operate on an open-architecture system, allowing multiple service providers to offer their
services to the public through a single platform.
PM-WANI ecosystem: It consists of four parts: Public Data Office (PDO), Public Data Office Aggregator
(PDOA), App Provider, and Central Registry.
Australian 'MATES' scheme to facilitate mobility of Indian early-career professionals.

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About MATES Migration Scheme:
On May 23, 2023, Australia and India entered into a Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement
(MMPA).
The MMPA is a bilateral framework that supports and promotes two-way migration and mobility between
our two countries while addressing issues pertaining to illegal and irregular migration.
The Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-Professionals Scheme, or ‘MATES’, is a new scheme
established under the MMPA to enable the temporary mobility of Indian university graduates and early
career professionals.
MATES aims to encourage mutually beneficial skills and knowledge transfer between Australia and India.
Under the scheme, Indian graduates and early career professionals (aged 18 to 30 years) with knowledge
and skills in targeted fields of study will be offered a new temporary mobility pathway, to live and work in
Australia for up to two years.

GOVERNMENT SCHEME APRIL 2024

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to launch a mobile application aimed at facilitating seamless
investment under the RBI Retail Direct Scheme.
About RBI Retail Direct Scheme:
It was initially introduced in November 2021. It gives access to individual investors to maintain gilt
accounts with the RBI and invest in government securities.
The scheme enables investors to buy securities in primary auctions as well as buy/sell securities through the
NDS-OM platform.
Negotiated Dealing System - Order Matching system (NDS-OM) means RBI’s screen based anonymous
electronic order matching system for trading in Government securities in the secondary market.
It provides the following facilities to retail investors in government securities market through an online
portal:
Open and maintain a ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’,
access to primary issuance of government securities, and
access to NDS-OM.
Eligibility: Retail investors can register under the scheme and maintain an RDG account, if they have the
following:
Rupee savings bank account maintained in India,
PAN, any officially valid document for KYC purpose,
valid email-ID and registered mobile number.
An Indonesian delegation is exploring collaboration with India on various initiatives including mid -day
meal scheme and digital inclusion.
About Mid-Day Meal scheme:
It is the largest school feeding programme of its kind in the world which covers children across Classes 1 to
8 (age group 6 to 14).
Background:
In 1925, a Mid Day Meal Programme was introduced for disadvantaged children in Madras Municipal
Corporation.
It was started in India on 15th August 1995 as the ‘National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary
Education (NP-NSPE)’.
It was renamed the ‘National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools’ in October 2007, also known as the
Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme.
Implementation: Each State/UT has to set up State Steering-cum Monitoring Committees(SSMCs) at the
State, District and Block level to oversee its implementation.
Funding: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Hence, the cost is shared between the Centre (60%) and
States (40%) with states and UTs with a legislature, and 90:10 with the Northeastern states, Jammu and
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while the Centre bears 100% of the costs in UTs without
legislature.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education
In September 2021 it was renamed as the Pradhan Mantri POSHAN Scheme.

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 SPORTS NEWS AUGUST 2024
Rajgir, Bihar, will host the 8th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament 2024.
The Asian Hockey Federation President, Dato Fumio Ogura, announced India as the host of the 8th
Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament 2024 on 29th August 2024.
The 8th Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament 2024 will be hosted by Hockey India
and the Bihar government from November 11 to 20, 2024. The tournament will be played at the newly
developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Rajgir.
South Korea is the most successful team, having won it three times, followed by India and Japan, which
have each won twice.
Hockey India has announced a new look national men’s hockey squad, led by Harmanpreet Singh for
the 8th Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024.
The 8th Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 will be held at Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia, People’s
Republic of China, from 8-17 September 2024.
China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Pakistan are participating in the 8th edition.
Jay Shah:5th Indian and the youngest person to head the International Cricket Council (ICC) .
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the
next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 27 August 2024.
He will replace New Zealand’s Greg Barclay, whose term will end on 30 November 2024.
Jay Shah is the 5th Indian to head the ICC and, at the age of 35, is the youngest Chair of the ICC.
Jay Shah will begin his term as Independent Chair of ICC on 1 December 2024.
A person is elected as the Independent Chair of the ICC for two years and a maximum of three terms.
The Indian men’s surfing team won a historic silver medal at the 3rd Asian Surfing Championships
2024, held at Thulusdhoo, Maldives.
Maldives is hosting the 3rd Asian Surfing Championships 2024 at the picturesque island of Thulusdhoo
from 17- 27 August 2024.
The 3rd Asian Surfing Championships is also a qualifying event for the 2026 Asian Games to be held in
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The surfing game will be introduced for the first time in an Asian Games at the 2026 Asian Games.
Gold for Japan and Silver for India in the Maruhaba Cup.
14-year-old Tanvi Patri of Odisha won the women’s singles title of the Asian U-15 Junior Championships
2024 by defeating Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen in the final. She is the third Indian to win the Asian
U-15 women’s singles title.
Samiaya Imad Farooqui in 2017 and Tasnim Mir in 2019 won the singles title in the Asian U-15
championship.
Bangladesh won its maiden SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) Men’s U-20 Championship by
defeating host Nepal 4-1 in the final.
The final was played at the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur, Nepal.
The Bangladeshi team, also famous as the Bengal Tigers.
Karthik Venkataraman becomes champion of 61st National Open Chess Championship.
Karthik Venkataraman defeated Surya Sekhar Ganguly and Nilash Saha by a narrow margin and got a
better score (78) in the Buchholz system tie-breaker to clinch his second National Chess Championship
title.
Diana Pundole became the first Indian women racer to win national championship.
Diana Pundole, a teacher and mother from Pune won the national championship in the saloon category at
the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 in Chennai.
Neeraj Chopra Finishes Second in Lausanne Diamond League.
Neeraj Chopra delivered an impressive performance at the Lausanne Diamond League, securing his
second-best javelin throw ever with a season-best distance of 89.49 meters on his final attempt.
This result placed him second behind Grenada’s Anderson Peters, who threw 90.61 meters.

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ICC Moves Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 to UAE Due to Bangladesh Unrest.
The ICC has moved the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 from Bangladesh to the UAE due to safety
concerns amid severe unrest in Bangladesh.
The tournament will now be held in Dubai and Sharjah from October 3 to 20.
Para Shuttler Pramod Bhagat Suspended For Breaching Anti Doping Regulations.
Para shuttler Pramod Bhagat has been suspended by the Badminton World Federation for a period of 18
months for breaching the anti-doping regulations. Now, Pramod will miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic
Games.
The Federation announced that Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medal winner Pramod Bhagat has been
suspended on account of where about failure.
Hockey India (HI) has officially announced that retiring goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be the new head
coach for the Indian junior men’s hockey team.
This decision follows India’s recent bronze medal victory at the 2024 Olympics.
Prasar Bharati-BCL Sign Landmark Deal to Promote Cricket.
The Big Cricket League (BCL) is set to make its debut on the Indian cricket landscape, promising a unique
blend of local talent and cricketing legends.
The first-ever Global Women’s Kabaddi League will commence next month (September) in Haryana.
Indian Olympic Association has selected hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and pistol shooter Manu Bhaker
as co-flag bearers for India at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony.
Aman Sehrawat became the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal after he won a bronze medal in
the men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics.
Aman Sehrawat broke the record of PV Sindhu, who won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics at the
age of 21 years, 1 month, and 14 days.
India has so far won 6 medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics - 1 silver and 5 bronze medals

Neeraj Chopra has clinched the silver in men's javelin at the Paris Olympics 2024 with a season-best
throw of 89.45m at Stade de France.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, upstaged him by setting the Olympic Record to win the gold

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medal. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic Record in the men's javelin throw final with a
monster heave of 92.97 metres.
Anderson Peters of Granada took the bronze medal with a best throw of 88.54 metres.
The Indian men’s hockey team led by Harmanpreet Singh won the bronze medal in the 2024 Paris
Olympics, beating Spain 2-1. The match to decide the bronze medal was held at the Yves-du-Manoir
Stadium in Paris, France, on 8 August 2024.
This is the second back-to-back bronze medal for the Indian men’s hockey team after their bronze medal
at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The match against Spain was also the last international match for the veteran Indian goalkeeper PR
Sreejesh, who had an outstanding Olympics.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh scored both goals in the match, and Miralles scored the only goal for
Spain.
The Indian captain finished the Paris Olympics as the highest goal scorer in the Paris 2024 men’s hockey
tournament with ten goals.
The bronze medal at the Paris Olympics was the 13th medal won by the Indian men’s hockey team in the
Summer Olympics.
It was the first time since the 1972 Munich Olympics that India had won back-to-back medals in the
Olympics.
Indian men’s hockey team has won 8 gold,1 silver and 4 bronze in the Olympics.
Paris Olympics- Heartbreak for Vinesh Phogat Disqualified Before Final.
In a heartbreak for women's wrestler Vinesh Phogat and India, she has been disqualified from the 2024
Paris Olympics. She was to compete in the final of the women’s 50 kg category on 7 August 2024.
Phogat was disqualified for being overweight in her category. Although she usually competes in the 53 kg
category, she competed in the 50 kg event at the Paris Olympics.
Before her disqualification, Vinesh was the first Indian women wrestler to reach the final of the Olympics.
Before her, Sakshi Malik is the only Indian women's wrestler to have won a medal -bronze medal at the
2016 Rio Olympics.
Three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat won her opening round against Tokyo
Olympic gold medallist Yui Susaki of Japan.
Vinesh was to face Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA in the final on 7 August 2024. Now, the American Sarah
Hildebrandt will face Yusneylis Guzman for the gold medal.
Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most promising wrestlers, has announced her retirement from the sport
following a devastating turn of events at the Paris Olympics 2024.
India and Saint Christopher & Nevis have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance
cooperation in the field of sports.
American sprinter Noah Lyles clinched gold in the men’s 100-meter sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The race was one of the closest in Olympic history, with Lyles finishing just 0.005 seconds ahead of
Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson.
Lyles’ time of 9.784 seconds narrowly beat Thompson’s 9.789 seconds.
Team USA’s Fred Kerley secured bronze with a time of 9.81 seconds.
Serbian Tennis legend Novak Djokovic became the fifth tennis player in history to claim the.
He joined the list of Rafael Nadal of France, Serena Williams and Andre Agassi of the United States, and
Steffi Graff of Germany, winning the singles title of the four Grand Slam and an Olympic Gold Medal.
Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating Spain’s Carlos
Alcaraz in straight sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(2), in the final on 4 August 2024.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Djokovic won a bronze in the men’s singles. He failed to win a medal in the
2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio de Janeiro and again in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Novak Djokovic is the only male tennis player to win 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He shares the record
with Australian female tennis player Margaret Court.
six-member student teams from India have secured the country its best performance ever in the
International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2024.
Adhitya Mangudy (Grade 11 from Pune), Ananda Bhaduri (Grade 12 from Guwahati), Kanav Talwar
(Grade 10 from Noida), and Rushil Mathur (Grade 12 from Mumabi) bagged the gold medal. Arjun Gupta
(Grade 12, from Delhi) won the Silver medal, and Siddharth Choppara (Grade 12 from Pune) clinched an

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honourable mention.
Globally, Team USA, China, and South Korea finished as the top three winners in that order. At fourth
place, India’s total score at the Olympiad is 167 just one mark behind South Korea’s at third spot. The
winning team USA’s total score is 192.
It is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held annually in a
different country.
The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with 7 countries participating. It has gradually expanded to
over 100 countries from 5 continents.
This year it was the 65th IMO held at Bath, United Kingdom.

SPORTS NEWS JULY 2024

Manu Bhaker of Haryana opened the medal account for India at the 33rd Summer Olympics, being held in
Paris, France. She won the bronze medal in the 10-meter air pistol event held on 28 July 2024.
She became the first Indian women shooter to win a medal in the shooting event at the Summer
Olympics.
The gold medal was won by South Korean Oh Ye Jin, with an Olympic record of 243.2 points, and the
silver medal was bagged by fellow South Korean Yeji Kim, with 241.3 points
Women's Asia Cup Final 2024: Sri Lanka beat India for Title
The host Sri Lankan women's cricket team upset the favourite and defending champion Indian women’s
team to lift their maiden Women’s Cricket Asia Cup. In the final of the 9th Women’s Cricket Asia Cup
played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on 28 July 2024, the host
beat India by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare.
Sri Lanka became the third team in the history of the Asia Cup to win the Women's Cricket Asia Cup, with
India having won it seven times and Bangladesh once.
Nita Ambani has been unanimously re-elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
from India at the 142nd IOC session in Paris.
Vani Kapoor excelled at the 2024 Dutch Ladies Open in the Netherlands, finishing tied for 20th place with
a score of 2-under 70.
Atiqa Mir, a nine-year-old racing prodigy, became the first female racer to win a race in the Rotax
Challenge International Trophy at the prestigious Le Mans Kart International circuit.
Nagaland Madrigal Singers, representing India, won two Gold Medals at the World Choir Games 2024
held in Auckland, New Zealand.
Yuki Bhambri of India and Albano Olivetti from France won the men’s doubles title at the ATP Swiss
Open.
Nuno Borges played the match of his life to beat Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Swedish Open.
Australian racer Oscar Piastri won his first Formula 1 title at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Argentina Tops FIFA Rankings as India Holds Steady at 124th Position.
Indian team participated in the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2024 and achieved remarkable
success.
One student won a GOLD medal and three students secured SILVER medals.
Vedant Sakre from Mumbai, Maharashtra won a gold medal.
Renowned Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik won the Golden Sand Master Award and a gold medal at
the International Sand Sculpture Championship/Festival.
The championship was held in St. Petersburg, Russia, from July 4 to July 12.
India won the World Championship of Legends by defeating Pakistan.
Pakistan scored 156 runs for 6 wickets in their innings.
Argentina clinched their second consecutive Copa America Championship with a 1-0 victory over
Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Spain won its record fourth European soccer championship by defeating England 2-1 in the finals of Euro
2024 in Berlin
Carlos Alcaraz ,Barbora Krejcikova wins 2024 Wimbledon Tennis Title.

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Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Barbosa Krejcikova of Czech Republic won the men’s and women’s single
title respectively at the 2024 Wimbledon Tennis Championships .
It was the second consecutive Wimbledon singles title for Carlos Alcaraz and first Wimbledon singles title
for Barbosa Krejcikova.
The 137th edition of the All England Championship ,famous as Wimbledon Championship, was held at
Wimbledon in England from 1-14 July 2024.
It is the third Grand Slam event of a calendar year after the Australian Open and the French Open.
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tournament that is played on natural grass.
Second Wimbledon Single title for Alcaraz
The 2024 men’s single final was the repeat of the previous year where the eventual champion Carlos
Alacaraz took on Novak Djokovic of Serbia .
Like last year, this year also, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz beat 37-year-old Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4)
in two hours and 28 minutes in the final played on 14 July 2024.
This was the fourth Grand Slam singles title for Alcaraz having won the French Open in 2024, the US
Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024.
The Serbian great was looking for his 8th Wimbledon singles title to equal Roger Federer's record of eight
Wimbledon men's singles titles.
Novak Djokovic holds the record of winning the maximum number of Grand Slam singles titles. He has
won 24 singles titles.
He is the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
Second Grand Slam Singles Title for Barbora Krejcikova
Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic won her second Grand Slam singles title after beating Jasmine
Paolini of Italy in the final of the 2024 Wimbledon Championship played on 13 July 2024.
Barbora Krejcikova had earlier won the 2021 French Open women’s singles title, and the 2024 Wimbledon
crown was her first singles title win at Wimbledon.
About Wimbledon
The All England Championship which is more famous as Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in
the world and was held for the first time in 1877.
It is organised by the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Limited at Wimbledon, London,
England.
Martina Navratilova of the USA holds the record for winning 9 singles titles in the women 's section.
In the men’s, Roger Federer of Switzerland holds the record of winning 8 singles titles
Winners of the 2024 Wimbledon Championship

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Indian badminton players Tasnim Mir and Tharun Mannepalli won the women's and men's singles
titles, respectively, at the Saint-Denis Reunion Open 2024.
PV Sindhu and Sharath Kamal have been confirmed as India’s flag bearers for the Paris Olympics 2024.
Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the Head Coach of Team India (Senior Men).
Avinash Sable broke the Indian national record in the men’s 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:09.91 at
the Paris Diamond League 2024 on July 7, 2024.
Abhay Singh, representing India, won both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles at the Asian
Doubles Squash Championships in Johor, Malaysia.
Dhruv Sitwala triumphed over Pankaj Advani in the 2024 Asian Billiards Championship final held in
Riyadh.
Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand, the 15th World Chess Champion, has won the 37th edition of the
Magistral Tournament "Ciudad de León" (Leon Masters).
Anand defeated Grand Master (GM) Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain (3-1) in the Finals.
This victory marks Anand's 10th Leon Masters title.
India emerged as the top-performing nation at the Under 23 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 in
Amman, Jordan.
Indian wrestlers secured a total of eight medals in freestyle wrestling: four gold, two silver, and two bronze.

SPORTS NEWS JUNE 2024

Tech Mahindra Global Chess League to host its second edition in London.

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 Global Chess League, a joint initiative between the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Tech
Mahindra, a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across
industries, is set for a highly anticipated second edition in London.
Renowned Indian cricketer and ardent amateur golfer Kapil Dev has been elected as the new president
of the Professional Golf Tour of India(PGTI).
Kapil Dev, the captain of the 1983 Men’s Cricket World Cup winning team has been the vice president and
member of PGTI's governing body for the last three years.
Kapil Dev, nicknamed Haryana Hurricane for his all-around cricket ability.
India wins 11 medals at the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024.
Indian wrestlers have ended their campaign in the Under- 17 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 with a
total of 11 medals- four gold, two silver, and five bronze.
The annual Under 17 & Under 23 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 is being held in the Jordanian
capital city of Amman from 22-30 June 2024.

Dhiraj Bommadevara won two bronze medals for India at the Archery World Cup 2024 stage 3 in
Antalya, Turkiye on 23 June 2024.
The Indian team finished their campaign at Antalaya with four medals- one gold,one silver and two
bronze.
The Indian women’s compound team of Aditi Swami, Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Parneet Kaur won its
third consecutive gold medal of the season at the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Antalya, Turkey.

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Priyansh gets Silver in the Individual Compound event.
Olympics medalist Bajrang Punia suspended by NADA for anti-doping rule violation.
Bajrang Punia was born into a wrestler family in Jhajjar, Haryana.
He is the first Indian wrestler to be ranked world no.1 and first to win four world championship medals.
He won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
He won a gold medal at the 2016 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
He won a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
He won a gold medal at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games
Bajrang Punia was awarded India’s highest sports award Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2019.
Indian Table Tennis Stars Shine with 9 Medals at WTT Contender Lagos 2024.
Indian contingents secured a total of 9 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze) at the World Table Tennis
(WTT) Contender Lagos 2024, held from June 19th to 23rd at Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports
Hall, Lagos, Nigeria.
Winners at WTT Contender Lagos 2024:
Women's Singles:
Champion (Gold): Sreeja Akula (India).
Women's Doubles:
Champions (Gold): Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath (India).
Men's Doubles:
Champions (Gold): Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar (India).
Sreeja Akula made history as the first Indian player to clinch the Women's Singles title at a WTT
Contender event.
Rutuja Bhosale of India and Fangran Tian of China won the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour in
Tauste, Spain.
Neeraj Chopra Clinches Gold at World Athletics Continental Tour in Finland.
Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra won the Gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the
World Athletics Continental Gold Tour.
Chopra topped an eight-man field with a best effort of 85.97 meters.
Neeraj Chopra was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in March 2022.
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, India’s top-rated chess player, clinched the Stepan Avagyan Memorial
2024 title in Jermuk, Armenia
India won its first medal in women's table tennis at the ongoing BRICS Games in Kazan, Russia.
The women’s table tennis team, consisting of Poymantee Baisya, Moumita Dutta, and Yashini Sivasankar,
clinched a bronze medal.
Diksha Dagar secured a sixth-place tie at the Ladies Italian Open Golf.
Diksha finished four shots behind the winner, Amy Taylor of England.
Amy Taylor won the title with scores of 70, 67, and a closing 69.
Likith SP and Dhinidhi Desinghu from India won two bronze medals at the 2024 Singapore National
Swimming Championship.
Shruti Vora becomes first Indian rider to win a 3-Star Grand Prix event in Equestrian.
Shruti Vora made history by becoming the first Indian rider to win a three-star Grand Prix event in
equestrian sports.
She achieved this milestone riding Magnanimous at the CDI-3 event of the FEI Dressage World Cup in
Lipica, Slovenia.
Shruti surpassed Moldova’s Tatiana Antonenco.
Divya Deshmukh Wins World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship.
The tournament took place at the Gift City Club in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
In the final round, Divya defeated Beloslava Krasteva from Bulgaria.
Puja Tomar Becomes First Indian to Win in UFC.
Puja Tomar became the first Indian to win a bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), defe ating
Brazil’s Rayanne Amanda dos Santos via split decision at UFC Louisville.
Puja Tomar in Budhana village, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
She is a five-time national wushu champion.

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Tomar became the third person from India and the first woman to get a UFC contract
India's Gulveer Singh won the silver medal in the men's 5000m race at the Portland Track Festival
High-Performance Meet in Portland, USA.
He became the fastest Indian in the men’s 5000-metre race.
Gulveer set a new national record with a timing of 13 minutes 18.92 seconds.
This timing surpassed the previous record of 13 minutes 19.30 seconds, set by Avinash Sable last year.
Winners:
Gold medal: Dylan Jacobs (USA)
Silver medal: Gulveer Singh (India).
Sumit Nagal won the Heilbronn Neckarcup Challenger.
Nagal defeated Switzerland's Alexander Ritschard with scores of 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 in the men's singles final.
This victory marks Nagal's 6th ATP Challenger title.
Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the silver medal at the Polyak Imre and Varga Janos Memorial
2024 wrestling tournament in Budapest, Hungary.
Sehrawat lost the men's 57kg final to Japan’s Rei Higuchi, a former world champion and Rio 2016 silver
medallist, with a score of 11-1.
Sift Kaur Samra won a bronze medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position event at the ISSF World
Cup Rifle/Pistol in Munich..
DP Manu from India won the gold medal in Javelin throw at the Taiwan Athletics Open 2024,
achieving a distance of 81.58 meters.
Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess event for the first time
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Iga Swiatek of Poland won the 2024 French Open men’s and women’s
Tennis Single titles, respectively.
It was the first French Open singles title for Alcaraz and the fourth singles title for the world no.1 Iga
Swiatek.
The 123rd edition of the French Open, also known as Roland Garros, was held at the Stade Roland Garros
in Paris, France, from 26 May to 9 June 2024.It is the second Grand Slam event of a calendar year after the
Australian Open.
The Stade Roland Garros is a stadium which has many courts. The finals are always played on the
Philippe Chatrie Court. The French Open is played on clay court.
Third Singles Grand Slam Title for Alcaraz .
The 21 year old Sapniard won his career’s third Grand Slam title by winning the French Open single title.
Carlos Alcaraz had previously won the US Open in 2022 and the Wimbledon in 2023.
In the 2024 French Open, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Tokyo Olympic Champion Alexander Zeverev of
Germany in five sets, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.
Iga Swiatek wins her fourth French Open Singles Title
World no.1 Iga Siatek of Poland defended her French Open singles title for the third time in a row. Iga
Swiatek defeated Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-2, 6-1 in the final played on 8 June 2024.
Iga Swiatek has now won the French Open singles title four times, in 2020,2022,2023 and 2024.
American Tennis great Chris Evert holds the record for maximum women's singles title - seven times.
This was the fifth Grand Slam title for 23 year old Iga Swiatek . She has also won the US Open women’s
singles title in 2022
Most singles titles:- Rafael Nadal (14).

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Divya Deshmukh Wins World Junior u-20 Girls’ Chess Championship .
18-year Nagpur girl and women’s chess International Master Divya Deshmukh won the FIDE under -20
Girl’s World Chess Championship.
The FIDE World Junior Chess Championship 2024 was held in Gujarat’s capital city of Gandhinagar.
Divya Deshmukh is the fourth Indian to win the FIDE under -20 Girl’s World Chess Championship
after Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli and Soumya Swaminathan.
In the men’s section, Grand Master Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazakhstan won the 2024 FIDE World Junior
Chess Championship.
Tata Communications Secures Five-Year Broadcasting Deal with World Athletics.
Tata Communications has secured a five-year deal with World Athletics to provide broadcasting services
for major events, including the World Athletics Indoor Championships and World Athletics Relays
India will host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup in December 2025.
The tournament, set to feature 24 teams for the first time, will be the 14th edition of the Junior Hockey
World Cup.
Uttar Pradesh government has unveiled its plans for the MotoGP event as it will be hosted by the city
of Noida from 2025 until 2029 and announced a collaboration with Spain’s Dorna Sports and the Indian
partner which is Fairstreet sports.
MotoGP is the pinnacle of World Championship Road Racing.
UP govt agrees to raise ₹80cr for 2025 edition of MotoGP Bharat.
PV Sindhu Invests in and Becomes Brand Ambassador for Greenday’s ‘Better Nutrition’
Real Madrid lifts the Champions LeagueTrophy for the 15th time.
The Spanish football giant Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund, the German football club, 2-0 in the
final to win the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League for the 15th time.
Real Madrid football club, which is also popularly called Los Blancos.

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 SPORTS NEWS MAY 2024
Wang Zhi Yi Clinches Malaysia Masters Title, P.V. Sindhu Settles for Runner-Up.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist and world No. 15 in women's singles badminton, PV Sindhu was the
runner-up in the women's singles category at the Malaysia Masters 2024.
She lost the final match to Wang Zhi Yi of China.
Malaysia Masters 2024 Winners and Runners-up List:

Dipa Karmakar Clinches India’s First-Ever Gold Medal In Women’s Vault At Asian Championships.
Dipa Karmakar secured India's inaugural gold medal in the women's Vault event at the Asian
Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The victory marks a significant milestone in Indian gymnastics history, as it is the first gold medal won by
an Indian gymnast in any event at the Asian Championships.
She was the first Indian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics, showcasing her talent at the Rio
2016 Games.
Simran Sharma of India clinched the gold medal in the Women’s 200 meters T12 category at the Para-
Athletics World Championship in Kobe, Japan.
Other Indian Medal Winners
Deepti Jeevanji won her first goldmedal in the women's 400m T20 event.
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari clinched the gold medal in the men’s shot put event.
Ekta Bhyan clinched the gold medal in the women's F51 club throw competition.
Kashish Lakra secured the silver medal with a throw measuring 14.56 meters.
YogeshKathuniya achieved a season's best mark of 41.80 meters, earning silver in the Men’s Discus Throw
F56 Final.
Nishad Kumar grabbed silver in Men’s High Jump T47 with a season-best jump of 1.99 meters.
India's total medal tally at the Para-Athletics World Championships reached 17, the highest in its history.
The medal haul includes six gold, five silver, and six bronze medals, showcasing India's growing prowess
in para-athletics
India secured the Gold medal in the compound women’s team event at the Archery World Cup Stage 2
in Yecheon, South Korea.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Swami achieved a remarkable feat by winning their third
consecutive World Cup gold medal together.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launches 'Let's Move India' campaign.
Aimed at inspiring people to celebrate athletes at the Paris Olympics.
The goal is to inspire and celebrate Olympians representing India in Paris 2024.
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy secured victory in the Thailand Open 2024 badminton
men’s doubles final.
They defeated their Chinese opponents Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-15 in a 46-

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minute match.
This win marked Chirag and Satwik's second title of the 2024 badminton season and their second Thailand
Open title.
Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen won gold in the women’s 52kg category at the Elorda Cup
2024 by defeating Zhazira Urakbayeva of Kazakhstan with a unanimous decision (5-0).
India finished the Elorda Cup 2024 campaign with 12 medals in total, held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Medals tally: 2 gold, 2 silver,and 8 bronze.
Gold medals:
Nikhat Zareen (52kg).
Minakshi (48kg) defeated Uzbekistan’s Rahmonova Saidahon (4-1) to win India’s first gold medal in the
women’s 48kg final.
Silver medals:
Anamika (50kg) lost to China’s Wu Yu (1-4).
Manisha (60kg) lost to Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeeva (0-5).
Neeraj Chopra Secures Second Place at Doha Diamond League 2024.
Olympic and World Champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra claimed the second spot in the Doha
Diamond League 2024, held on May 10, 2024, at the Qatar Sports Club, Doha, Qatar.
Czech Republic's three-time Olympian Jakub Vadlejch secured the top spot with a throw of 88.38 meters.
Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed the first spot by just 2 centimeters, with a throw of 88.36 meters.
Indian gymnast Srishti Khandagle wins silver medal in Asian Championships being hosted by Hong
Kong.
Kazakhstan's Dolgopolova won the gold medal, while Hong Kong's S. Hung won the bronze medal.
Coca-Cola India and Hockey India form first partnership for National Women's Hockey League.
Anandana, Coca-Cola India Foundation has announced its first collaboration with Hockey India for the
National Women's Hockey League 2024-2025.
The first phase of the tournament started on April 30, 2024, and is scheduled to end on May 9, 2024, in
Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Indian boxing team clinched a remarkable 43 medals at the Asian U-22 and Youth Boxing
Championships 2024, held in Astana, Kazakhstan
Among these medals, there were 12 gold, 14 silver, and 17 bronze, demonstrating India's prowess in
both youth and U-22 categories.
Indian wrestlers achieved a remarkable feat at the Asian Wrestling Championships (Senior) 2024 held
in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Indian wrestlers won 9 medals, including 4 silver and 5 bronze medals
ICC names Shahid Afridi as Men’s T 20 WC 2024 Brand Ambassador.
International Cricket Council (ICC), the world cricket governing body, has appointed Pakistan’s Shahid
Afridi as the brand ambassador of the forthcoming 9th ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The tournament will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America from 1 to 29 June
2024.
Shahid Afridi joins Indian Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle of West Indies, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt as
brand ambassadors for the event.
Shahid Afridi, nicknamed ‘Lala’, was an explosive batsman and a skilful leg spinner.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed Australia as the hosts for the AFC Women’s Asian
Cup 2026.
Uzbekistan has been chosen to host the 2029 edition of the premier women’s football continental
tournament.
Brazil was declared the host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup at the FIFA Congress.
Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event with a modest
82.27m effort at the Federation Cup 2024 athletics in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Alexander Zverev and Iga Swiatek win Singles Title of Italian open.
Alexander Zverev won the single title of the Italian Open tennis tournament, while the women’s singles
title was won by the world no.1 player Iga Swiatek.
This was the second Italian open title for Alexander Zeverv, while it was the third Italian title for Iga

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Swiatek.
Second Italian Open title for Alexander Zeverev
German Alexander Zeverv defeated the first-time Masters finalist Nicolas Jarry of Chile in straight sets 6-4,
7-5 to win the 2024 Italian Open Masters 1000 title. This was also Zeverv’s second Italian Open title.
This was the third final for Alexander Zeverz in the Italian Open. In 2017, he won the Italian Open by
defeating Novak Djokovic.
Iga Swiatek wins her 3rd Italian Open title.
World no.1 Iga Swiatek of Poland defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in straight sets 6-2 6-3 to win her
21st career title.
This was the third Italian Open title for Iga Swiatek in the last four years.
Karnataka-based Nandini dairy to sponsor Scotland team at T20 World Cup 2024.
Sunil Chhetri to retire from International Football.
One of India’s best-known sporting icons, Sunil Chhetri, has announced that he will retire from
international football after India’s match against Kuwait at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
This ends the illustrious career of Secunderabad-born Sunil Chhetri, who is currently the captain of the
Blue Tigers (the Indian men’s football team nickname). He wears Jersey No. 9 of the Indian men’s football
team.
3rd highest international goal scorer amongst active players.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading goal scorer in the world with 128 goals. Argentina’s Lionel
Messi is second on the list with 106 international goals.
Sunil Chhetri, with 94 goals in 150 international matches, is third on the list.
International Trophy won for India
Sunil Chhetri has played for the Indian men’s football team that has won the Nehru Cup (2007, 2009,
2012) and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship (2011, 2015, 2021).
Sunil Chhetri was crucial in India’s 2008 AFC Challenge Cup win, which helped them qualify for the first
AFC Asian Cup (2011) after 27 years.
Honour for Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri has been named the All India Football Federation(AIFF) Male Player of the Year seven
times.
He was honoured with India’s second-highest sports award, the Arjuna Award, in 2013
He was honoured with India’s highest sports award, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.
He was awarded India’s third-highest civilian award, Padam Shri, in 2019.
In 2022, football’s world governing body, FIFA, honoured Sunil Chhetri with a documentary titled “
Captain Fantastic.”
Tamil Nadu’s Shyaamnikhil Becomes India’s 85th Chess Grandmaster.
United Nations Declares May 25 as World Football Day.
Japan defeated Pakistan to win the 30th Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy
Japan won its maiden Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey trophy by defeating Pakistan 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out
in the final.
The final was played at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Japanese men’s hockey team defeated Pakistan to claim its first Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy.
The Pakistani team, also popularly called the Green Shirts, was appearing in the final of the Azlan Shah for
the 10th time.
India has won the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy 5 times in 1985, 1991, 1995, 2009, 2010.
Amul Becomes ‘Official Sponsor’ of Sri Lanka Men’s Cricket Team for T20 World Cup 2024.
36th La Liga Title for Real Madrid football club.
The Spanish football club Real Madrid has been crowned the La Liga 2023-24 season title after beating
Cadiz 3-0.
Real Madrid, also known as Los Blancos.
Girona football club defeated Barcelona 4-2 to ensure that Real Madrid won its 36th La Liga title.
Iga Swiatek, Andrey Rublev wins the Madrid Open Tennis Singles Title.
World no.1 women's tennis players Iga Swiatek and Andrey Rublev won the women’s and men’s singles

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titles at the 2024 Madrid Open, respectively.
This was the first Madrid Open title for Iga Swiatek of Poland, while it was the second Madrid Open title
for Andrey Rublev.
World no.1 Iga Swiatek of Poland won the WTA 1000 Madrid Open title. In the final, she defeated Aryna
Sabalenka of Belarus 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) to win her first Madrid Open title.
Andrey Rublev of Russia won the singles title of the ATP Madrid Open Masters 1000, beating Felix Auger-
Aliassime of Canada 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, to win his second ATP Masters title.
China wins both Thomas and Uber Cup Badminton titles.
Chinese badminton team confirmed its domination of the sport by winning both the men’s Tomas Cup and
the women’s Uber Cup.
Thomas and Uber Cup is held every two years and is organised by the world badminton governing body,
the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The 2024 edition of the Thomas and Uber Cup was held in Chengdu, China, from 27 April to 5 May 2024.
Thomas Cup 2024
China defeated Indonesia 4-1 to win the Thomas Cup for the 11th time.
Uber Cup 2024
The Chinese women's team defeated Indonesia 3-0 to win the Uber Cup for the 16th time.
About Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup is also known as the World Men’s Badminton Team Championship.
About Uber Cup
The Women’s Badminton Team Championship is also popularly known as Uber Cup.
For the first time since 2012, Chinese badminton has won both the men's and women's titles at the world
team championships.
Japan defeated Uzbekistan in the final to win the Men’s AFC U-23 Asian Cup for the second time.
Japan had earlier won the tournament title in 2016.
The 6th edition of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup was held in Qatar from April 15 to May 3, 2024, with 16
teams
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced that India will host the prestigious 2025 BWF
World Junior Championships at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
Amul Becomes Lead Sponsor for USA and South Africa in T20 World Cup 2024.
Kenyan Athletes Dominate TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2024.
Kenyan athletes Peter Mwaniki and Lilian Kasait won the international elite men's and women's categories
at the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru, respectively.
Mwaniki surged ahead of his compatriot Hillary Chepkwony at the 7.5 km mark, while Kasait distanced
herself from Emmaculate Achol at the 7.1 km mark.

SPORTS NEWS APRIL 2024

Indian wrestlers achieved a remarkable feat at the Asian Wrestling Championships (Senior) 2024 held
in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Indian wrestlers won 9 medals, including 4 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Badminton Asia Championship 2024
Singles Men
Winner : Jonatan Christie (Indonesia)
Runner-up : Li Shi Feng (China)
Singles Women
Winner : Wang Zhi Yi (China)
Runner-up: Chen Yu Fei (China)
Kazakhstan International Challenge 2024:
Men's Singles Championship:
Winner: Tharun Mannepalli (India)
Runner-up: Soong Joo Ven (Malaysia)
Women's Singles Championship:

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Winner : Anupama Upadhyaya (India)
Runner-up: Isharani Baruah (India)
Sumit Nagal Makes History with First Indian Win in Monte Carlo Masters.
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal achieved a historic feat by defeating 35th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi at the
Monte Carlo Masters
Bindyarani Devi wins bronze medal at IWF World Cup 2024.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medalist Bindyarani Devi won bronze at the IWF World
Cup 2024 took place in Phuket, Thailand.
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden Secure Miami Open Men's Doubles Title 2024.
44 years old star Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna along with his Australian partner Matthew Ebden
won the 2024 Miami Open Tennis men’s doubles title at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida ,United States
of America.
Bopanna became the fourth Indian to win the Miami Open, following in the footsteps of Leander Paes,
Mahesh Bhupati, and Sania Mirza.
At the age of 44 , Bopanna also broke his own record to become the oldest player to win an ATP 1000
Masters Championship.
In the women’s singles American Danielle Collins won her first major title while in the men’s singles
Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner was crowned the champion.
Italian Jannik Sinner defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the final to win the men's Miami Open
Master 1000 title.
Arjun Erigaisi becomes India's number 1 chess player, reaches world top 10.
Arjun Erigaisi is the new top-ranked Indian chess player in the latest FIDE rankings released by chess's
world governing body on April 1, ranking 9th globally with a standard rating of 2756.
Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion, follows Erigaisi as the second-ranked Indian with a
rating of 2751, securing the 11th position globally.
Young talents like Praggnanandhaa R (14th), Gukesh D (16th), and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (25th) also hold
impressive spots in the FIDE rankings.
Magnus Carlsen continues to lead the global rankings with a rating of 2830.
Maharashtra emerged victorious in both the men's and women's categories at the 56th National Kho
Kho Championship 2023-24.
Men’s Category:
Maharashtra defeated the Indian Railway team in the championship game held at the Indira Gandhi
Indoor Stadium.
Women's category:
The Maharashtra women's team, led by Sampada Maurya, defeated the Airport Authority of India team in
the championship match.
Pakistan cricket legend Sana Mir as the ambassador for the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Qualifier.
Legendary sprinter Usain Bolt has been named the official ambassador for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20
World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States .
Saurav Ghosal Retires from Professional Squash.
India’s most successful male squash player, Saurav Ghosal, has announced his retirement from
professional squash.
Saurav Ghosal was the first Indian player to be ranked junior World No. 1 in 2004.
Saurav Ghosal has been the National champion 13 times. He has won a total of nine medals at the Asian
Games.
He won the first-ever squash medal for India in the Asian Games by winning a bronze medal at the 2006
Doha Asian Games.
Saurav Ghosal, along with Mahesh Mangaonkar, Harinder Pal Sandhu, and Kush Kumar, won the first-
ever gold medal for India in the squash team event at the Incheon Asian Games.
Saurav Ghosal is the only Indian to win a single medal at the Commonwealth Games. He won the bronze
medal at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
In 2007, Saurav Ghosal became the first ever squash player to be awarded country’s second highest sport

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award ,Arjuna Award.
Casper Ruud of Norway defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece to win the ATP Barcelona Open 500
tennis title's singles title.
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine to win the singles title of the WTA
Stuttgart Grand Prix.
Karnataka's Nandini dairy brand to sponsor Scotland, Ireland teams in T20 World Cup 2024.
17-year-old D Gukesh of India became the youngest male chess player to win the FIDE Candidate
Tournament.
In the women’s section, Tan Zhongyi of China won the 2024 FIDE Candidate Tournament.
D Gukesh will face the current FIDE World Champion, Ding Liren of China, later this year, and Tan
Zhongyi will face the current female World Chess Champion, Ju Wenjun, to decide the 2024 FIDE World
Chess Champion.
D Gukesh became the second Indian after Vishwanathan Anand to win the FIDE Candidate Tournament.
D. Gukesh is the third youngest player to play in the Candidate tournament after Bobby Fischer of the US
and Magnus Carlsen of Norway.
Deepika Soreng Honoured with Asunta Lakra Award.
Deepika Soreng, the promising forward of the India Women’s Hockey Team, has been honoure d with the
prestigious Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year during the Hockey India
6th Annual Awards 2023.
6 year old Vaghani from Ahmedabad made record of lowest limbo skating.
Six-year-old Takshvi Vaghani from Ahmedabad has made the record of shortest limbo skating by 25
metres.
This has been confirmed by Guinness World Records (GWR).
India got 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in the 13th EGMO 2024.
The 13th European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) was held in Tskaltubo, Georgia from 11 to 17
April 2024.
The 4-member Indian team has won a total of four medals including 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in the
13th EGMO 2024.

25-year-old tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece defeated Casper Ruud of Norway in a straight
set 6-1, 6-4 to win his third ATP Monte Carlo Masters 1000 title.
He also won the title in 2021 and 2022.
World No. 6 ranked Casper Rudd defeated world no. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinal to qualify for the
final.
Rafael Nadal has won the Monte Carlo Masters a record 11 times.
Sumit Nagal first Indian to win a ATP Master 1000 match on clay.
India's top (number-1) tennis player Sumit Nagal has reached the second round of the Rolex Monte Carlo
Masters.
95th-ranked unseeded Sumit Nagal has now become the third Indian to reach the main draw of the Monte
Carlo Masters
Mykolas Alekna breaks oldest Athletics record in discus throw.
Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania broke the longest-standing men’s world record in the discus throw event.

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He threw the discus to 74.35 meters at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting in Ramona, United States of
America.
Rashmi Kumari wins national women’s carrom title for the 12th time.
Three-time World Champion Rashmi Kumari beat K Nagajothi 25-8, 14-20, 25-20 in the women’s final of
the 51st National carrom championship organised by the Madhya Pradesh Carrom Association.
It was a record 12th national women’s singles title for Rashmi, employed as the Chief Manager at the Oil
and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
The men’s title was bagged by K Srinivas as he beat S Aditya 25-0, 19-6 in the final.
Indian women’s junior Hockey team won its final match against England by 6-2 goals to secure the
third spot in the 4 Nations Junior Men’s Invitational Tournament held at Dusseldorf, Germany.
The India team captain was Preeti and the coach of the team was Tushar Khandker
Harendra Singh has been appointed national women’s hockey coach.
Harendra Singh will replace Janneke Schopman of Holland Janneke Schopman, who is a former Dutch
hockey player.
Bilquis Mir, the first Indian Woman Jury member at the Paris Olympics.
Bilquis Mir of Jammu Kashmir has become the first Indian to be appointed a jury member at the 33rd
Summer Olympics to be held in Paris, France.
She is also the first woman from India to be made a jury member in the Olympics games. Bilquis Mir, who
is a qualified jury member, was a jury member at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, last
year.
Bindyarani Devi wins Bronze in the IWF World Cup.
Bindyarani Devi, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medallist, won a bronze medal at
the IWF World Cup 2024, held in Phuket, Thailand, on 2 April 2024.
However, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Mirabai Chanu finished 12th in the 49 kg weightlifting
category.
Bindyarani Devi and Mirabai Chanu were the only two Indians who were competing in the IWF World
Cup 2024.
25 year old Bindyarani Devi, competing in the women’s 55 kg category, recorded a lift of 196 kg.
North Korea's Kang Hyon Gyong won the gold medal with a lift of 234 Kg and silver was won by
Romania’s Mihaela Cambei.
Novak Djokovic breaks Federer's record to be Oldest No.1 Player.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia broke the Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer’s record of being the oldest man to
be ranked No. 1 in the ATP Tour's computerised rankings.
At 36 years and 321 days, Novak Djokovic surpassed Federer's record as the oldest No. 1 ranked men's
tennis player.
Rohan Bopanna of India became the oldest-ranked men’s double player at 43 years of age last year. He
again reclaimed the No. 1 rank in doubles at 44 this year.
Iga Swiatek of Poland remains the WTA (Women Tennis Association) no.1 ranked women's single tennis
player.
Novak Djokovic is the first male tennis player to win 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He holds the record
jointly with Margaret Court(female tennis player) of Australia.
Hardik Singh & Salima Tete Player of the Year: Hockey India.
Salima Tete and Hardik Singh were named the women’s and men’s player of the year, respectively.
Hockey India started the annual Hockey India Awards in 2014 to honour India’s best hockey players.
Hockey India Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award
Ashok Kumar, the son of Indian Hockey legend Dhyan Chand, was honoured with the Hockey India
Lifetime Achievement Award. Ashok Kumar was a member of the Indian Hockey team, which won the
bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The winner got a cash prize of Rs 30 lakhs and a trophy.
Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year - PR Sreejesh. He got a cash prize of Rs 5
lakh and a Trophy.
Hockey India Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year - Harmanpreet Singh. He got a cash prize of
Rs 5 lakh and a Trophy.

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Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year - Hardik Singh. He received a cash prize of
Rs 5 lakh and a Trophy.
Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year - Abhishek. He got a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh
and a Trophy.
Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women – Under 21) - Deepika
Soreng. She got a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a Trophy.
Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – Under 21) - Araijeet Singh
Hundal. He got a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a Trophy.
Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Women) - Salima Tete. She got a cash prize
of Rs 25 lakh and a Trophy.
Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Men) - Hardik Singh. He got a cash prize of
Rs 25 lakh and a Trophy.
Sharfuddoula has created history by becoming the first Bangladeshi umpire to be appointed to the ICC
Elite Panel of Umpires.

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS AUGUST 2024

Union Budget 2024 has increased the loan limit under the scheme’s Tarun category to R s 20 lakh,
targeting those who have successfully repaid previous MUDRA loans.
About Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)
It is a flagship initiative by the Government of India that was launched in 2015 and aimed at
providing affordable credit to micro and small enterprises.
It focuses on integrating underserved enterprises into the formal financial system by offering them easy
access to credit.
Objective: The scheme is designed to "fund the unfunded," enabling small borrowers to secure loans from
various financial institutions including Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs),
Cooperative Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs), and Non -
Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
Loan details:
Loan amount: Up to ₹10 lakh for non-farm income-generating activities in sectors such as manufacturing,
processing, trading and services.
Eligibility: Any Indian citizen with a viable business plan for a non-farm sector income-generating activity
requiring credit below ₹10 lakh can apply for a MUDRA loan through banks, MFIs, or NBFCs.
Categories of Loans:
Shishu: Loans up to ₹50,000, aimed at new and micro enterprises.
Kishore: Loans ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh, for businesses in the growth phase.
Tarun: Loans from ₹5 lakh to ₹ 20 lakh, for businesses looking to expand further.
Subsidy: There is no direct subsidy under PMMY. However, if a loan is linked to a government scheme
that provides capital subsidies, the loan can be availed under PMMY with the associated benefits.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed mandatory Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
block mechanism facility for secondary market trading using the UPI-based block mechanism to their
clients.
About Unified Payments Interface (UPI) block mechanism:
It is similar to the Application Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA) facility that allows trading with
blocked amounts.
In the primary market, the facility ensures that money from an investor gets moved only when the
allotment is completed.
In the UPI block mechanism, clients can trade in the secondary market based on blocked funds in their
bank accounts, instead of transferring the funds upfront to the trading member.
The facility is currently optional for investors, and not mandatory for Trading Members (TMs) to offer as a
service to clients.
Significance: It provides enhanced protection to the client's funds and securities.

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Reliance Industries Chairman recently announced a bonus issue for the company’s shareholders in a 1:1
criterion.
About Bonus Issue:
A bonus issue, also known as a scrip issue or a capitalization issue, occurs when a company listed on a
stock exchange decides to offer free additional shares to the existing shareholders.
The company decides the number of bonus shares to be allotted to every individual investor for holding a
certain number of shares over a set period of time and accordingly rewards them.
For example, a company may give one bonus share for every five shares held.
The ex-chairman of UIDAI Nandan Nilekani gives described the idea of ‘Finternet’ at the Global Fintech
Fest (GFF) in Mumbai.
About Finternet:
It refers to the multiple financial ecosystems interconnected with each other, much like the internet.
It would lower barriers between different financial services and systems, drastically reducing the complex
clearing and messaging chains and other frictions that hinder financial system.
Working: It would be built on unified ledgers which will bring multiple financial markets such as tokenized
assets, shares, bonds, real estate, on a single programmable platform.
Positioned as a platform to transform the lending space, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is currently
running a pilot of the Unified Lending Interface (ULI).
About Unified Lending Interface (ULI):
It is a technological platform that aims to provide a friction-less credit by cutting down the time taken for
appraisal, especially for rural and small borrowers.
It serves as a bridge, connecting banks, Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), fintech firms, and
borrowers, enabling a more efficient and transparent credit disbursement process.
It is expected to cater to a large unmet demand for credit across various sectors, particularly for agricultural
and MSME borrowers.
It facilitates seamless flow of digital information, including land records of various states, from multiple
data service providers to lenders.
It has common and standardised Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) designed for a plug-and-play
approach to ensure digital access to information from diverse sources, i.e., information relevant to a lender
giving out a loan to a potential borrower.
The entire system is consent-based, i.e., based on the consent of the potential borrower.
It reduces the complexity of multiple technical integrations.
It promotes transparency by allowing borrowers to track their loan applications in real-time.
Union Ministry of Education has defined ‘literacy,’ and what it means to achieve ‘full literacy,’ in the light
of the renewed push for adult literacy under the New India Literacy Programme (NILP).
About New India Literacy Programme (NILP):
It aims to support the States and Union Territories in promoting literacy among non-literates in the age
group of 15 and above.
It is a centrally sponsored scheme with a financial outlay of Rs.1037.90 crore for implementation during
FYs 2022-23 to 2026-27.
It aims to onboard one crore learners per year above 15 years across all States and Union Territories.
India’s first quantum computer set for launch under National Quantum Mission.
Objective: After a delay of nearly four years, the National Quantum Mission is set to advance India's
quantum technologies across four key verticals: quantum computing, communication, measurement and
sensing.
Funding & Structure: The mission has been allocated nearly ₹6,000 crore, with plans to establish four
Section 8 companies under the aegis of premier institutions like IITs and IISc. These companies will
spearhead activities across the identified verticals.
KVIC and Department of Posts collaborate to boost PMEGP Implementation across India.
About PMEGP:
PMEGP is a central sector scheme administered by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Eligibility:
Individuals above 18 years of age.
There will be no income ceiling for assistance for setting up projects under PMEGP.

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For setting up of projects costing above 10 lakh in the Manufacturing sector and above Rs. 5 lakh in the
Business /Service sector, the beneficiaries should possess at least VIII standard pass educational
qualification.
Implementing Agency: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
India is progressing towards its goal of 20% ethanol blending with petrol by 2025-26.
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry announced the introduction of the Diamond Imprest Licence
at the 40th edition of the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) 2024 organised by the Gem &
Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
About Diamond Imprest Licence:
The licence allows eligible exporters to import cut and polished diamonds, including semi-processed, half-
cut, and broken diamonds.
Under this exporters can import diamonds up to 5 per cent of their average turnover from the past three
years, with a requirement to add 10 per cent value.
These imports must be used by the importer and cannot be transferred, even after exports are completed.
This licence was earlier there in the foreign trade policy of 2002 and 2009.
Significance: This will provide a level playing field for Indian MSME diamond exporters. It will stop the
flight of investment and also introduce more employment opportunities.
Union Finance Minister introduced the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which proposes to
enable the transfer of unclaimed dividends, shares and interest or redemption of bonds to the Investor
Education and Protection Fund (IEPF).
About Investor Education and Protection Fund:
It has been established under Section 205C of the Companies Act, 1956 by way of the Co mpanies
(Amendment) Act, 1999.
The following amounts that remained unpaid and unclaimed for a period of seven years from the date they
became due for payment are credited to the Fund:
This fund is managed by the Investor Education Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)
IEPFA was established in 2016 under the Companies Act, of 2013.
Nodal Ministry:Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
India's first round-the-clock grain ATM was opened at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
About Grain ATM:
It is known as Annapurti Grain ATM which was designed and developed by the World Food Programme
India.
The Annapurti provides universal access: anyone with a Public Distribution System ration card valid in
India, regardless of the State and Union Territory, can access their entitlement.
It can dispense grain up to 50 kilograms in five minutes 24 hours a day, reducing waiting time by 70
percent.
Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that RBI has been reviewing the investment
limit for foreign investors in the Overnight Index Swap (OIS) market.
About Overnight Index Swap (OIS):
It is a derivative instrumentwhere returns under a fixed rate asset are swapped against a pre-determined
published index of a daily overnight reference rate for an agreed period of time.
Purpose: The primary purpose of an OIS is to manage interest rate risk, particularly the risk associated
with fluctuations in the overnight lending rate.
It is calculated each day.
This interest rate is based on the average interest rate institutions with loans based on the overnight rate
have paid for that day.
Ministry of Textiles has empowered cotton ginners across the country to produce the Kasturi Cotton
Bharat brand, based on the QR code certification technology, as per stipulated protocol.
About Kasturi Cotton Bharat:
It is an initiative of the Ministry of Textiles, Textile Trade Bodies, and Industry to create premium value for
cotton grown in India as per benchmarked specifications.
It is a pioneering effort in traceability, certification and branding of Indian cotton.
It was formalised through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Cotton

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Corporation of India and the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council on 15 December 2022.
To provide complete traceability of Kasturi Cotton Bharat-tagged bales across the supply chain, QR-based
certification technology is being used at each stage of the processing, and a Blockchain-based software
platform will provide end-to-end traceability and transaction certificates.
In this regard, a Microsite with QR code verification and Blockchain technology has been developed.
Minister of Cooperation informed the Rajya Sabha about the Nandini Sahakar Scheme.
About Nandini Sahakar Yojana:
It is aimed at assisting women cooperatives to take up business model-based activities under the purview of
the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
It is women focused framework of financial assistance, project formulation, hand-holding and capacity
development.
Funding: There is no minimum or maximum limit on financial assistance to projects by women
cooperatives.
NCDC provides a 2% interest subvention on its rate of interest on term loan portion for new and innovative
activities.
1% interest subvention on its rate of interest on term loan portion for all other activities resulting in lower
borrowing costs of women cooperatives.
Eligibility
Any cooperative society with three months in operation is eligible to apply for assistance which will be in
the form of credit linkage for an infrastructure term loan.
Women cooperatives are those which are registered as women cooperatives under any State / Central Act
or those cooperatives which have a minimum of 50% women as primary members.
Significance
The scheme is a framework of assistance to improve the socio-economic status of women.
Central Government appoints Shri Harish Dudani as Member in Central Electricity Regulatory
Commission.
About Central Electricity Regulatory Commission:
It is a statutory bodyestablished by the Government of India under the provisions of the Electricity
Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998.
It is the Central Commission for the purposes of the Electricity Act, 2003, which has repealed the ERC Act,
1998.
Composition: The Commission consists of a Chairperson and four other members including the
Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority, who is an ex-officio Member of the Commission.
The Commission intends to promote competition, efficiency and economy in bulk power markets, improv e
the quality of supply, promote investments, and advise the government on the removal of institutional
barriers to bridge the demand-supply gap and thus foster the interests of consumers.
Fintech companies are looking to join the Indian central bank’s digital currency project by allowing
their users to transact in e-rupee via Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
About e-rupee:
The e-rupee, or the digital rupee, is a digital currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The digital rupee was launched on a pilot basis in December 2022. At the time, the currency was offered by
a select group of public and private banks in a few major cities and could be used for both person-to-person
and person-to-merchant transactions.
It is aimed at creating an additional option for using money. The digital rupee is available entirely in
electronic form and does not leave a computer network.
It is like banknotes issued by the RBI and is a legal tender that can be used to make transactions. The only
difference is that they can only be transacted online.
The digital rupee in users’ wallets does not attract interest payments from the central bank. However,
deposits held in banks can be converted into digital rupees and vice versa for ease of use.
RBI has demarcated the digital rupee into two broad categories: general purpose (retail) and wholesale.
This demarcation is based on the usage and the functions performed by the digital rupee and considering
the different levels of accessibility.
CEOs, Managing Directors (MD), or any equivalent officials of Asset Management Companies (AMC)
will be held responsible and accountable for implementing mechanisms to deter potential market abuse,

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SEBI said in a circular recently.
About Asset Management Companies (AMCs):
An AMC is a financial institution that pools funds from multiple investors and invests in various financial
instruments, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, to generate returns for the investors in exchange for a
fee.
AMCs are commonly referred to as money managers or money management firms.
AMCs come in many different forms and structures, such as:
Hedge funds
Mutual funds
Index funds
Exchange-traded funds
Private equity funds
Other funds
Those that offer public mutual funds, or ETFs, are also known as investment companies or mutual fund
companies.
In addition, they invest on behalf of various types of clients, such as:
Retail investors
Institutional investors
Public sector (government organizations)
Private sector
High-net-worth clients
The role of an AMC is to make investment decisions on its investors' behalf and manage the assets in their
portfolios. This involves choosing a suitable mix of investments and helping investors grow their money.
The distinguishing factor for AMCs is their Assets Under Management (AUM). It indicates the total value
of investments that the AMC manages on investors' behalf.
When the AUM of an AMC grows, it represents the faith and confidence that investors have in the AMC
to manage their money.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the Indian Capital Market Regulator which governs
and controls every AMC in India.
The Centre is unlikely to extend the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate scheme that was made
available for two years beyond its March 2025 deadline.
About Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC) Scheme:
This is a one-time scheme announced in Budget 2023 and will remain available for a two-year period,
i.e., up to March 2025.
It is a risk-free scheme dedicated towards women and girls of all age groups.
The scheme offers a maximum deposit facility of up to Rs 2 lakh in the name of women or girls for a tenure
of 2 years.
Benefit: It will encourage more women to adopt formal financial saving instruments.
Eligibility:
Any individual women.
The minor account can also be opened by the guardian.
Investment:
The deposit amount under this scheme is limited.
A minimum of Rs. 1000 and any sum in multiples of one hundred rupees may be deposited in an
account subject to a maximum of Rs. 2 lakhs.
Interest Rate: It offers a fixed interest rate of 7.5 percent. Interest shall be compounded every quarter and
credited to the account.
The Maturity period/Lock-in period of the scheme is 2 years from the date of opening of the account.
However, the account holder can withdraw up to 40% of the account balance after one year from the
account opening date as a partial withdrawal.
There is a provision for multiple account opening under this scheme with a condition that a woman can
open a second MSSC account after a minimum gap of three months from the opening of the existing
account.
However, the total deposit, including all the accounts, should not exceed Rs 2 lakh.

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There are no tax benefits
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy
launched Version 4.0 of the Price Monitoring System (PMS) Mobile app.
About Price Monitoring System App:
The Price Monitoring Division (PMD) in the Department of Consumer Affairs is responsible for
monitoring prices of selected essential commodities.
To improve the quality of price data, the department launched a Mobile App in 2021 - the PMS App - for
the reporting of daily prices by the price reporting centres.
Source of price data: Retail and wholesale prices of commodities from 550 centers are received daily from
the State Civil Supplies Departments of the respective State Governments through Mobile App developed
by the Department.
Total commodities monitored
At present the price is monitored for 22 essential commodities (Rice, Wheat, Atta, Gram Dal, Tur (Arhar)
Dal, Urad Dal, Moong Dal, Masur Dal, Sugar, Gur, Groundnut Oil, Mustard Oil, Vanaspati, Sunflower
Oil, Soya Oil, Palm Oil, Tea, Milk, Potato, Onion, Tomato and Salt).
The newly added 16 items included are Bajra, Jowar, Ragi, Suji (wheat), Maida (wheat), Besan, Ghee,
Butter, Brinjal, Egg, Black Pepper, Coriander, Cummin seed, Red chillies, Turmeric powder and Banana.
The 38 commodities constitute close to 31% of the total CPI weights as against 26.5% of CPI weights
captured by the 22 commodities.
Significance: The price data monitored by the Department provides advance inputs for policy decisions for
the Government, RBI and analysts regarding CPI inflation.
Union Minister of Cooperation, informed Rajya Sabha about Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited
(BBSSL).
About Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL):
It was set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002.
It is promoted by IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and NCDC.
The initial paid up capital of BBSSL is Rs. 250 Cr with contribution of Rs. 50 Cr each by the five promoters
and authorized share capital is Rs. 500 Cr.
Functions
It will undertake production, procurement & distribution of quality seeds under a single brand through a
network of cooperatives to improve crop yield and develop a system for preservation and promotion of
indigenous natural seeds.
It will help in increasing the seed replacement rate, and varietal replacement rate by ensuring the role of
farmers in production of certified seeds.
This society will focus on production, testing, certification, procurement, processing, storage, branding,
labelling and packaging of two generations of seeds i.e. foundation and certified through Primary
Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) by leveraging various schemes and policies of different ministries of
Government of India.
Nodal agency: Ministry of Cooperation.
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) unveiled the Women Entrepreneurship Program to
empower women entrepreneurs and spur economic growth.
About Women Entrepreneurship Program:
It is designed to address the distinct challenges that women face when starting and growing businesses.
This initiative aims to empower approximately 25 lakh women across India, providing them with the skills,
knowledge, and resources needed to start and grow successful businesses.
It is in partnership with Britannia Industries Limited.
The initiative will also offer financial grants and feature their products and services on the Skill India
Digital Hub, reflecting a strong commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for women
entrepreneurs.
NSDC, with support from the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development
(NIESBUD), will offer free online self-learning entrepreneurship courses through the Skill India Digital
Hub (SIDH).
Centre recently allowed state governments to directly buy rice from the Food Corporation of India

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(FCI) without participating in e-auction under the open market sale scheme (domestic).
About Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS):
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) , on the instructions from the government from time to time, sells
surplus food grains from the central pool, especially wheat and rice, in the open market to traders, bulk
consumers, retail chains, etc., at predetermined prices.
This is in addition to maintaining buffer stocks and making a provision for meeting the requirements of the
National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS),
The FCI does this through e-auctions, where open market bidders can buy specified quantities.
An eligible bidder can bid for a minimum quantity of 10 metric tons (MT) to a maximum of 100 MT in the
case of wheat. In the case of rice, traders are eligible and can bid a minimum quantity of 10 MT and a
maximum quantity of 1000 MTs.
States allowed to buy rice from FCI without e-auction at Rs 2,800/quintal
Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, or CS Setty, became the 27th Chairman of India’s largest commercial bank,
State Bank of India (SBI), on 28 August 2024.
He succeeded Dinesh Khara, who retired after the closing of banking hours on 28 August 2024.
Kolkata-based Indian Private sector bank Bandhan Bank launched an exclusive savings account, Avni, for
women customers
Announcing the third bi-monthly monetary policy of the financial year 2024-25 on 8 August 2024 in
Mumbai, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC) has voted by a 4:2 majority to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for the ninth
consecutive times.
The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee met on August 6, 7, and 8, 2024. The next meeting will be held on
October 7 to 9, 2024.
According to the RBI Act 1934, the Monetary Policy Committee has to meet at least four times in a
financial year.
Policy rates and Ratios after the 3rd bi-monthly monetary policy

RBI has not changed its forecast for the Indian economic growth rate for the financial year 2024-25 and
expects the Indian GDP to grow by 7.2%.
The growth rate of the Indian economy in 2023-24 was 8.2 per cent
Sanjay Shukla assumed charge as the Managing Director of the National Housing Bank.
Mastercard Launches Payment Passkey Service in India.

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Mastercard has globally debuted its Payment Passkey Service in India, aiming to enhance online shopping
security and convenience.
Unveiled at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, this service, initially piloted with Indian payment leaders
like Juspay, Razorpay, and PayU, along with banks such as Axis Bank, leverages biometric
authentication—replacing traditional passwords and OTPs with more secure fingerprint or facial
recognition methods.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has levied penalties on two financial entities for regulatory non -compliance.
UCO Bank has been fined Rs 2.68 crore for violating provisions related to current account openings,
deposit interest rates, and fraud classification. Meanwhile, Cent Bank Home Finance Ltd faces a Rs 2.1
lakh penalty for failing to adhere to Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations.
LIC Pays ₹3,662 Crore Dividend to Indian Government.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) presented a dividend cheque of ₹3,662.17 crore to Union
Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
This follows the shareholder approval of a final dividend of ₹6 per share for 2023-24, up from ₹3 per share
in the previous fiscal year.
Earlier in March 2024, LIC had paid an interim dividend of ₹2,441.45 crore, bringing the total dividend
payout to the government for the year 2023-24 to ₹6,103.62 crore.
The Indian government, which holds a 96.5 percent majority stake in LIC, received this dividend payment
as part of LIC’s annual returns.
ESAF Small Finance Bank Launches Inori RuPay Platinum Credit Card.
ESAF Small Finance Bank, in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has
introduced the Inori RuPay Platinum Credit Card.
Jana Small Finance Bank Sweeps 4 Awards At ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave.
Jana Small Finance Bank has once again cemented its status as a frontrunner in the Indian banking
industry.
The bank’s commitment to excellence and innovation was recognized at the prestigious 2nd ICC Emerging
Asia Banking Conclave & Awards, where it clinched four coveted awards.
Jana Small Finance Bank was honoured with the titles of Best Small Finance Bank, India, Best
Performance on Profitability (Runners-up), Best Performance on Asset Quality, and Best Performance on
Risk Management .
RBI Adds FASTag, NCMC Auto-Replenishment to E-Mandate Framework.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated its e-mandate framework to include the auto-replenishment of
balances in FASTag and the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).
RBI has revised its e-mandate framework to exempt auto-replenishment of FASTag and NCMC balances
from the 24-hour pre-debit notification requirement. This change aims to simplify the process for recurring
transactions that are irregular in timing.
PhonePe’s ‘Credit Line On UPI’ Revolutionizes Digital Transactions.
RBI Forecasts Private Capex to Rise to ₹2.45 Trillion in FY25.
RBI forecasts private capital expenditure to rise significantly to ₹2.45 trillion in FY25, up from ₹1.59
trillion in FY24, driven by strong investment intentions and a focus on infrastructure, particularly roads
and power.
Airtel Payments Bank has launched Face Match, an AI-driven security feature that uses facial recognition
to enhance account protection.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has been ranked as the top central banker globally for the second
consecutive year, receiving an 'A+' grade from Global Finance magazine.
This recognition highlights his success in managing inflation, economic growth, currency stability, and
interest rates.
Alongside Shaktikanta Das, Denmark’s Christian Kettel Thomsen and Switzerland’s Thomas Jordan were
also awarded the ‘A+’ grade
Reserve Bank of India recently issued a framework to recognise self-regulatory organisations in the
financial markets.
About Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs):
An SRO, is generally a non-governmental entity created by members of a particular industry or sector to

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help govern the companies in that industry.
An SRO sets and enforces rules and standards relating to the conduct of entities in the industry (members)
to protect the customer and promote ethics, equality and professionalism.
SROs typically collaborate with all stakeholders in framing rules and regulations.
Their self-regulatory processes are administered through impartial mechanisms such that members operate
in a disciplined environment and accept penal actions by the SRO.
An SRO is expected to address concerns beyond the narrow self-interests of the industry, such as to protect
workers, customers, or other participants in the ecosystem.
Although SROs are private organizations, they are still subject to government-imposed regulation to a
degree. However, the government does delegate some aspects of the industry oversight to SROs.
The ability of an SRO to exercise regulatory authority does not stem from a grant of power from the
government.
Instead, SROs often accomplish control through internal mechanisms that regulate the flow of business
operations.
The authority may also come from an external agreement between businesses.
The purpose of these organizations is to govern from within while avoiding ties to a country's governance.
RBI sets Rs.10 cr minimum net worth for financial market SROs.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently issued the Framework for Recognising Self-Regulatory Organisation
for the FinTech Sector (SRO-FT) for better self-governance and compliance by firms in this space.
About SRO-FT Framework:
The framework defines fintech as entities providing technological solutions for delivery of financial
products and services to businesses and consumers or encompassing regulatory and supervisory compliance
in partnership with traditional financial institutions or otherwise.
The SRO-FT would be industry-led and will be responsible for establishing and enforcing regulatory
standards, promoting ethical conduct, ensuring market integrity, resolving disputes, and fostering
transparency and accountability among its members.
The applicant should be set up as a not-for-profit company, and its shareholding should be sufficiently
diversified, with no entity holding 10% or more of its paid-up share capital, either singly or acting in
concert.
Applicants will need to have a minimum net worth of ₹2 crore within one year after recognition as an
SRO-FT or before commencement of operations, whichever is earlier.
Axis Bank and Visa Launch Exclusive ‘PRIMUS’ Credit Card for India’s Elite.
PNB Launches Special Braille Debit Card for Visually Impaired Customers.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has introduced the PNB ANTAH DRISHTI Braille Debit Card, a new
initiative aimed at enhancing financial accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
This contactless National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) debit card operates on the RuPay network and
is designed to improve financial independence for its users.
RBI setting up a committee under deputy governor Michael Debabrata Patra on benchmarking the statistics
regularly disseminated by it against global standards.
The 10-member ‘Expert Committee on Benchmarking of its Statistics’ has been asked to submit report by
the end of November 2024.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced stricter regulations for Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) to
bring their public deposit norms in line with those for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
Capital Small Finance Bank and Edelweiss Life Partner for Bancassurance.
RBI Revises NPA Provisioning Norms for Cooperative Banks.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued revised instructions for the treatment of Bad and Doubtful Debt
Reserve (BDDR) across cooperative banks, aiming for uniformity in the accounting and prudential
treatment of non-performing assets (NPAs).
These new norms will apply to Urban Co-operative Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and Central Co-
operative Banks, effective immediately.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has canceled the licenses of 78 Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) since
2014.

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Maharashtra has seen the highest number of cancellations, with 36 UCBs losing their licenses, followed by
Uttar Pradesh (14) and Karnataka (8).
In 2024 alone, 10 UCB licenses were canceled, affecting banks across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar
Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh.
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd has teamed up with GOQii to launch the Kotak – GOQii Smart Vital Plus
smartwatch, revolutionising the way customers make payments.
RBL Bank has announced integration of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and National Common
Mobility Card (NCMC) services on RuPay Credit Cards it sells.
RBL Bank said the new RuPay Credit Cards will allow users to make “seamless and secure” UPI
payments, while facilitating hassle-free travel through the NCMC feature.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reported that nearly 98% of ₹2,000 banknotes have been withdrawn
from circulation as of July 31, 2024.
The remaining ₹2,000 notes amount to ₹7,409 crore.
₹2,000 notes were introduced in November 2016 following the demonetization of ₹1,000 and ₹500 notes.
The RBI announced the withdrawal of ₹2,000 notes in May 2023 as part of its “Clean Note Policy.”
Despite the withdrawal, the ₹2,000 notes remain legal tender.
Infosys And NVIDIA Revolutionize Telecom With GenAI Solutions.
Infosys has expanded its partnership with NVIDIA to develop generative AI solutions tailored for telecom
operators.
Utilizing NVIDIA's NIM inference microservices, NeMo Retriever models, NeMo Guardrails, and Riva.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has unveiled its fifth TCS Pace Studio in Manila, Philippines, aiming
to drive digital innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Bharti Airtel has partnered with Apple to offer exclusive Apple Music and Apple TV+ deals to its
Indian customers
Amazon, the global e-commerce giant, has announced the beta launch of Rufus, a cutting-edge generative
AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, in India.
Piramal Finance, a subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited, has partnered with the Central Bank of
India to expand co-lending operations aimed at supporting underserved markets.
Tata AIA Life Launches ‘Sampoorna Raksha Promise’.
GAIL (India) Limited and US-based Petron Scientech Inc signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to explore the development of a 500 Kilo Tonne per Annum (KTA) bio-ethylene plant in India.
Zomato has approved the acquisition of Paytm’s entertainment and ticketing business for ₹2,048 crore
in a cash deal.
NCLT Approves Slice-North East Small Finance Bank Merger
The NCLT has approved the merger of fintech company Slice with North East Small Finance Bank
(NESFB), combining Slice's digital expertise with NESFB's grassroots banking.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has unveiled a new feature called ‘UPI Circle’ on the
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform, allowing primary UPI account holders to securely delegate
payment responsibilities to trusted secondary users.
State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has been awarded a significant contract by Damodar
Valley Corporation (DVC) to set up a 1,600 MW thermal power project.
This project, known as the Koderma Supercritical Thermal Power Project (STPP), will be implemented on
an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) basis in the Koderma district of Jharkhand
Amazon India and Gentari Green Mobility India have announced a strategic partnership aimed at
significantly boosting Amazon’s electric vehicle (EV) fleet for last-mile deliveries.
This collaboration aligns with Amazon’s goal of scaling up its EV adoption across more than 400 cities in
India and increasing its fleet to 10,000 units by 2025.
Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, is set to acquire a 24.5% stake in the
British telecom giant BT Group plc for approximately $4 billion.
UPI Merchant Transactions In Nepal Cross 100000 Milestone.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has achieved a major milestone by surpassing 100,000 cross-
border Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions in Nepal, the NIPL said

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in a statement.
NIPL is an international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Boeing announced Robert “Kelly” Ortberg as its new CEO, effective, replacing David Calhoun.
Setu, a Pine Labs-owned API infrastructure provider, has launched UPISetu in collaboration with Axis
Bank.
Tata Group Unveils ₹27,000 Crore Semiconductor Facility in Assam.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has achieved a milestone by advancing two positions in the 2024
Fortune Global 500 list, securing the 86th spot.
Rapido Becomes Unicorn With Fresh $120 Million Funding.
In a display of growth, India’s space technology sector has reached new frontiers, securing a record -
breaking $126 million in funding for 2023.
This represents a 7% increase from 2022 and an impressive 235% jump from 2021, according to the latest
Tracxn Space Tech Geo Report 2024.
ADB Provides $200 Million Loan for Solid Waste Management in India.
Asian Development Bank has approved a $200 million loan to improve solid waste management and
sanitation in 100 Indian cities under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0.

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS JULY 2024

The central government said that the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) 2024 will provide
further impetus to the green mobility and development of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing
ecosystem in the country.
About Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme:
It aims to further accelerate the adoption of Electric Vehicles in the country.
Funding: It is a fund limited scheme with a total outlay of Rs. 500 crore for the period of 4 months.
It is for faster adoption of electric two-wheeler (e-2W) and three-wheeler (e-3W)to provide further impetus
to the green mobility and development of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
Scheme duration: The Scheme duration is 4 months i.e. April 01, 2024 till July 31, 2024.
Eligible Electric Vehicle categories
Two Wheelers (electric) (e-2W)
Three-wheeler (electric) including registered e-rickshaws & e-carts and L5 (e-3W)
Nodal Ministry:Ministry of Heavy Industries.
International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is now engaged in strengthening the
reporting structure of Sustainability and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG).
About International Organisation of Securities Commission:
It was established in 1983.
It is the international body that brings together the world's securities regulators and is recognized as the
global standard setter for financial markets regulation.
Objectives:
Enhance investor protection
Ensure markets are fair and efficient
Promote financial stability by reducing systemic risk
Its objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation are endorsed by both the G20 and the Financial
Stability Board (FSB).
The Securities and Exchange Board of Indiais a member to this commission.
Secretariat: Madrid, Spain
As a sub-scheme under the Central Sector Scheme “Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance
(RAMP)”, the Ministry of MSME launched “MSME Trade Enablement and Marketing Initiative”
(MSME-TEAM Initiative).
About MSME Trade Enablement and Marketing Initiative (MSME-TEAM Initiative):
It aims at assisting five lakh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to onboard the Open
Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, through awareness workshops which will include hand -
holding assistance for onboarding onto ONDC.

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It aims to provide financial assistance to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) through Seller Network
Participants, for catalogue preparation, account management, logistics, and packaging material and
design.
Of the total five lakh MSEs to be benefited, two and a half lakh MSEs would be women owned
The objective of the Initiative is to provide assistance to MSEs all across the country.
However, awareness workshops will be conducted preferably in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and MSME
Clusters, for greater outreach, especially among women and SC/ST owned MSMEs.
The MSME TEAM Initiative, being a sub-scheme, is for a period of three years upto March 2027.
Key Facts about RAMP Scheme:
It is a World Bank-assisted program that aims to improve the performance of MSMEs in India.
It is a Central Sector Scheme launched on 30 July, 2022, by the Ministry of MSME.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently retained India’s GDP growth forecast for the current
financial year at 7%.
The government wants to increase the capital base of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure
and Development, or NaBFID, to 1 trillion through support from banks.
About National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development:
It was set up in 2021, by an Act of the Parliament(The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and
Development Act, 2021).
It is a specialized Development Finance Institutionin India.
Objectives:Addressing the gaps in long-term non-recourse finance for infrastructure
development, strengthening the development of bonds and derivatives markets in India, and sustainably
boosting the country’s economy.
Regulated by: It shall be regulated and supervised by RBIas an All-India Financial Institution (AIFI).
The principal idea behind the setup of NaBFID is to provide a dedicated and specialized institution focused
on addressing the long-term financing needs of the infrastructure sector in India.
Recently, government officials have said that Non-performing assets (NPA) have been around 6 per
cent under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).
About Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme:
It was launched by the Government of India in 2020as a special scheme in view of the Covid-19 crisis.
Objective: To provide 100 percent guaranteed coverage to the banks, non-banking financial institutions
(NBFCs), and other lending institutions to extend emergency credit to business entities that have suffered
due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are struggling to meet their working capital requirements.
It is under the operational domain of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services (DFS).
National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) has been set up by the Union Ministry of
Finance to manage and provide guarantees to these loans.
No collateral is required for this scheme.
Only 6% of total ₹3.68-lakh crore loans under ECLGS are bad debts.
World Bank Group (WBG) guarantee platform was opened for business.
About World Bank Group Guarantee Platform:
It is housed at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and brings together products and
experts from the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and MIGA for simplicity,
efficiency and speed.
It aims to boost WBG annual guarantee issuance to $20 billion by 2030.
The platform will provide three types of coverages:
Credit guarantees for loans to the public or private sector;
Trade finance guarantees for trade finance projects involving public entities;
Political risk insurance against non-commercial risks for private sector projects or public-private
partnerships.
NITI Aayog has announced the launch of the ‘NITI GearShift Challenge’ as part of the e-FAST India
initiative.
About e-FAST India Initiative:
e-FAST was born from the recognition of the urgent need to decarbonize road-based freight transportation
in India to realize its 2070 net zero commitments.

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It was launched in September 2022.
It aims to galvanize the transition towards cleaner and greener freight transportation
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced an agri fund for
Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises (Agri-SURE).
About Agri SURE’ fund:
Agri fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises (Agri-SURE) supports start-ups and agripreneurs.
It provides support through investments in sector-specific, sector-agnostic, and debt Alternative Investment
Funds (AIFs) and direct equity support to start-ups working in Agriculture and allied sectors.
This initiative aims to foster innovation and sustainability in India's agricultural sector through the
establishment of a Rs 750 crore Category-II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF).
While NABARD and the Ministry of Agriculture are contributing ₹250 crore each, the rest ₹250 crore is
from other institutions.
The fund is structured to support about 85 agri start-ups with investment sizes of up to ₹25 crore each by
the end of its term
RBI recently issued the draft guidelines for banks on the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), essentially
asking them to set aside higher stock of liquid securities as a buffer on deposits.
About Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR):
It refers to the proportion of highly liquid assets held by financial institutions to ensure that they maintain
an ongoing ability to meet their short-term obligations (i.e., cash outflows for 30 days).
30 days was selected because, in a financial crisis, a response from governments and central banks would
typically take around 30 days.
LCR in banking resulted from the Basel III agreement, which is a series of measures undertaken by the
Basel Committee on Bank Supervision (BCBS).
In India, RBI issued Basel III liquidity guidelines in 2012.
RBI implemented LCR in January 2015, and as per a circular in 2020, banks should maintain sufficient
HQLA at all times to meet unexpected withdrawals.
Calculation:
LCR = (High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA)) / (Total net cash outflows over the next 30 calendar
days).
Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, launched SIMS 2.0, the upgraded Steel Import
Monitoring System.
About Steel Import Monitoring System’ 2.0 Portal:
It features API integration with multiple government portals, enhancing quality control and streamlining
processes for improved efficiency and effectiveness.
The portal boasts a robust data entry system, ensuring consistent and authentic data, which promotes
transparency and accountability. Integration of various databases enable stakeholders to locate areas of risk
and, thereby, permit better risk management.
Bolivia became a full time member of MERCOSUR groupings in order to increase trades with member
countries.
About MERCOSUR:
Mercosur (MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials) or the Southern Common Market is an economic and
political bloc of Latin America.
Members: It originally comprised Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay as its members. Bolivia and
Venezuela joined it later. (Venezuela has been suspended since December 1, 2016).
It was created in 1991 by signing the Treaty of Asuncion, an accord calling for the “free movement of
goods, services, and factors of production between countries.”
India and MERCOSUR signed the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2004, which allowed India to
forge closer economic ties with one of the world’s largest trade blocs.
Headquarter: Montevideo, Uruguay.
Union Minister for Finance proposed to abolish ‘angel tax’ for all classes of investors, while presenting
the Union Budget 2024-25 in Parliament.
About Angel Tax:
It was levied on the capital raised via the issue of shares by unlisted companiesfrom an Indian investor if

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the share price of issued shares is seen in excess of the fair market value of the company.
The aggregate amount of paid-up share capital and share premium of the Startup cannot be more than ₹25
crores. This amount does not include the money raised from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Venture
Capital Firms, and specified companies.
For angel investors, the amount of investment that exceeds the fair market value can be claimed for a 100%
tax exemption.
However, the investor must have a net worth of ₹2 crores or an income of more than ₹25 Lakh in the past 3
fiscal years.
Union Budget for 2024-25, the Finance Minister announced that the government would develop a
‘climate finance taxonomy.’
About Climate Finance Taxonomy:
It is a system that classifies which parts of the economy may be marketed as sustainable investments.
It helps guide investors and banks in directing trillions toward impactful investments to tackle climate
change.
Taxonomies are frequently used to set standards for classifying climate-related financial instruments (e.g.,
green bonds), but, increasingly, they serve other use cases where the benchmarking feature is viewed as
beneficial, including in the areas of climate risk management, net-zero transition planning and climate
disclosure.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in a notification issued recently allowed resident individuals to open
Foreign Currency Accounts (FCAs) in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) at GIFT City
in Gujarat under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).
About Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS):
It is a foreign exchange policy initiative introduced by the RBI in 2004.
It is intended to simplify and streamline the process of remitting funds outside India.
This scheme helped Indians overcome international fund transfer restrictions as set by the FEMA (Foreign
Exchange Management Act), 1999.
Under LRS, all resident individuals, including minors, are allowed to freely remit up to USD 250,000 per
financial year (April–March).
Only individual Indian residents are permitted to remit funds under LRS. Corporates, partnership firms,
HUFs, trusts, etc. are excluded from its ambit.
Only individual Indian residents are permitted to remit funds under LRS. Corporates, partnership firms,
HUFs, trusts, etc. are excluded from its ambit.
This can be for any permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both.
The remittances can be made in any freely convertible foreign currency.
Permissible current account transactions under LRS:
Private visit (other than Nepal and Bhutan)
Gift or Donation including a rupee gift to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) / Person of Indian Origin (PIO),
who is a close relative Emigration
Investments over two years are considered long-term capital gains and impose a tax of 20% on the total
profit.
Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for organic products between India and Taiwan has been
implemented.
About Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Taiwan:
The implementation of the MRA between India and Taiwan is a landmark achievement as it is the first
bilateral agreement for organic products.
The implementing Agencies for the MRA are the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and the Agriculture and
Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture (AFA), Taiwan.
Inflows into India’s equity mutual funds rose 17% sequentially to a record high of Rs 40,608 crore in
June, data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed recently.
About Equity Mutual Funds:
It is a type of investment fund that pools money from investors to trade primarily a portfolio of stocks, also
known as equity securities.

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They are also known as Growth Funds.
Equity Funds are either Active or Passive.
In an Active Fund, a fund managerscans the market, conducts research on companies,
examines performance and looks for the best stocks to invest.
In a Passive Fund, the fund manager builds a portfolio that mirrors a popular market index, say Sensex or
Nifty Fifty.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) launched an integrated tribal
development programme in the Kulathupuzha grama panchayat in Kerala.
About Integrated Tribal Development Programme:
It is a flagship programme of NABARD for sustainable tribal livelihoods.
It is based on the ‘wadi’ model of tribal development, which has evolved with the support of national and
international developmental agencies.
Projects under this programme are funded through Tribal Development Fund.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced that all credit card bill payments via third-party
applications must now be routed through the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
About Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS):
It is a payment channel system conceptualized by the RBI and driven by the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI).
It is a one-stop payment platform for all bills providing an interoperable and accessible “Anytime
Anywhere” bill payment service to all customers across India with certainty, reliability and safety of
transactions.
The system will provide multiple payment modes and instant confirmation of receipt of payment.
It is an integrated platform connecting banks and non-banks in bill aggregation business, billers, payment
service providers and retail bill outlets.
BBPS offers bill collection categories like electricity, telecom, Mobile Postpaid, DTH, gas, water bills etc.
through a single window.
Other types of payments, like school/university fees, municipal taxes/ payments, mutual funds and
insurance premiums, various government taxes, etc. as decided from time to time by the RBI will be
incorporated in BBPS
Japan issued its first new banknotes in two decades, yen packed with 3D hologram technology to fight
counterfeiting.
About 3D Hologram Technology:
It is a virtual three-dimensional image created by the interference of light beams that reflect real physical
objects. Holograms preserve the depth, parallax, and other properties of the original item.
Unlike conventional 3D projections, holograms can be seen with the naked eye.
Principle: It uses the principles of interference and diffraction of light waves to record and reconstruct 3D
images of objects.
NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship platform and credit bure have collaborated to launch SEHER
programme.
About SEHER Programme:
It is a comprehensive credit education program designed to enhance financial literacy and business
skills among women entrepreneurs.
This initiative is expected to enable women to access the financial tools necessary for business grow th and
job creation.
It is an initiative of NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and TransUnion CIBIL.
This initiative supports WEP’s goal of improving financing access for women in India’s 63 million MSMEs
11 PSU Banks Charge Rs 2,331 Crore From Account Holders.
Eleven public sector banks, excluding State Bank of India (SBI), have charged Rs 2,331 crore from account
holders for their failure to maintain minimum balance in savings banks in FY2024. A rise of 25.63 per cent
from Rs 1,855.43 crore in FY2023.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) collected the maximum amount of Rs 633.4 crore from their customers,
followed by Bank of Baroda Rs 386.51 crore and Indian Bank Rs 369.16 crore, Ministry of Finance.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced ‘SEVA,’ an AI-powered chatbot designed to

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assist investors with a range of functions.
SEVA provides investors with essential details about the securities market, including the latest master
circulars.
Karnataka Bank Partners with ICICI Lombard General Insurance.
RBI Introduces PCA Framework To Improve Financial Health Of UCBs.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on July 26 prescribed a Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework for
relatively weak urban co-operative banks (UCBs), with deposits above ₹100 crore (upper tier category), to
nurse them back to health.
RBI has prescribed three risk thresholds for invoking PCA for breach of CRAR (10 per cent as of March-
end 2024, 11 per cent as of March-end 2025 and 12 per cent as of March-end 2026) below the regulatory
minimum – up to 250 basis points (bps); more than 250 bps but not exceeding 400 bps; and more than 400
bps.
AU Small Finance Bank’s board has approved a proposal to transition from a Small Finance Bank
(SFB) to a universal bank.
As per RBI’s April 2024 guidelines, SFBs wishing to become universal banks must meet several criteria:
Minimum net worth of ₹1,000 crore
Listing on a recognized stock exchange
Net profit in the last two financial years
Gross NPA ratio of ≤3% and Net NPA ratio of ≤1%.
IndusInd Bank has introduced the ‘Wrestle for Glory’ program, a significant CSR initiative developed in
partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS).
SIDBI which received approval of funding of $ 215.6 m from the Green Climate Fund, will create a
corpus of $1 billion for ‘financing mitigation and adaptation projects’ (FMAP) of Medium and Small
Enterprises (MSMEs).
The board of the Green Climate Fund, which is an entity set up by the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), approved a $200 million loan and $15.6 million grant for
capacity building to SIDBI.
LIC Enters Into Tie-Up With IDFC First Bank Under Corporate Agency Arrangement.
Continuing with its endeavor to increase the contribution of bancassurance and its pursuit to provide life
insurance coverage to all by 2047. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India has tied-up with one of the
best technologically advanced and promising banks in the country, IDFC First Bank Ltd, under Corporate
Agency Arrangement.
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a 444-day term deposit scheme, “Amrit Vrishti”, with an
interest rate of 7.25 per cent.
The “Amrit Vrishti” scheme is available for investment until March 31, 2025.
World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $1.5 billion in financing for a second operation to
help India accelerate the development of low-carbon energy.
PNB Launches ‘Safety Ring’ to Enhance Internet and Mobile Banking Security.
In response to rising cyber fraud incidents, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has introduced the ‘Safety Ring’
security feature.
The ‘Safety Ring’ allows customers to set a daily transaction limit for term deposits (TDs), specifically for
online closure or overdraft facilities.
Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund Launches BSE PSU Index Fund.
Kotak Mahindra AMC has introduced the Kotak BSE PSU Index Fund, a passive equity scheme mirroring
the BSE PSU Index comprising 56 PSU stocks.
PSU Banks Pay ₹6,481 Crore Dividend to Govt for FY 2023-24.
Four public sector banks, including Canara Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of India, and EXIM Bank, have
collectively paid a dividend of ₹6,481 crore to the government for the financial year 2023-24.
ICICI Lombard Introduces ‘Elevate’: Revolutionizing Health Insurance with AI.
ICICI Lombard, a leading private general insurer in India, has launched ‘Elevate’, a pioneering health
insurance product integrating AI technology.
Bank of Baroda to Raise ₹7,500 Crore Through AT1 and Tier 2 Bonds.
Bank of Baroda (BoB) plans to raise up to ₹7,500 crore through Additional Tier-I (AT1) and Tier-II

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bonds to meet regulatory requirements and support business growth. This capital will be raised in multiple
tranches up to March 31, 2025, and beyond, depending on market conditions.
LIC Raises Stake in IDFC First Bank.
State insurer Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has expanded its stake in IDFC First Bank to
2.68%, purchasing the lender’s shares for ₹80.63 each. The overall acquisition cost is ₹1,500 Crore.
RBI Slaps ₹1.32 Crore Monetary Penalty on PNB.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.32 crore on Punjab National Bank (PNB)
for violations related to loans and advances and Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released its Financial Stability Report (FSR).
Financial Stability Report (FSR) is a half-yearly publication, with contributions from all financial
sector regulators.
ICICI Bank Launches Pre-Paid Sapphiro Forex Card for International Students.
ICICI Bank announced the launch of its ‘Student Sapphiro Forex Card’, a premium forex prepaid
card crafted specifically for students who are going abroad for higher education. The card, powered
by Visa.
The ICICI Bank Student Sapphiro Forex Card comes with an array of joining benefits up to Rs
15,000, along with exclusive privileges
State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced “MSME Sahaj,” a revolutionary online business loan solution
tailored for MSMEs
This web-based platform allows MSMEs to obtain credit against their GST registered sales invoices swiftly
and seamlessly.
Rapid Processing: MSMEs can access up to ₹1 lakh in less than 15 minutes, from application to
disbursement, without manual intervention.
Union Bank of India has launched “Union Premier” branches tailored for high-value customers in rural
and semi-urban (RUSU) markets.
Digital Payments Rise 12.6% by March-End 2024: RBI Data.
As of March 31, 2024, digital payments in India experienced a 12.6% year-over-year increase, according to
the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI). The index reached 445.5, marking
an increase from 418.77 in September 2023 and 395.57 in March 2023.
Introduction of RBI-DPI
The RBI-DPI, introduced in March 2018, is a composite index designed to gauge the extent of digitization
in payments across India. It includes five parameters to measure digital payment adoption and penetration.
Parameters of RBI-DPI
Payment Enablers (25%)
Payment Infrastructure Demand-side Factors (10%)
Payment Infrastructure Supply-side Factors (15%)
Payment Performance (45%)
Consumer Centricity (5%)
The RBI-DPI is published semi-annually, with a four-month reporting lag, and has been regularly updated
since March 2021.
FICCI’s Economic Outlook Survey projects a robust 7% GDP growth for India in the fiscal year 2024 -
25.
IMF Raises India’s GDP Forecast to 7% for 2024-25.
In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF has increased India’s GDP growth forecast for the
ongoing fiscal year to 7%, up by 20 basis points from earlier projections.
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in India for June 2024, based on the 2011-12 base year.
In June 2024, India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) showed a provisional annual inflation rate of 3.36%
compared to June 2023, driven by increased prices in food articles, manufactured food products, crude
petroleum & natural gas, mineral oils, and other manufacturing sectors.
The overall WPI for all commodities rose to 153.9 (base year 2011-12=100), marking a month-on-month
increase of 0.39% from May 2024.
Shriram Capital Receives RBI Approval to Launch ARC.
Shriram Capital has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to establish

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an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC). The approval, granted after Shriram Capital’s application in
November 2023, marks a significant step for the company.
Single National Software Network for PACS Computerization.
The Government of India is implementing a ₹2,516 Crore project for the computerization of
functional Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
This initiative aims to integrate PACS with an ERP-based national software, linking them with NABARD
through State Cooperative Banks (StCBs) and District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs).
As of July 21, 2024, 25,904 PACS across 27 states and UTs are onboarded on this ERP system.
Amazon Pay, Adyen, and BillDesk Obtain RBI Cross-Border Payment License.
Three prominent payment companies—Amazon Pay, Adyen, and Mumbai-based BillDesk—have secured
the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) cross-border payment aggregator license.
This follows Bengaluru-based Cashfree’s earlier acquisition of the same license.
Cashfree received its license on July 22, Adyen and Amazon Pay on July 25, and BillDesk on July 29.
UltraTech Acquires 32.7% Stake in India Cements for ₹3,945 Crore.
UltraTech Cement, a flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, will acquire a 32.72% equity stake in India
Cements for ₹3,945 crore.
The acquisition will be finalized through a Share Purchase Agreement with the promoters of India
Cements, led by N. Srinivasan, pending regulatory approvals.
India’s First Integrated Agri-Export Facility at Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is set to develop India’s first integrated agricultural export facility
at Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai.
The project, approved by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda
Sonowal, is valued at Rs. 284.19 crore and will cover an area of 67,422 square meters.
Airbus and Tata to Debut India’s First H125 Helicopter by 2026.
Airbus and Tata are joining forces to manufacture India’s first H125 helicopter, which is set to roll out by
2026.
This partnership aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and reflects Airbus’s commitment to
investing in the Indian aerospace market despite regulatory challenges.
RBI Forms Panel to Review Fee Structure for White-Label ATMs.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has established a committee to review the fee structure of white-label ATMs
(WLAs).
This panel aims to evaluate current policies and recommend a balanced and sustainable model for all
stakeholders.
India’s ATM market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% from 2024 to
2032.
WLA operators have suggested raising the interchange fee to ₹30 for financial transactions and ₹10 for
non-financial transactions, along with considering access or convenience fees.
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Netflix India Collaborate to Train Voice-Over
Artists.
Adani Ports Gets A Rating Upgrade From ICRA.
Ratings agency ICRA has upgraded the rating of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) to
AAA/Stable from AA+/Stable.
ADB Approves $240.5 Mn Loan For Rooftop Solar Systems In India.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of USD 240.5 million to finance rooftop solar
systems in India, aiding the government’s efforts to expand energy access through renewable energy.
India aims to achieve about 50 per cent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel
energy sources by 2030.
The approved financing will be allocated to the State Bank of India (SBI) and the National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Kantar's Brand Inclusion Index 2024 ranks Google, Tata Motors, Amazon, Jio, and Apple as India's
top inclusive brands.
The Kantar Brand Inclusion Index 2024 highlights significant issues of discrimination and the importance
of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for Indian consumers.

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The top five inclusive brands in India are Google, Tata Motors, Amazon, Jio, and Apple.
Jio Financial Services Gets RBI Nod to Become Core Investment Company.
Jio Financial Services has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to transition from
a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) to a Core Investment Company (CIC).
Following this announcement, the company’s shares saw an increase of over 2% on the NSE.
ICICI Prudential Launches India’s First Oil & Gas ETF.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced its quarterly “Order Books, Inventories and Capacity
Utilisation Survey” (OBICUS) for the manufacturing sector, aimed at informing monetary policy
decisions.
LIC has launch of ‘Jeevan Samarth’, an initiative aimed at transforming the agency ecosystem.
BPCL Partners with Indian Olympic Association as Principal Sponsor.
BPCL has partnered with the Indian Olympic Association as the principal sponsor from 2024 to 2028,
aiming to support Indian athletes' journey from Paris to Los Angeles Olympics.
Bajaj Auto introduces Freedom, the world's first CNG motorcycle, hailed by Nitin Gadkari for its eco -
friendliness and cost efficiency.
Muthoot Finance Selected for FATF Mutual Evaluation Report 2023-24.
Muthoot Finance has been exclusively selected as the only Indian NBFC for the Financial Action Task
Force’s (FATF) Mutual Evaluation report for 2023-24.
Indiabulls Housing Finance Rebrands as Sammaan Capital Limited
Paytm has launched 'Health Saathi', a healthcare and income protection plan for its merchant partners,
starting at ₹35 per month.
RBI Ups Financial Accommodation for States/UTs by 28% to ₹60,118 Crore.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased the aggregate Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit for
State governments and Union Territories (UTs) by 28%, from ₹47,010 crore to ₹60,118 crore, effective
from July 1, 2024.

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS JUNE 2024

Ministry of External Affairs and the SBI have signed an MoU to provide an additional digital payment
service of the bank through its payment gateway SBIePay to users of the eMigrate portal.
About eMigrate Portal:
It was launched in 2014 and it has been instrumental in making the emigration process online and
transparent for Indian workers heading to countries where emigration checks are required.
The portal connects foreign employers, registered recruiting agents, and insurance companies issuing the
Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna, facilitating seamless, safe, and legal migration.
The portal also has a mechanism for voluntary registration of emigrants holding ECNR (Emigration Check
Not Required) category passports proceeding for overseas employment.
Consumer Price Index numbers on base 2012=100 for rural, urban and combined for the month of May
2024.
About Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)
The Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) is a measure of change in retail prices of food items consumed by
the population.
It is a specific measure of inflation that focuses exclusively on the price changes of food items in a
consumer's basket of goods and services.
The CFPI is a sub-component of the broader Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is used by the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI) to track inflation.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI)
started releasing CFPI for three categories -rural, urban and combined - separately on an all-India basis
with effect from May 2014.
Methodology: Like Consumer Price Index (CPI), the CFPI is also calculated on a monthly basis and the
methodology remains the same as CPI.
The base year presently used is 2012.

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The CSO has revised the Base Year of the CPI and CFPI from 2010 to 2012 in January 2015.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently started automatic electronic payment of
duty drawback amounts directly into exporters’ bank accounts.
About Duty Drawback Scheme:
It is a trusted and time-tested scheme administered by CBIC to promote exports.
It rebates the incidence of Customs and Central Excise duties, chargeable on imported and excisable
material, respectively, when used as inputs for goods to be exported.
The duty drawback provisions are described under the Customs Act, 1962.
This WTO compliant scheme ensures that exports are zero-rated and do not carry the burden of the
specified taxes.
RBI is planning to rationalise the Guidelines for Export and Import of Goods and Services under the
Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
About Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999:
FEMA came into force on June 1, 2000, as a successor to the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, or FERA,
of 1973, with changing economic conditions in a post-liberalisation India.
The main objective of FEMA is to facilitate external trade and payments and promote the orderly
development and maintenance of the foreign exchange market in India.
FEMA deals with provisions relating to procedures, formalities, dealings, etc. of foreign exchange
transactions in India.
The FEMA regulates various aspects of foreign exchange transactions, including the acquisition and
holding of foreign exchange, the payment and settlement of foreign exchange transactions, the export and
import of currency, and other related activities.
Securities Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) recently slapped a fine of Rs 7.75 crore on 11 individuals for
allegedly operating a ‘pump and dump’ scheme.
About Pump and Dump Scheme:
In the stock market, a pump and dump scheme is a type of manipulation activity that involves artificially
inflating the price of a stock through false and misleading information, only to sell the stock at the inflated
price and leave investors with significant losses.
It is particularly prevalent in the micro-cap and small-cap sectors, where companies often have limited
public information and trading volumes are lower
To tackle any impact on the price of a scrip because of a market rumour, the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) introduced a framework centred around its ‘unaffected price.’
About New Framework
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced a framework centred around the concept
of "unaffected price" to tackle the impact of market rumours on stock prices.
Purpose: The framework aims to maintain a reasonable price for a scrip, excluding any undesired influence
before the rumour is confirmed or refuted, thereby helping both companies and investors.
Implementation: The framework will be implemented in phases:
Phase 1 (June 1): Applies to the top 100 listed entities.
Phase 2 (December 1): Applies to the top 250 listed entities.
Timeframe: The "unaffected price" must be determined within 24 hours of any material price movement
excluding the rumour.
RBI Announces SAARC Currency Swap Framework For 2024-27.
Reserve Bank of India with the concurrence of the Government of India has decided to put in place a
revised Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for SAARC countries for the period 2024 to 2027.
The total corpus of the Rupee support is ₹250 billion.
The RBI will continue to offer swap arrangement in US$ and Euro under a separate US Dollar/ Euro
Swap Window with an overall corpus of US$ 2 billion.
Kotak Mahindra Bank in India plans to expand its branch network by 175 to 200 branches in FY25.
State Bank of India plans to open 400 new branches in 2024-25 .
SBI Distributes Rs 6,959 Crore Dividend to Government.
State Bank of India (SBI) paid a Rs 6,959 crore dividend to the government for FY 2023-24, declaring Rs

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13.70 per share. Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) presented a Rs 857 crore dividend, declaring Rs 1.40
Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Gets National Award for APY Implementation.
Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), a regional rural bank sponsored by Canara Bank, has been
honoured with a national award by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
(PFRDA) for significant enrolment under the Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
India Post Payments Bank Partners with Ria Money Transfer to Revolutionize Rural Remittance
Services.
Axis Bank Acquires Additional Stake in Max Life Insurance Subsidiary for ₹336 Crore.
Axis Bank has decided to increase its shareholding in Max Life Insurance, investing up to ₹336 crore. This
transaction will raise the aggregate shareholding of Axis Entities from 19.02% to 19.66%.
FIU Imposes Fine on Axis Bank for Failure to Detect NSG Fraud.
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has levied a penalty exceeding Rs 1.66 crore on Axis Bank for
neglecting to implement adequate measures to identify and report suspicious transactions.
This action stems from an incident where an Axis Bank employee allegedly colluded to create a fraudulent
account in the name of the National Security Guard (NSG), facilitating illicit financial activities.
SBI Empowers Borrowers with ₹2,030 Cr in Co-Lending Endeavor.
State Bank of India (SBI) partners with 23 NBFCs/HFCs, sanctioning ₹2,030 crore loans to over 2.79 lakh
borrowers.
Bank of India Acquires 6.1% Stake in CCIL IFSC.
The Bank of India has acquired a 6.125% stake in the Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (IFSC) for ₹6.125
crore, aiming to enhance its strategic presence in GIFT City IFSC
RBI Launches Global Hackathon HaRBInger 2024 to Combat Financial Frauds.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated its third global hackathon, HaRBInger 2024 – Innovation for
Transformation, aimed at developing innovative tech-based solutions to predict, detect, and prevent
financial frauds in real-time.
The hackathon features two key themes: ‘Zero Financial Frauds’ and ‘Being Divyang Friendly’.
Prize Money: INR 40 Lakh for winners across each problem statement.
RBI Absorbs ₹44,430 Crore Through VRRR Auctions.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted two variable rate reverse repo (VRRR) auctions totaling ₹44,430
crore, aiming to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.
Despite the central bank’s readiness to absorb up to ₹1-lakh crore, banks utilized only a portion of the
available amount.
King Charles III currency notes introduced in UK.
Bank of England is replacing old banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth with new ones featuring King
Charles III.
SEBI Forms Committee to Review Clearing Corporations.
SEBI has established a committee, chaired by Usha Thorat, former Deputy Governor of the RBI, to assess
and propose enhancements to the ownership and economic framework of clearing corporations.
Axis Bank and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance have formed a strategic bancassurance alliance to
enhance insurance reach and financial inclusion in India.
PNB Board Approves 10% Stake Dilution in Canara HSBC Life Insurance via IPO.
The Board of Punjab National Bank (PNB) has approved the initiation of the process to dilute 10% of its
shareholding in Canara HSBC Life Insurance through an initial public offering (IPO).
PNB currently holds a 23% stake in this life insurance joint venture.
Axis Bank and Mastercard Introduce NFC Soundbox.
RBI Penalizes SBM Bank (India) With Rs 88.70 Lakh Fine.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 88.70 lakh on SBM Bank (India) for non-
compliance with specific regulatory norms.
This includes licensing conditions and directives related to the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).
Canara Bank to Dilute 14.50% Stake in Canara HSBC Life Insurance via IPO.
Bengaluru-headquartered Canara Bank has approved initiating the process of diluting a 14.50% stake in its
subsidiary, Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company, through an initial public offering (IPO).

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Currently, Canara Bank holds a 51% majority stake in the life insurance company, while HSBC Insurance
(Asia Pacific) owns 26%, and Punjab National Bank holds the remaining 23%
The 53rd GST Council met under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Finance & Corporate
Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi
Uniform IGST Rate on Aircraft Parts: A uniform rate of 5% IGST will apply to imports of parts,
components, testing equipment, tools, and tool-kits of aircrafts to boost MRO activities.
Milk Cans GST Rate: All milk cans (steel, iron, aluminum) will attract a 12% GST rate.
Paper Products GST Rate Reduction: The GST rate on carton, boxes, and cases of both corrugated and
non-corrugated paper or paper-board has been reduced from 18% to 12%.
Solar Cookers GST Rate: All solar cookers, whether single or dual energy source, will attract 12% GST.
Sprinklers GST Rate: All types of sprinklers, including fire water sprinklers, will attract 12% GST.
Defence Forces IGST Exemption: The IGST exemption on imports of specified items for defence forces
has been extended for five years till 30th June 2029.
Government Monetises ₹1.56 Lakh Crore in FY24 under National Monetisation Pipeline.
The government monetised assets worth ₹1.56 lakh crore under the National Monetisation Pipeline
(NMP) in the financial year 2023-24, falling short of the target of ₹1.8 lakh crore.
This performance represents approximately 159% of the achievement in 2021-22.
The NMP aims to unlock the value of brownfield infrastructure assets, with a total monetisation potential
estimated at ₹6 lakh crore over a four-year period from FY22 to FY25.
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the proposal of Airports
Authority of India (AAI) for development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi with
an outlay of Rs 2,870 crore.
RBI grants Payment Aggregator License to SabPaisa.
SabPaisa (SRS Live Technologies Private Limited), a payment solutions provider, has announced that
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted final approval to operate as a Payment Aggregator (PA) under
the Payments and Settlement Systems Act of 2007.
UK Surpasses China to Become India’s 4th Largest Export Market
The United Kingdom (UK) has overtaken China to become India’s fourth-largest export market in May
2024, commerce department data showed.
The UK was India’s sixth-largest export destination in May last year
RBI Raises Bulk Fixed Deposit Limit to Rs 3 Crore from Rs 2 Crore.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a revision in the threshold for bulk fixed deposits, increasing
the limit from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore.
Reserve Bank of India Cancels 10-Year Green Bond Auction for the First Time.
In a first, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the auction of 10-year green bonds as traders
refused to pay the greenium, the premium for sustainability impact.
The RBI had planned to issue green bonds worth Rs 12,000 crore in the first half of the financial year,
divided into two tranches of Rs 6,000 crore each.
Indian Economy Grew by 8.2% in FY 24: NSO.
India’s GDP growth rate jumped to 7.8% in Q4 of FY24, leading to an annual growth rate of 8.2%, as
reported by the National Statistical Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI).
RBI Projects Further Moderation in Bank NPAs to 2.5%.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected a further improvement in the gross non-performing assets
(GNPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs), estimating it to decrease to 2.5% by March 2025.
This optimistic outlook is based on macro stress tests evaluating banks’ resilience against potential
economic shocks.
SBI Raises Rs 10,000 Crore via 15-Year Infrastructure Bonds at 7.36% Coupon.
State Bank of India (SBI) has successfully raised Rs 10,000 crore through its fifth infrastructure bond
issuance.
The bonds, with a tenure of 15 years and a coupon rate of 7.36% payable annually, garnered significant
investor interest, oversubscribed nearly four times the base size of Rs 5,000 crore.
Mindspace Becomes First Indian REIT to Issue Sustainability-Linked Bonds.

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Mindspace Business Parks REIT, the owner and developer of quality Grade A office portfolio, has
announced its ₹650 crore Sustainability Linked Bond issuance placed with the International Finance
Corporation (IFC).
RBI Penalizes Central Bank of India and Sonali Bank PLC for Violations.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed fines on Central Bank of India and Sonali Bank PLC for breaches
related to customer protection and KYC norms.
Central Bank of India faces a penalty of ₹1.45 crore for irregularities including improper sanctioning of
loans and delays in reversing unauthorized transactions.
Meanwhile, Sonali Bank PLC has been fined ₹96.4 lakh for non-compliance with KYC Directions, 2016.
ATM Operators Push for Rs 2 Interchange Fee Hike Amid Viability Concerns.
ATM operators in India are advocating for an increase in interchange fees by Rs 2 per transaction, citing
financial sustainability challenges.
The Confederation of ATM Industry (CATMI) has formally approached the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to raise the current maximum fee from Rs 21 to
Rs 23 per transaction, as reported by the Economic Times.
India’s Wholesale Prices Accelerate to 15-Month High of 2.61% in May.
India’s wholesale inflation, measured by the wholesale price index (WPI), surged to a 15-month high
of 2.61% in May from 1.26% in April.
Jupiter Money Gets RBI Nod to Start Prepaid Wallet Business.
Tiger Global-backed neobanking startup Jupiter Money has received final authorization from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) to offer digital wallet services.
RBI Grants Approval to Aurionpro Payments as Online Payment Aggregator.
Aurionpro Payments, a subsidiary of Aurionpro Solutions, has received approval from the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) to operate as an online payment aggregator under the Payments Settlements Act, 2007.
Wipro Launches Lab45 AI Platform to Boost Efficiency Across Business Functions
Wipro has announced the launch of its Lab45 AI platform, designed to leverage generative AI (GenAI),
machine learning (ML), and deep learning technologies to enhance efficiencies and transform business
functions across industries.
Adani Defence and EDGE Group Forge Global Defence Partnership.
Adani Defence and Aerospace has announced a strategic cooperation agreement with UAE-based EDGE
Group, aimed at integrating their defence and aerospace capabilities.
SBI Revolutionizes SME Lending with ‘SME Digital Business Loans’.
State Bank of India (SBI) has launched ‘SME Digital Business Loans’, aiming to sanction loans within an
astonishing 45 minutes.
Recognizing the pivotal role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in its growth strategy.
SBI has streamlined the borrowing process, eliminating traditional credit underwriting and appraisal
procedures.
Notably, for loans up to Rs 50 lakh, SBI has waived the requirement for financial statements.
RBI Approves Zurich Insurance’s Acquisition of 70% Stake in Kotak General.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given the green light to Zurich Insurance Company’s acquisition of a 70%
stake in Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company for ₹5,560 crore.
Muthoot Microfin and SBI Join Forces to Empower Rural Women Entrepreneurs.
Nvidia Surpasses Apple to Become Second Most Valuable Company.
Nvidia’s remarkable rally to record highs on Wednesday saw the artificial intelligence chipmaker’s
valuation soar past the $3 trillion mark, eclipsing Apple and securing its position as the world’s second
most valuable company
SBI Mutual Fund Becomes First to Top Rs 10 Trillion in Assets Under Management.
SBI Mutual Fund (SBI MF) achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first fund house in India to
surpass Rs 10 trillion in assets under management (AUM).
Nokia and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya join forces to explore 5G/6G applications in transportation
and logistics.
This collaboration aims to advance industry standards, develop smart solutions.

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State Bank of India Market Cap Crosses ₹8 Lakh Crore Milestone.
State Bank of India (SBI) achieved a significant milestone as its market capitalization surpassed ₹8 lakh
crore, driven by a remarkable surge in its stock prices.
This achievement underscores the bank’s robust performance and reflects investor confidence in the
banking sector amid favorable market conditions.
SEBI Launches Saathi 2.0 Personal Finance App for Investors.
SEBI, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, has launched “Saathi 2.0,” a mobile app designed to
provide comprehensive tools for simplifying complex financial concepts and empowering investors with
reliable information.
The app features modules on various financial aspects like KYC procedures, mutual funds, ETFs, buying
and selling shares, investor grievances redressal, and an Online Dispute Resolution platform.
Adani Ports secures a 30-year concession agreement with the Tanzania Ports Authority to operate
Container Terminal 2 (CT2) at Dar es Salaam Port, marking its third international port.
The Department of Commerce has extended the Interest Equalisation Scheme for pre - and post-
shipment rupee export credit for Micro, Small and Medium-scale (MSME) exporters till August 31.
About Interest Equalisation Scheme:
It was first implemented on 1st April 2015, to provide pre- and post-shipment export credit to exporters in
rupees.
It was initially valid for 5 years, up to 31.3.2020. The scheme has been continued thereafter, including a
one-year extension during COVID and further extensions and fund allocations.
Implementing agency: It is being implemented by the RBI through various Public and non-Public Sector
banks that provide pre- and post-shipment credit to the exporters.
The Scheme has now been made fund-limited, and the benefit to individual exporters has been capped at
Rs 10 Crore per annum per IEC (Import Export Code).
Central Electronics Limited (CEL) was recently granted “Mini Ratna” status (Category-1) at its
Golden Jubilee celebration.
About Central Electronics Limited (CEL):
It is a Govt. of India Enterprise under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
(DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology.
It was established in 1974, with the objective to commercially exploit indigenous technologies developed by
National Laboratories and R&D Institutions in the country.
India's external debt was placed at $663.8 billion, an increase of US$ 39.7 billion over its level at end-
March 2023, informed the Reserve Bank of India recently.
About India’s External Debt:
At end-March 2024, India’s external debt was US$ 663.8 billion, an increase of US$ 39.7 billion over its
level at end-March 2023.
The external debt-to-GDP ratio declined to 18.7 percent end-March 2024 from 19.0 percent at end-March
2023.
The Valuation effect due to the appreciation of the US dollar vis-à-vis the Indian rupee and other major
currencies such as the yen, euro and SDR amounted to US$ 8.7 billion.
RBI recently revised its priority sector guidelines to encourage banks to provide small loans in
economically disadvantaged districts with low average loan sizes.
About Priority Sector Lending (PSL):
PSL is a lending requirement administered by the RBI, requiring banks to give a minimum proportion of
their loans to sectors of development importance or the sectors that have difficulty of getting loans.
The RBI is periodically updating the sectors that are eligible to get priority sector lending and the limits of
loans.
Similarly, the regulations identify institutions that are obliged to provide these loans.
The categories of priority sectors are as follows:
Agriculture
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises
Export Credit
Education

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Housing
Social Infrastructure
Renewable Energy
Others
The targets under PSL:
Domestic SCBs and foreign banks with 20 branches and above: 40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit
(ANBC) or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE), whichever is higher.
Foreign banks with less than 20 branches: 40 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher; out of
which up to 32% can be in the form of lending to exports and not less than 8% can be to any other priority
sector.
Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks: 75 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher.
Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs): 40 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, which
shall be increased to 75 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, with effect from FY2025-26.

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS MAY 2024

Registrations by Indian companies for External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) almost doubled to
$49.2 billion in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) from $26.6 billion in FY23, according to data from
the RBI.
About External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs):
ECBs refer to the borrowing of funds by Indian companies from foreign sourcesin the form of loans,
bonds, or other financial instruments.
Purpose: It can be used to finance a variety of purposes, including the expansion of business, the
acquisition of assets, and the repayment of existing debt.
Source of ECBs: ECBs can be obtained from a variety of sources, including foreign banks, international
financial institutions, and foreign subsidiaries of Indian companies.
Regulation: ECB is subject to regulatory oversight by the RBI.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently issued the Framework for Recognising Self-Regulatory
Organisation for the FinTech Sector (SRO-FT) for better self-governance and compliance by firms in
this space.
About SRO-FT Framework:
The framework defines fintech as entities providing technological solutions for delivery of financial
products and services to businesses and consumers or encompassing regulatory and supervisory compliance
in partnership with traditional financial institutions or otherwise.
Applicants will need to have a minimum net worth of ₹2 crore within one year after recognition as an
SRO-FT or before commencement of operations, whichever is earlier.
RBI Governor recently unveiled three major initiatives of the Reserve Bank, namely the Pravaah
portal, the Retail Direct Mobile App and a FinTech Repository.
About Pravaah Portal:
Pravaah (Platform for Regulatory Application, Validation, and AutHorisation) is a secure and
centralised web-based portal for any individual or entity to seek authorisation, license, or regulatory
approval on any reference
made by it to the RBI.
The following are some of the key features available in the portal:
Submit the application online on the portal.
Track and monitor the status of the application/reference.
Respond to any clarification/query sought by the RBI in connection with the application/reference; and
Receive a decision from the RBI in a time-bound manner.
India in trade deficit with nine of top 10 trading partners in 2023-24.
About India’s Top Trading Partners:
China has emerged as India's largest trading partner with $118.4 billion of two-way commerce in 2023-24,
surpassing the US.
The bilateral trade between India and the US stood at $118.28 billion in 2023-24. Washington was the top

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trading partner of New Delhi during 2021-22 and 2022-23.
India has a trade surplus of $ 36.74 billion with the US in 2023-24.
Airbus Helicopters and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) recently signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for financing the purchase of Airbus’ helicopters in India.
State Bank of India (SBI) recently announced it has become the first trading-cum-clearing member at
the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX).
About India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX):
It is India's first International Bullion Exchange. It is based at GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance
Tech City) IFSC (International Finance Services Center), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
IIBX has been conceptualized to provide a gateway to import bullion into India and provide a world class
bullion exchange ecosystem to promote bullion trading, investment in bullion financial products,
and vaulting facilities in IFSCs.
The IIBX is regulated by the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA), a unified
authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services, and financial
institutions at IFSCs.
Groww Mutual Fund recently launched India’s first Nifty Non-Cyclical Consumer Index Fund.
About Nifty Non-Cyclical Index Fund:
It is a type of mutual fund that aims to generate long-term capital growth by investing in securities of the
Nifty Non-Cyclical Consumer Index (TRI).
This index contains 30 companies that are not majorly impacted by economic instability and are in regular
demand, making them a good investment option during economic downturns.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) domiciled at the GIFT International Financial Services Centre
(IFSC) have been allowed to issue participatory notes.
About Participatory Notes:
These are often referred to as PNs or P-Notes. These are financial instruments used by investors and hedge
funds to invest in the Indian securities, and no registration is required with the Security Exchange Board of
India (SEBI).
Investments flowing in through PNs are considered as offshore derivative investments.
These are issued by registered foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to overseas investors who wish to be part of
the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly.
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) public sector undertaking company was
granted ‘Navratna status' from the department of public enterprises.
About Navratna status:
The government categorises all Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) into three
categories, namely Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna.
The Government had introduced the ‘Navratna’ scheme in 1997.
Criteria for Navratna status
A PSU should be a Miniratna-I, Schedule 'A'company, should have obtained an 'excellent' or 'very good'
MoU rating in three of the last five years, and must have a composite score of 60 in six performance
indicators.
It must report a net profit of more than Rs 5,000 crore for three consecutive years, and maintain an average
annual turnover of Rs 25,000 crore for three years, or have an annual average net worth of over Rs 15,000
crore for three years
Benefits
Financial Independence: They invest up to ₹1,000 crore without seeking approval from the central
government.
Navratna companies are also allowed to invest up to 15% of their net worth on a single project, or 30% of
their net worth in a given year, subject to a cap of ₹1,000 crore.
To incur capital expenditure on purchase of new items or for replacement, without any monetary ceiling.
To enter into technology joint ventures or strategic alliances
Asian Development Bank allocated $2.6 billion in sovereign loans to India.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) committed $2.6 billion in sovereign lending to India in 2023, aiming to
bolster various sectors including urban development, power, industry, horticulture, connectivity, and

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climate resilience.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has levied a penalty of Rs 36.38 lakh on HSBC Limited for breaching
regulations outlined in the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
RBI Imposes Penalty on ICICI Bank and YES Bank.
ICICI Bank has been fined Rs 1 crore for its improper loan practices.
YES Bank has been penalized Rs 91 lakh for charging customers for not maintaining minimum balances in
savings accounts with insufficient or zero balances.
Poonawalla Fincorp and IndusInd Bank Launch Co-Branded RuPay Credit Card.
Poonawalla Fincorp Limited, in partnership with IndusInd Bank, has introduced the co-branded ‘IndusInd
Bank Poonawalla Fincorp eLITE RuPay Platinum Credit Card’.
RBI Conducts Massive Liquidity Infusion Through Variable Rate Repo Auctions.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken proactive measures to address the prevailing liquidity deficit in the
banking system.
In its latest move, the central bank conducted a variable rate repo (VRR) auction of Rs 1.25 trillion,
bringing the total liquidity infused through 9 VRR auctions in May 2024 to a staggering Rs 7.75 trillion
HSBC and SBI Acquire Stakes in CCIL IFSC.
HSBC and State Bank of India (SBI) have made strategic investments in CCIL IFSC Limited,
acquiring 6.125% stakes each, valued at ₹6.125 crore each. This move is aimed at bolstering their presence
within Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City,
State Bank of India (SBI) has acquired a 6.125% stake in CCIL IFSC Limited for ₹6.125 crore,
solidifying its role in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City.
YES Bank Launches YES Grandeur: Elevating Banking for Elite Customers.
Under ‘Yes Grandeur,’ customers with an average monthly balance of ₹5 lakh or a Net Relationship Value
(NRV) of ₹20 lakh gain access to a suite of exclusive benefits.
Bank of Maharashtra Tops Among PSU Banks in Business Growth in FY24.
Bank of Maharashtra has emerged as a top performer among public sector banks, showcasing impressive
growth in total business and deposit mobilization.
SBI General Unveils ‘Surety Bond Bima’ for Infrastructure Projects.
SBI General Insurance, the non-life insurance arm of State Bank of India (SBI), has launched ‘Surety Bond
Bima’ to support infrastructure development by providing a security arrangement for infrastructure
projects.
SEBI has extended LIC's deadline to achieve a 10% public shareholding by three years, now set for May
16, 2027.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted approval to Quant Mutual Fund (MF) to increase its stake in RBL
Bank to 9.98% by May 12, 2025. This approval, subject to conditions and provisions under the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949, was disclosed in a regulatory filing.
YES BANK and EBANX join forces to simplify cross-border payments, offering tailored solutions for
Indian merchants and facilitating global commerce opportunities.
RBI Lifts Restrictions on Bank of Baroda’s ‘BoB World’ Mobile App.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the lifting of restrictions on Bank of Baroda’s BoB World
mobile application, permitting the bank to onboard customers immediately.
RBI has updated guidelines for custodian banks on issuing IPCs under the T+1 settlement regime for
stocks.
Banks' intraday risk exposure is capped at 30% of settlement amounts.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Names Sanjeev Nautiyal as MD & CEO.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has announced the appointment of Sanjeev Nautiyal as its Managing Director
and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) for a tenure of three years, effective from July 1, 2024.
HDFC Life Introduces “No Jhanjhat Life Insurance Fatafat” Campaign: Revolutionizing Insurance
Purchase Experience.
YES Bank Collaborates with ANQ to Launch Pi and Phi Credit Cards.
Fi, a neobanking startup, secured an NBFC license from the RBI, enabling it to offer loans directly.

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IRDAI has relaxed regulations for surety bonds, lowering the solvency requirement to 1.5 times and
removing the 30% exposure limit.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) repurchased government bonds worth only Rs 2,069 crore out of the notified
Rs 60,000 crore.
India’s internet economy is poised for significant growth, with industry experts predicting it will reach
$1 trillion by 2030.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as Executive Director.
India and Ghana Strengthen Financial Integration for Enhanced Trade.
India and Ghana are poised to integrate their payment systems, UPI and GHIPSS, to facilitate instant and
cost-effective fund transfers between the two nations.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revised India’s GDP
growth projection upward to 6.6% for the fiscal year 2024-25.
Reliance and Tata Groups Recognized among TIME’s World’s Most Influential Companies.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Tata Group, two of India’s prominent business conglomerates, have
been named among the World’s 100 ‘Most Influential Companies’ by the renowned TIME magazine.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has been placed in the “Titans” category of TIME’s list, acknowledging
its status as a titan of Indian industry.
This is the second time RIL has been featured in the TIME 100 list, making it the only Indian company to
receive this recognition twice.
The Tata Group, known for its vast and diversified business portfolio, has also been listed in the “Titans”
category, further solidifying its position as a global business giant
Another Indian company that has been recognized is the Serum Institute, which has been placed in the
“Pioneers” category for its pioneering role in vaccine manufacturing and distribution.
SEBI Shortens Commodity Derivatives Delivery Period to Boost Liquidity.
SEBI has reduced the deliverable period for commodity derivatives from the previous 5 days to 3 days.
This regulatory change is set to take effect from July 1, 2024.
IRDAI Mandates Shorter Audit Tenures to Boost Governance in Insurance Sector.
IRDAI has issued new guidelines that reduce the engagement period of statutory auditors with insurance
companies from 10 years to 4 years.
Reliance Industries Partners with Norway’s Nel to Boost New Energy Investments.
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has forged a significant technology partnership with Norway’s Nel ASA to
expedite its foray into new energy investments.
This alliance is poised to play a pivotal role in facilitating RIL’s transition towards green energy,
particularly through the production of green hydrogen.
Reliance Industries Strikes Deal with Rosneft for Rouble Payments.
Reliance Industries, India’s major refining company, has inked a significant agreement with Russia’s
Rosneft.
Under this deal, Reliance will purchase at least 3 million barrels of oil per month from Rosneft, paying in
Russian roubles.
Reliance Industries is set to begin construction on India’s first Multimodal Logistics Park at Mappedu
near Chennai in June, a project conceptualized 12 years ago.
GAIL (India) Ltd. Commissions India’s First Green Hydrogen Plant.
GAIL (India) Ltd., the nation’s leading natural gas transmission and distribution company, has achieved
a significant milestone with the commissioning of its first green hydrogen plant. Located in Vijaipur,
Madhya Pradesh.
Ghana Partners with Reliance Jio Arm and Others for Telecom Infrastructure.
Ghana’s Next-Gen Infrastructure Company (NGIC) collaborates with Reliance Jio’s subsidiary, Tech
Mahindra, and Nokia to bolster its 4G and 5G capabilities.
Government of India, being the largest shareholder in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), will receive a
dividend of Rs 3,662 crore following LIC’s declaration of an interim dividend of Rs 6 per share.
Microsoft Unveils AI-Enhanced ‘Copilot+’ PCs with Unique ‘Recall’ Functionality.
Disney to Sell 30% Stake in Tata Play to Tata Group, Valuing Company at $1 Billion.

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Walt Disney Co. has struck a deal to sell its 30% minority stake in Tata Play Ltd. to Tata Group, valuing
the company at approximately $1 billion.
Google Invests $350 Million in Walmart-Owned Flipkart.
Tech giant Google is investing $350 million in Walmart-owned e-commerce firm Flipkart as part of a $1
billion funding round.
This investment aims to support Flipkart’s growth as it targets a $60 billion valuation at the time of its
initial public offering (IPO), planned for 2025-26.
Mahindra Finance Expands Services with IRDAI Approval.
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services, a prominent player in India’s non-banking finance sector, has
secured a corporate agency license from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
(IRDAI).
IOCL Exports Premium Fuel XP100 to Sri Lanka.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) has marked a significant milestone by exporting its first-ever
consignment of 100 octane premium fuel, XP100, to Sri Lanka.
Swiggy Fortifies Fraud Prevention with SHIELD Partnership.
Online food delivery platform Swiggy has partnered with SHIELD, a device-first risk AI platform, to
bolster its fraud prevention and detection capabilities
Bank of Maharashtra Leads PSU Banks in FY24 Business Growth.
SEBI has introduced significant amendments to its Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements
(LODR) regulations, focusing on the computation of market capitalization for listed companies.
Indian government has announced plans for public sector companies like Coal India, NMDC, and
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) to actively seek critical mineral assets overseas.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the creation of a Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre
of Excellence in the French capital, Paris.
Hero MotoCorp, India’s leading two-wheeler manufacturer, has become the first in its sector to
integrate with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
Infosys, a global leader in digital services and consulting, has been awarded the ISO 42001:2023
certification by TUV India, for its Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS).
Hinduja Group’s IndusInd International Holdings (IIHL) has obtained approval from the Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for the acquisition of Reliance Capital.
Thomas Cook India has revolutionized international money transfers with the launch of TCPay, a user-
friendly digital service designed to simplify and enhance the remittance process.
Zeta launches Digital Credit as a Service for Indian banks, leveraging NPCI’s Credit Line on UPI
scheme.
They aim to capture half of India's projected $1 trillion credit market by 2030.
Bharti Enterprises, led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, divested 38.50 lakh shares of ICICI Lombard General
Insurance Company for ₹663 crore through open market transactions.
This sale reduced Bharti Enterprises’ stake in ICICI Lombard from 2.43% to 1.63%
Reserve Bank of India recently conducted a buyback of government securities (G-Secs), receiving
offers totaling ₹17,384.552 crore, but accepting only ₹10,513 crore, despite the notified amount being
₹40,000 crore.
Investments through participatory notes (P-notes) in the Indian capital markets reached a staggering Rs
1.5 lakh crore at the end of February 2024, marking the highest level in nearly six years.
HDFC Bank, in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, has allocated Rs 19.6 crore in grants to
support 170 social startups in FY24.
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Mumbai has sanctioned Sapphire Media’s acquisition plan
for Reliance Broadcast Network’s Big 92.7 FM.
This approval follows a resolution process initiated in February 2023 under the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code.
India emerged as the global leader in remittances in 2022, receiving over $111 billion, surpassing the
$100 billion mark for the first time.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) highlighted India, alongside Mexico, China, the

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Philippines, and France, as the top five remittance recipient countries.
ICICI Bank Introduces UPI for NRIs Using International Mobile Numbers.
To activate UPI on their international mobile numbers, customers can follow a straightforward process
through the iMobile Pay app.
Bajaj Auto Set to Revolutionize Transportation with World’s First CNG Motorcycle.
Infibeam Avenues’ CCAvenue, a leading payments platform, has entered into a strategic partnership
with Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SFB) to enhance merchant access.
GetVantage, a start-up specializing in revenue-based finance (RBF), has achieved a significant
milestone by obtaining a non-banking financial company (NBFC) license from the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI).
Paytm undergoes leadership changes to strengthen its financial services division, appointing Rakesh
Singh as CEO of Paytm Money.
REC Ltd. has obtained approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to establish a subsidiary in
Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT), Gandhinagar.
Atanu Chakraborty’s re-appointment as part-time Chairman of HDFC Bank for three years, effective
from May 5, 2024, to May 4, 2027, has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
American Express is set to inaugurate its expansive new campus in Gurugram, spanning nearly one million
square feet, showcasing the company’s commitment to fostering a vibrant work environment.
Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has successfully secured USD 400 million financing from a consortium
of five leading international banks for its 750 MW solar projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Micron India’s Sanand unit gears up to unveil its inaugural batch of domestically
manufactured semiconductor chips in 2025.
Former BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl steps into the world of venture capital with the launch of
his maiden fund, Eternal Capital, with a substantial corpus of Rs 240 crore, including a greenshoe option.
Worldline ePayments India has announced its receipt of approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to
operate as a payment aggregator.
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has announced a significant investment of Rs 5,215 crore to develop 1
gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity in India.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revoked the license of Acemoney (India) Limited, a Delhi-based non-
banking financial company (NBFC), citing irregular lending practices.
India has adjusted its windfall tax on petroleum crude, reducing it to 8,400 Indian rupees ($100.66) per
metric ton from 9,600 rupees, effective May 1.
This decision comes after a recent increase in the tax from 6,800 rupees to 9,600 rupees per metric ton on
April 16

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS APRIL 2024

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently issued the draft regulatory framework for loan products
aggregated by lending service providers to ensure transparency for borrowers.
About Lending Service Providers (LSPs):
They are engaged by the Regulated Entities (REs) (banks or NBFCs) to carry out some functions of RE in
connection with lenders’ functions on digital platforms. They offer their services to REs for a fee or
commission.
RBI defines an LSP as an agent of an RE that carries out one or more functions of the
lender, includingcustomer acquisition, underwriting support, pricing support, disbursement, servicing,
monitoring, collection, and loan recovery on behalf of the RE.
In simple terms, LSPs are loan aggregatorswhich provide loans from their partner REs. In some cases, a
RE can also act as an LSP.
They are technology-centric entities which have the client reach and are thus capable of offering a
marketplace for both lenders and borrowers.
The Centre has extended Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status to the gem and jewellery sector.
About Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme:

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An AEO is a business entity involved in the international movement of goods requiring compliance with
provisions of the national customs law.
It is approved by or on behalf of the national administration in compliance with the World Customs
Organization (WCO).
The WCO in June, 2005, with a view to secure the international supply chain, adopted the SAFE
Framework of Standards (WCO SAFE FoS). It is the basis of the Indian AEO programme.
AEO is one of the three pillars on which the SAFE FoS is formed. It helps to build a closer partnership
between the customs department and the trade industry.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said Small Finance Banks (SFBs) should have a minimum net worth of
Rs 1,000 crore to become universal banks in accordance with the on-tap licensing norms.
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) made an announcement regarding
the launch of Bima Vistaar.
About Bima Vistaar:
It is an ambitious all-in-one affordable mass product aimed at the rural areas of the India which is priced at
Rs 1,500 per policy.
It is designed to provide a basic social safety net cover with combined features of life, health, personal
accident and property insurances.
The sum assured for life, personal accident and property covers is Rs 2 lakh each, while the health cover,
known as hospi cash, offers a sum assured of Rs 500 for 10 days, with a maximum amount of Rs 5,000
available without producing bills or documents.
India has simplified the payment mechanism for traders importing pulses from Myanmar, requiring
them to use the Rupee/Kyat direct payment system through the Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA).
About SRVA:
The settlement of international trade through Indian Rupees (INR) is an additional arrangement to the
existing system of settlement that uses freely convertible currencies and works as a complimentary system.
Freely convertible currency is a currency which is permitted by the rules and regulations of the country
concerned to be converted into major reserve currencies like the U.S. Dollar, Pound Sterling.
This will reduce dependence on hard (freely convertible) currency.
SRVA requires prior approval of RBI before opening, unlike Rupee Vostro account.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently green-lighted investments in the country’s Sovereign Green Bonds
(SGrBs) by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIS).
About Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs):
A green bond is a debt security that is issued to raise capital to support climate-related or environmental
projects, according to the World Bank. SGBs are issued by governments to raise resources for such projects.
In India, the Union Budget 2022-23 announced the issue of SGrBs.
The NIIF has invested $200 million in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd., a connectivity
technology firm, to support the growth of India’s digital infrastructure.
About National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF):
It is a fund manager that invests in infrastructure and related sectors in India. It is India’s first-ever
sovereign wealth fund (SWF), which was set up in 2015.
It is a collaborative investment platform for international and Indian investors with a mandate to invest
equity capital in domestic infrastructure.
It invests across asset classes such as infrastructure, private equity, and other diversified sectors in India,
with the objective of generating attractive risk-adjusted returns for its investors. It invests in greenfield
(new), brownfield (existing), and stalled projects.
NIIF is 49% owned by the Indian government and has more than $4.9 billion in assets under management,
making it the country’s biggest infrastructure fund. It benefits from its association with the Government yet
is independent in its investment decisions.
Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended imposition of anti-dumping duty on
sodium cyanide (NaCN) imported from China, the European Union, Japan and Korea.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to launch a mobile application aimed at facilitating seamless
investment under the RBI Retail Direct Scheme.
About RBI Retail Direct Scheme:

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It was initially introduced in November 2021. It gives access to individual investors to maintain gilt
accounts with the RBI and invest in government securities.
The scheme enables investors to buy securities in primary auctions as well as buy/sell securities through
the NDS-OM platform.
Negotiated Dealing System - Order Matching system (NDS-OM) means RBI’s screen based anonymous
electronic order matching system for trading in Government securities in the secondary market.
Reserve Bank of India is considering establishing a Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) to combat
cyber fraud and illegal lending apps.
About Digital India Trust Agency:
It will be responsible for stopping illegal lending apps from popping up. It will enable the verification of
these digital lending apps and will maintain a public register of these verified applications.
Any app which will not carry the “verified” tag of DIGITA, will be considered unauthorised.
Significance: This will create an important and much-needed checkpoint in the fight against online
financial fraud.
SEBI recently launched the new version of the SEBI Complaint Redress System (SCORES 2.0).
What is SCORES?
It is a web-based centralized grievance redress system of SEBI launched in 2011. It enables investors to
lodge and follow up on their complaints and track the status of redressal of such complaints online from
anywhere.
It enables market intermediaries and listed companies to receive complaints online from investors, redress
such complaints, and report redressal online.
An investor who is not familiar with SCORES or does not have access to SCORES can lodge complaints in
physical form at any of the offices of SEBI.
Such complaints would be scanned and also uploaded in SCORES for processing.
SCORES 2.0 will be integrated with the KYC Registration Agency database for easy registration of the
investor on SCORES
IndusInd Bank’s Pilot Program with RBI’s Programmable CBDC: Revolutionizing Agricultural
Finance.
IndusInd Bank, in collaboration with Circularity Innovation Hub India Private Limited (CIH), has
achieved a significant milestone by successfully executing the Reserve Bank of India’s pilot program on
programmable Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
This pioneering initiative aims to revolutionize agricultural finance by targeting farmers for carbon credit
generation.
SBI Card has introduced three variants of its travel-centric credit card, SBI Card MILES, catering to diverse
travel needs.
The variants—SBI Card MILES ELITE, SBI Card MILES PRIME, and SBI Card MILES—are designed
to offer curated benefits to travelers, from frequent flyers to enthusiasts.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a comprehensive master direction for asset reconstruction
companies (ARCs), which will come into effect from April 24, 2024.
ARCs are required to maintain a minimum capital of Rs 300 crore, a significant increase from the previous
requirement of Rs 100 crore set on October 11, 2022. Existing ARCs are given a transition period until
March 31, 2026, to meet this new minimum requirement.
ARCs with a minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) of Rs 1000 crore are eligible to act as resolution
applicants.
Investments in short-term instruments by ARCs are capped at 10% of their Net Owned Fund (NOF), with
specific criteria regarding credit ratings.
Bandhan Life Insurance, formerly known as Aegon Life Insurance, has rebranded itself with the tagline
‘Bharat Ki Udaan, Bandhan Se’, reflecting its commitment to empowering the aspirations of India.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) greenlights Ajith Kumar KK’s appointment as Managing Director & CEO
of Dhanlaxmi Bank, marking a pivotal moment amidst the bank’s preparations for a ₹300 crore rights
issue.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) announced that its stake in FMCG major Hindustan
Unilever Limited (HUL) has surpassed 5%.

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The Corporation augmented its shareholding in HUL from 4.99% to 5.01% of the company’s paid-up
capital by acquiring additional shares from the open market.
India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) has entered into a strategic partnership with Bank of
India (BOI) to introduce mortgage guarantee-backed home loan products.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has implemented service charges for Aadhaar Enabled Payment
System (AePS) transactions, effective from June 15, 2022.
AePS is a bank-led model allowing online financial transactions at Point of Sale (PoS) terminals through
Aadhaar authentication, enabling various banking services.
Transactions exceeding the free limit will incur charges: ₹20 plus GST per transaction for cash withdrawals
and deposits, and ₹5 plus GST per transaction for mini statements.
Revolut India, backed by Tiger Global and Softbank, has secured in-principle approval from the RBI to
issue Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI).
HDFC Bank Becomes First Private Bank to Open Branch in Lakshadweep.
Private lender HDFC Bank has opened a branch at Kavaratti Island in Lakshadweep, making it the only
private sector bank to have a presence in the Union Territory.
India’s Ecommerce Market Set to Become Third Largest Globally by 2030.
SEBI has granted approval to CRISIL ESG Ratings & Analytics as a Category 1 provider of ESG
ratings, marking a significant development in the realm of environmental, social, and governance
(ESG) assessments in India.
UNCTAD forecasts India’s GDP growth at 6.5% in 2024, a slight deceleration from the previous year’s
6.7%.
Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) issuance of fresh guidelines, State Bank of India (SBI) and Standard
Chartered Bank India conducted a Credit Default Swap (CDS) trade valued at ₹25 crore.
Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) recent survey conducted in March 2024 indicates a significant
improvement in consumer confidence for the year ahead. The Future Expectations Index (FEI) rose by
2.1 points to reach 125.2, the highest level since mid-2019.
Hitachi Payment Services Introduces Upgradable ATMs in India.
Hitachi Payment Services has unveiled new upgradable ATMs in India, allowing banks to adapt their
machines into Cash Recycling Machines (CRMs) as per evolving needs.
Adani Group’s Vizhinjam Port in Kerala Approved as India’s First Transshipment Hub.
Aramco and FIFA have teamed up in a major partnership, with Aramco becoming FIFA's exclusive
energy partner until 2027.
PayU Receives RBI’s In-Principle Approval as Payment Aggregator.
PayU, the digital financial services provider, has obtained the coveted in-principle authorization from the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to function as a Payments Aggregator (PA) under the Payment Settlements
Act, 2007.
Razorpay and Airtel Payments Bank have introduced the UPI Switch, a cloud-based infrastructure set to
transform digital payments..
CRED, the Bengaluru-based fintech start-up, has recently obtained in-principle approval for a payment
aggregator license, as reported by the Economic Times.
Sany India, a leading manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, has launched the SKT105E
Electric Dump Truck.
Adani family, led by Gautam Adani, has infused ₹8,339 crore into Ambuja Cements Ltd., increasing
their stake to 70.3%.
Mahindra Susten, a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group, enters the hybrid renewable energy secto r with a
₹1,200-Crore project in Maharashtra, combining 101 MW wind and 52 MW solar capacity.
Adani Green Energy Limited, an Adani Group company, is building the world’s largest renewable
energy park in Khavda, Kutch district of Gujarat.
BharatPe co-founder and former managing director Ashneer Grover is gearing up for a new venture in
the fintech space with ZeroPe.
French automaker Citroën has become the first multinational car manufacturer to export electric vehicles
(EVs) produced in India to the international market.

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KABIL and CSIR-IMMT Forge Alliance for Critical Minerals Advancement.
Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of
Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for Technical & Knowledge cooperation.
The agreement aims to leverage CSIR-IMMT’s technical prowess in various domains crucial for mineral
processing and metal extraction.
India aims to bolster its strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) by constructing its first privately managed
storage facility in partnership with a private company by 2029-30.
This approach mirrors the models adopted by countries like Japan and South Korea.
PepsiCo India announces a massive investment of ₹1,266 crore to establish a cutting-edge flavour
manufacturing facility in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh..
Tata Technologies and BMW Group join forces to establish automotive software and IT hubs in
Chennai.
UPI Ends FY24 with Record Transactions Worth ₹199 Lakh Crore.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) concluded FY24 on a remarkable note, achieving new milestones in
transaction volume and value during March 2024
Transactions worth ₹19.78 lakh crore processed in March 2024, surpassing the previous record set in
January 2024.
Microsoft and OpenAI unveil plans for 'Stargate,' a $100 billion AI supercomputer.
Government e Marketplace (GeM) has witnessed a remarkable growth, doubling its Gross
Merchandise Value (GMV) to ₹4-lakh crore in fiscal year 2023-24

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2024

WHO has declared Dhulikhel Municipality of Kavrepalanchok district as Nepal’s first ‘healthy city’
and second healthiest city in Asia.
Singapore Airlines Receives Approval For Vistara-Air India Merger.
Air India is owned by Tata Group and Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture between Tatas and Singapore
Airlines.
Typhoon Shanshan Hits Southern Japan
Iran Appoints Fatemeh Mohajerani As First Female Government Spokesperson
India and Indonesia Resolve to Boost Anti-Terror Cooperation.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Arun Agarwal, a Dallas-based Indian-American entrepreneur,
as the Chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) Board of Directors.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled new "suicide drones" designed to crash into enemy targets
with explosives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland marked a historic moment as it was the first visit by an
Indian Prime Minister to the country in 45 years.
India and Denmark Collaborate on Clean River Initiative
India overtook China as the world's biggest importer of Russian oil in July
India-New Zealand Sign Bilateral Customs Cooperation Agreement.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with the Habitat Charitable Trust, has proposed the
construc Thetion of a state-of-the-art faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) at Sarovaram.
China to Launch Satellite Constellation to Rival Musk’s Starlink.
China is close to launching its first batch of satellites for a mega constellation aimed at rivaling US
company SpaceX’s Starlink Internet network
Australian government has unveiled the Maitri Research and Cultural Partnerships Grants.
India has made a breakthrough by exporting its first GI-tagged fig juice to Poland.

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This follows the successful export of India’s first commercial consignment of GI-tagged Purandar figs to
Hong Kong in February 2023.
Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus To Lead Bangladesh Interim Government.
Bangladesh’s Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus will head the country’s interim government after former
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled the country amid a mass uprising against her rule led
mostly by students.
Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
Pakistan has paid over USD 3.6 billion in interest on IMF loans over the past 40 years.
Film producer Janet Yang has been re-elected for a third term as the President of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS JULY 2024

Japan Introduces New 3D Holographic Banknotes.
These banknotes feature cutting-edge holography, making the portraits of historic figures appear to rotate in
3D.
The new technology allows visually impaired people to feel and discern the banknotes they are holding.
Japan is set to unveil a new series of banknotes, marking the first significant redesign in two decades. This
update to the ¥10,000, ¥5,000, and ¥1,000 notes incorporates advanced anti-counterfeiting technologies
and features prominent historical figures.
India Placed in 'Regular Follow-Up' Category by FATF.
India has been categorized under the 'regular follow-up' by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The FATF held its plenary meeting in Singapore from June 26-28, 2024.
Alongside India, Russia, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom were also placed in the 'regular follow -up'
category.
FATF Evaluation of India:
India joined FATF in 2010 and underwent its first evaluation in the same year.
The next evaluation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and occurred in 2023.
India must submit a report addressing FATF concerns by October 2027.
About FATF:
Established in 1989 by G-7 countries to set global standards on AML/CFT/PF.
Inter-governmental body issuing recommendations and assessing countries' actions against financial
crimes.
Collaborates with IMF, World Bank, UN, and FATF-style regional bodies.
Headquartered in Paris, France, with 39 current members excluding Russia (suspended since 2023).
President: T Raja Kumar of Singapore.
Dick Schoof Elected as New Prime Minister of Netherlands.
Dick Schoof, former head of the Dutch intelligence agency and counterterrorism office, is sworn in as the
new Prime Minister of the Netherlands by King Willem-Alexander.
The Netherlands has a new Prime Minister for the first time in 14 years.
About Netherlands
The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe.
Monarch: King Willem-Alexander
Prime Minister: Dick Schoof
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: euro
Russia has approved the schedule for creating a Russian orbital station by 2033.
Launch Schedule
2027: Launch of the scientific and energy modules.
2030: Launch of three core modules:
Universal nodal module.
Gateway module.
Base module.

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2033 : Launch of two additional target modules.
Japan launched the Advanced Land Observation Satellite-4 "DAICHI-4" (ALOS-4) on July 1, 2024.
The launch took place from the Tanegashima Space Center using the third flight of the H3 Launch Vehicle
(H3 F3).
ALOS-4 is designed for earth observation and was deployed into orbit from off the coast of Kyushu, Japan.
About H3 Rocket System:
Developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries.
India Launches UPI Payments at Galeries Lafayette, Paris.
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) launched at the Galeries Lafayette flagship store on Haussmann
Boulevard, Paris.
Highlighted the strategic partnership between Lyra and the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI).
This launch is ahead of the Paris Olympics starting on July 26, 2024, expecting many Indian visitors.
Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko Becomes First Human to Spend 1,000 Days in Space.
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko was announced by Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, as the first
person to spend a total of 1,000 days in space.
Total Time in Space: By the end of his current mission on September 23, 2024, Kononenko will have spent
a total of 1,110 days in orbit.
In February 2024, Kononenko broke the previous record of 878 days in space set by his colleague,
Gennady Padalka.
U.K. PM Keir Starmer Appoints Rachel Reeves as the Country's First Female Chancellor.
Angela Rayner has been named Deputy Prime Minister, and Rachel Reeves has become the country's first
female Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Keir Starmer has been appointed as the new UK Prime Minister.
Yvette Cooper has been appointed as Home Secretary.
David Lammy has been named Foreign Secretary.
John Healey has been appointed Defence Secretary.
Keir Starmer Takes Helm as UK's 58th Prime Minister, Succeeding Rishi Sunak.
Keir Starmer of the Labour Party became the 58th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on July 5, 2024,
succeeding Rishi Sunak.
Labour secured 412 seats, an increase of 211, while the Conservative Party received 121 seats, a decrease of
250, in the 650-seat House of Commons.
Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iranian Presidential Election.
About Iran
Capital- Tehran
Currency - Iranian Rial
Ukraine and Poland Solidify Defense Partnership with New Security Agreement.
The agreement solidifies Poland's strong support for Ukraine amidst its conflict with Russia.
Dubai Hosts 4th India-GCC Food and Beverage Meet.
Dubai hosts the fourth edition of the India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Buyers Sellers Meet on Food
and Beverages.
About GCC
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (Gulf Cooperation Council).
Members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Headquarters: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
India-UAE Strengthen Defense Ties in 12th Joint Committee Meeting in Abu Dhabi.
The 12th India-UAE Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting took place in Abu Dhabi on
July 9, aiming to enhance defense relations
KP Sharma Oli took oath as Nepal PM.
Oli was appointed PM for the third time to lead the new coalition government.
He will replace Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.
About Nepal

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The kingdom of Nepal was established by the Shah dynasty.
It is a landlocked country in South Asia.
President - Ram Chandra Paudel
Capital - Kathmandu
Currency - Nepalese Rupee
Bangladesh Joins Colombo Security Conclave as 5th Full Member.
Bangladesh officially became the 5th full member of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), joining India,
Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and the Maldives.
The announcement was made during the 8th Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) meeting of the
CSC, hosted virtually by Mauritius on July 10, 2024.
Seychelles participated as an Observer state.
The 7th National Security Adviser (NSA)-level meeting of the CSC will be hosted by India in 2025.
About CSC:-
Established: 2011 as a trilateral maritime security group (India, Sri Lanka, Maldives).
Aim: Promote regional cooperation and shared security for littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region
(IOR).
Secretariat: Established in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2021.
India and Marshall Islands Strengthen Ties with MoU on Community Projects.
India and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) signed an MoU at the Embassy of India in Tokyo,
Japan.
The agreement is part of India's strategic Pacific outreach efforts.
It aims to strengthen bilateral ties under the Forum of India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).
Metsola from Malta Becomes First Female President to Secure Second Term in European Parliament.
Roberta Metsola was re-elected as President of the European Parliament on July 16, 2024, for another two
and a half years, extending her term until 2027.
Metsola became the first woman to win a second term as President of the European Parliament.
About European Union (EU).
Founded : 1 November 1993
Founders : Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
Headquarters : Brussels, Belgium
Members Country : 27
President of European Council : Antonion Costa (Portugal)
President of Commission : Ursula von der Leyen (Germany )
President of European Parliament : Roebrt Metsol (Malta).
The European Parliament has approved Ursula von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as
President of the European Commission.
About Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen.
Leyen, born 8 October 1958, is a German politician.
She has been the 13th president of the European Commission since 2019.
Yaël Braun-Pivet from Emmanuel Macron's centrist party has been re-elected as the speaker of the
National Assembly in France with 220 votes.
The National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) is the lower house of the French Parliament.
The upper house is the Senate (Sénat).
About France
President: Emmanuel Macron
Prime minister: Gabriel Attal
Capital: Paris
Currency : Euro.
Houston Zoo Administers First-Ever mRNA Vaccine to Combat Deadly EEHV in Elephants.
Tess, a 40-year-old Asian elephant at Houston Zoo, received the first-ever dose of an mRNA vaccine to
prevent elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) 1A.
The vaccine was created by virologists at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).
About Houston Zoo

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Location: Houston, Texas, United States
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar inaugurated India’s first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra in
Mauritius.
The Jan Aushadhi Kendra is a health partnership project aimed at supplying cost-effective, Made-in-India
medicines.
Jaishankar also inaugurated the Mediclinic project at Grand Bois village in Mauritius.
About Mauritius
Capital - Port Louis
Currency - Mauritian Rupee
Prime Minister - Pravind Jugnauth
China Unveils World's First Carbon Fiber-Only High-Speed Train.
China has unveiled the world's first carbon fiber-only passenger train, marking a significant advancement in
high-speed rail technology.
The carbon fiber train is significantly lighter than traditional trains, contributing to reduced pollution.
China Launches Gaofen-11 05 Satellite.
China launched the 'Gaofen-11 05', a high-resolution optical Earth Observation Satellite (EOS), into space.
The satellite was deployed aboard a Long March-4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Center (TSLC) in Shanxi Province, China.
This launch represents the 528th mission of the Long March rocket series and China's 33rd orbital mission
of 2024.
About China
Capital -Beijing
Currency - Renminbi
Official language - Mandarin
President -Xi Jinping
Kristen Michal Sworn in as Estonia's New Prime Minister.
President of Estonia Alar Karis swore in Kristen Michal, Chairman of the centrist Reform Party, as the
new Prime Minister (PM) of Estonia.
About Estonia
Capital: Tallinn
Currency: Euro
President: Alar Karis.
South Africa Enacts First Climate Change Act.
South Africa has enacted its first Climate Change Act, marking a significant step in its climate response
strategy
Zimbabwe Joins UN Water Conventions.
Zimbabwe, a Southern African country, has joined the Convention on the Protection and Use of
Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (UN Water Convention).
This accession showcases Zimbabwe's political will for cross-border water cooperation.
Zimbabwe became the 54th Party to the UN Water Convention and the 11th African nation to join the
treaty.
The UN Water Convention was adopted in Helsinki, Finland, in 1992 and came into force in 1996.
About Zimbabwe:
President - Emmerson Mnangagwa
Capital - Harare
Currency - Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG).
India Assumes Chairmanship of ADPC for 2024-25.
India has assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) for the 2024 -25
term.
Rajendra Singh, Member and Head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has taken
over as ADPC Chair from China.
The transition occurred on July 25, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand.
India, along with Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand,

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are founding members of ADPC.
India also chaired the 5th Board of Trustees meeting of ADPC on July 25, 2024, in Bangkok.
About Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC)
Founded in 1986, ADPC focuses on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific.
Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2024

Paraguay Joins International Solar Alliance as 100th Full Member.
Spain joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as the 99th member, reaffirming its commitment to
the solar energy initiative.
About International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Formation: Established on 30 November 2015 in Paris, France.
Purpose: Unite over 120 nations, primarily within the Tropics, to promote solar energy and reduce
reliance on fossil fuels.
Headquarters: Located at the National Institute of Solar Energy in Gurugram, Haryana, India.
Director General: Led by Dr. Ajay Mathur, the alliance fosters clean energy, sustainability, public
transport, and climate initiatives.
About Paraguay
Paraguay, a landlocked nation, is situated between Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia
Capital:- Asunción
President:- Santiago Peña
Currency : Guarani
Wärtsilä Unveils World's First Large-Scale 100% Hydrogen-Ready Engine Power Plant.
Wärtsilä Oyj Abp, a Finland-based company, has launched the world's first large-scale 100% hydrogen-
ready engine power plant to support net-zero power systems.
Ukraine Launches World's First Unmanned Systems Forces.
Ukraine has established the world's first stand-alone military branch solely dedicated to unmanned
systems, known as the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF).
The symbol representing the USF is a "steel swallow," which was designed by a neural network.
Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected as the President of South Africa.
The PaintBrush Art Community, consisting of Indian diaspora artists in the UAE, organized the
"Retro Revival" exhibition
Philemon Yang Elected President of the Upcoming General Assembly Session.
Renowned Indian artist Krishna Kanhai unveiled "The Golden Krishna" collection in Dubai.
Exhibition focuses on Lord Krishna, showcasing Kanhai's latest works.
Showcase includes a life-sized, 3D painting of Tirupati Balaji made with 24-karat gold.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS MAY 2024

India announces $1 million relief assistance to landslide-hit Papua New Guinea.
Gitanas Nauseda has been re-elected as the President of the Republic of Lithuania, securing a second
five-year term from 2024 to 2029.
About Lithuania
The Prime Minister of Lithuania is Ingrida Simonyte.

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Gitanas Nauseda serves as the President of Lithuania.
The capital city of Lithuania is Vilnius.
The currency used in Lithuania is the Lithuanian litas (LTL).
Purnima Shrestha Makes History: First Woman to Scale Everest Thrice in 13 Days.
Purnima Shrestha, a 32-year-old mountaineer and photojournalist from Gorkha, Nepal, has achieved a
historic feat.
She is now recognized as the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest three times in a single
season.
This remarkable accomplishment was achieved within a span of just 13 days.
Nepali mountaineer and guide Kami Rita Sherpa has achieved a historic feat by becoming the first
person to climb Mount Everest a remarkable 29 times
World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a new 'Investment Round' with the objective of
raising $7 billion to address global challenges.
About WHO
Founded:- 7 April 1948
Headquarters:- Geneva, Switzerland
Founders:- United States, Brazil, Mexico, France, Australia, Türkiye,
Parent organization:- United Nations
Director-General:- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Mahamat Idriss Deby was sworn in as President of Chad.
Deby won the presidential election on May 6, 2024, and will serve a five-year term
Succes Masra was appointed Prime Minister in January 2024.
About Chad
Capital :- N'Djamena
Currency :- Central African CFA franc.
The 2568th Buddha Jayanti and Lumbini Day was celebrated in Nepal on April 23 and devotees
gathered at the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to celebrate the
occasion.
Spain becomes the 99th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), marking its commitment to
solar energy initiatives.
About Spain
King - Felipe VI of Spain
Prime Minister - Pedro Sánchez
Capital - Madrid
Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai Becomes Fourth Prime Minister of Singapore.
Wong succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2024.
The oath was administered by the President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
India, Iran Sign 10-Year Deal for Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal.
India and Iran sealed a decade-long deal to manage the Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal at Chabahar
Port, Iran, promoting regional connectivity and trade relations.
The agreement was inked between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of
India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), and the Port and Maritime Organisation (PMO) of
Iran.

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India has extended a credit line of USD 250 million for joint ventures aimed at bolstering infrastructure
associated with Chabahar.
Chabahar Port, situated in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of South Eastern Iran, comprises two major
ports: Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.
The project is a joint initiative between India and Iran.
Climeworks launches world's largest DAC+S plant “Mammoth” in Iceland.
Climeworks AG, a Swiss startup, inaugurated Mammoth, the largest operational Direct Air Capture
and Storage (DAC + S) facility globally, located in Iceland.
Mammoth's purpose is to extract carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and sequester it
underground in rock formations.
John Swinney Elected 7th First Minister of Scotland.
John Ramsay Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), was elected as the 7th First
Minister of Scotland by the Scottish Parliament.
About Scotland
Capital - Edinburgh
Currency - Pound sterling
Fusion Micro Finance Secures $25 Million Loan from US International DFC.
Fusion Micro Finance has obtained a $25 million loan from the United States International
Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to fuel its expansion plans, primarily focusing on
empowering rural women entrepreneurs.
India has called for setting up a region-specific ocean observation centre for better forecasting and
understanding of the deep sea ecosystem.
The Indian delegation led by Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran made these observations at the
2024 Ocean Decade Conference held in Barcelona, Spain .
The first in-person Ocean Decade Conference was held in Barcelona, Spain, from 10 to 12 April 2024.
The theme of the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona was: Delivering the science we need for
the ocean we want.
United Nations launched the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
(2021-2030).
World Bank's new report "Water for Shared Prosperity," released at the 10th World Water Forum in
Bali, Indonesia, highlights the alarming global water crisis and its implications for human and
economic development worldwide.
As of 2022, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and 3.5 billion lack
access to safely managed sanitation.
Eight out of ten people without basic drinking water and sanitation services reside in rural areas.
World’s Highest Observatory Inaugurated in Chile by University of Tokyo
The Japanese University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, or TAO, which was first conceptualized 26
years ago to study the evolution of galaxies and exoplanets, is perched on top of a tall mountain in the
Chilean Andes at 5,640 meters (18,500 feet) above sea level. The facility's altitude surpasses even the
Atacama Large Millimeter Array, which is at an elevation of 5,050 meters (16,570 feet).
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), will transition
from his current role to become chairman of the board of trustees by January next year.
India will host the first dedicated discussions on regulating Antarctic tourism at the 46th Antarctic
Treaty Consultative Meeting in Kochi.
World’s First 6G Device Launched in Japan.
A Japanese consortium unveiled the world's first high-speed 6G prototype gadget, surpassing 5G by 20
times. Developed by DOCOMO, NTT, NEC, and Fujitsu, it can transmit data over 300 feet at 100
Gbps, tested successfully indoors and outdoors.

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Venezuela Becomes First Country to Lose All Glaciers.
PhonePe Launches UPI in Sri Lanka in Partnership with LankaPay.
PhonePe has partnered with LankaPay to enable UPI payments in Sri Lanka, allowing PhonePe users
to transact seamlessly at LankaPay QR merchants.
Dubai has unveiled the 'Dubai Gaming Visa' as part of the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 to provide
comprehensive support to skilled individuals and pioneers in the e-gaming industry.
Kami Rita of Nepal has broken his own world record by climbing Mount Everest 29 times.
This is the 29th time in the last 30 years that he has climbed the world's highest mountain.
Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak, with a height of 8,848.86 metres or 29,031.69 feet.
Kami Rita first conquered the Everest peak in 1994 and has been climbing the mountain peak almost
every year.
He is popularly known as the Everest Man.
India Contributes $500,000 to UN Counter-Terrorism Trust Fund.
Mumbai & Delhi Among 50 Wealthiest Cities of World: Henley & Partners.
In a reflection of the continued economic growth in India, two Indian cities, Mumbai and Delhi, have
been included for the first time in the top 50 world’s wealthiest cities of the world. Mumbai was
ranked 24th, and Delhi was 37th in the world in the Wealthiest Cities Report 2024 which was released
recently.
The Wealthiest Cities Report 2024 has been compiled by Henley & Partners in collaboration with New
World Wealth, a global data intelligence firm.
The wealthiest person has been defined as HNWIs (High worth individuals) who have a liquid
investable wealth of USD 1 million or more
According to the report, New York City in the United States continues to be the world’s wealthiest city
with 349,500 millionaires having a combined total wealth of more than $3 trillion.
Sri Lanka approves 20-year power purchase pact with Adani Green Energy.
Sri Lankan government has approved an agreement with Adani Green Energy, led by Gautam Adani,
for the development of wind power stations in Mannar and Poonerin.
The deal follows Adani Green Energy’s approval in February 2023 to invest $442 million and develop
484 megawatts of wind power plants in the two towns of Mannar and Poonerin in Northern Sri Lanka.
India, 3rd-highest solar power generator in the world, overtakes Japan.
Top 10 Solar Power-Generating Countries in the World.
1.China
2. United States of America
3. India
4. Japan
5. Germany
6. Brazil
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. Italy
10. South Korea.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), if the world is to achieve a "Net Zero Emissions"
scenario, solar power's contribution to total global electricity production must increase to 22 per cent
by 2030.
At the United Nations COP28 climate change conference held in Dubai, UAE, in December 2023, an
agreement was reached to triple the global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
India has committed to achieving 50 per cent of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from
non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

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India and Nigeria have agreed to finalize the Local Currency Settlement System Agreement to enhance
bilateral trade.
NPCI Partners with Bank of Namibia to Develop UPI-Like Instant Payment System.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), has signed an agreement with the Bank of Namibia (BoN) to support
them in developing an instant payment system like Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for Namibia.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2024

Sweden becomes 38th country to sign NASA's "Artemis Accords".
Switzerland preceded Sweden, becoming the 37th country to sign the Artemis Accords on April 15,
2024.
Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, Qatar, clinched the title of World's Best Airport in the
2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards.
Singapore Changi Airport, previous winner of the 2023 Airport of the Year award, secured 2nd place
overall and was recognized as the Best Airport in Asia.
Indian Airports in the 2024 Global Rankings:
Delhi Airport retained 36th place.
World's first 'Miss AI' beauty pageant launched by WAICAs.
World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) launches the inaugural Miss AI beauty pageant.
Open to AI creators around the world to showcase their models.
Appointment of Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as Prime Minister of Kuwait.
About Kuwait
Capital - Kuwait City
Currency - Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD).
Israel has introduced its maritime defense system, known as the C-Dome, for the first time in Eilat,
Israel's southernmost city.
The C-Dome is essentially a naval adaptation of the Iron Dome, a renowned air defense system
designed to safeguard against rocket and missile threats.
The C-Dome Defense System is a product of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, a state-owned Israeli
defense corporation.
Angara-A5 successfully launched on April 11, 2024, from Vostochny Cosmodrome, replacing Proton M
as Russia's heavy-lift rocket.
Avi Wigderson, an Israeli mathematician and computer scientist, was awarded the 2023 ACM A.M.
Turing Award.
This award is widely regarded as the "Nobel Prize of Computing".
The ACM A.M. Turing Award carries a prestigious cash prize of USD 1 million.
Benediktsson took office as Prime Minister of Iceland on April 9, 2024, succeeding Katrín Jakobsdóttir.
Iceland
Capital : Reykjavík
Currency : Króna
President : Guðni Th. Jóhannesson.
Simon Harris becomes the youngest new Prime Minister of Ireland.
Simon Harris, aged 37 and leader of the Fine Gael party, elected as the new Taoiseach (Prime Minister)
of the Republic of Ireland by members of the Dáil (Irish parliament).

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Harris becomes the youngest Prime Minister in the history of the Republic of Ireland.
RBZ Launches Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) Currency Backed by Gold and Foreign Reserves.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has launched a new currency called "Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)," which
is backed by gold and foreign currencies, aiming to replace the local currency, Zimbabwe dollars (ZW$)
Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar.
Denominations of ZiG notes and coins include 1ZiG, 2ZIG, 5ZIG, 10ZIG, 20Zig, 50ZIG, 100ZIG, and
200ZİG.
Valerie Adams Named International Ambassador for 16th edition of the Tata Consultancy Services
World 10K Bengaluru.
Peter Pellegrini wins in Slovakia's Presidential Election.
About Slovakia
Capital - Bratislava
Prime Minister - Robert Fico
Currency - Euro.
Romania unveils world's most powerful laser.
Developed by a research center in Romania as part of the EU Infrastructure Extreme Light
Infrastructure (ELI) project.
Operated by French company Thales.
Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018 for their
pioneering work in laser technology.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Sworn in for Third Term.
Judith Suminwa Tuluka becomes the first female Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.
Romania and Bulgaria formally joined, at least partially, Europe's visa-free Schengen travel area.
First ever Hindi language radio broadcast in Kuwait.
16th World Future Energy Summit started in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The 16th World Future Energy Summit has recently commenced in Abu Dhabi, gathering global
leaders, policymakers, and experts in the field of sustainable energy and climate initiatives.
Nigeria Become 1st country to roll out a Vaccine for Meningitis .
Nigeria has become the first country to administer the Men5CV/MenFive conjugate vaccine
recommended by WHO, which protects from five strains of meningococcal bacteria.
This vaccine called MenFive is used to prevent meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis
groups A, C, Y, W, and X in people aged 9 months to 85 years.
The vaccine was developed by PATH and the Serum Institute of India
Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria Re-appointed as IMF Managing Director.
Kristalina Georgieva has been re-appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) for another 5-year term starting October 1, 2024.
PhonePe partners with eSewa & Hotel Association of Nepal Pokhara for UPI Push at the Fewa New
Year Festival.
PhonePe has partnered with e-Sewa and the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) Pokhara to popularize
UPI on the Fonepay Network, as a part of the Fewa New Year Festival which will be held from April
11-14th.
China Surpasses India as Largest Importer of Russian Crude.
China has surpassed India to become the leading importer of Russian crude oil through mar itime
routes, with China importing 1.82 million barrels per day (bpd) in March compared to India’s 1.36
million bpd.

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The International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, concluded with a closing ceremony held at the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy, on March 29th, 2024.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS AUGUST 2024

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman granted ‘Navratna’ status to four Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs): NHPC, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Railtel Corporation of India
(RCIL), and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN).
This brings the total number of Navratna CPSEs in India to 25.
Railtel Corporation: The 22nd Navratna, with a turnover of ₹2,622 crore and a net profit of ₹246 crore for
FY24.
Solar Energy Corporation: The 23rd Navratna, reporting an annual turnover of ₹13,035 crore and a net
profit of ₹436 crore for FY24.
NHPC: The 24th Navratna, with an annual turnover of ₹8,405 crore and a net profit of ₹3,744 crore for
FY24.
SJVN: The 25th Navratna, posting an annual turnover of ₹2,833 crore and a net profit of ₹908 crore for
FY24.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra to lay the foundation stone of the Vadhvan Port
project and address the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 in Mumbai.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has announced the results of its online human rights
photography competition – 2024 organized in collaboration with MyGov.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the new GST Bhawan in Udaipur, located in the
Hiran Magri area.
Union Government's 2024 guidelines streamline public grievance redressal by introducing a unified
CPGRAMS platform, reducing response time to 21 days, and appointing dedicated nodal officers.
The timeline for grievance redressal has been shortened to 21 days from the previous 30 days.
Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create five new districts in the union territory of Ladakh.
These districts are – Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.
Ladakh currently has only two districts – Leh and Kargil.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed certificates to 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis in a function
organised at Jalgaon in Maharashtra.
Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat, India, has reached full operational capacity with its
second 700 MW nuclear reactor, KAPS-4
The Union Ministry of Power launched three new online platforms—PROMPT, DRIPS, and JAL
VIDYUT DPR—to enhance efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness in the power sector.
India’s first Constitution Museum, named “The Constitution Academy and The Rights & Freedoms
Museum,” is set to be inaugurated by OP Jindal Global University on November 26, 2024.
This initiative celebrates the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution.
Union Cabinet has greenlit significant airport infrastructure projects in West Bengal and Bihar, with a total
investment of approximately ₹2,962 crore.
The Cabinet has approved the construction of a second airport at the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Bihta,
Patna, with an estimated cost of ₹1,413 crore.
In West Bengal, a new terminal building will be constructed at Bagdogra airport at a cost of ₹1,549 crore.
India has reduced the windfall tax on petroleum crude oil to Rs 2,100 per metric tonne, effective August 17,
down from Rs 4,600 per tonne
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will serve as the chief guest at the inaugural ET World Leaders Forum,
scheduled for August 31 in New Delhi.
Theme: “Leadership for Global Prosperity”
Cyclone Asna has formed over the Kutch coast in Gujarat and adjoining areas of Pakistan, the India
Meteorological Department (IMD).
Asna name has been given by Pakistan.

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Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched its first indigenously developed Pollution Control Vessel, ‘Samudra
Pratap,’ in Goa.
The vessel, built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL),
Odisha has launched India's first 24/7 grain ATM, the Annapurti Grain ATM, to modernize the Public
Distribution System

NATIONAL AFFAIRS JULY 2024

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has launched the 'Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan' in Goa.
'Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan' scheme is in alignment with the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar Muft Bijli
Yojana.
It aims to increase solar rooftop potential and empower residential homes to generate their own electricity.
Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has a budget of Rs 75,021 crore.
The scheme will run until the fiscal year 2026-27.
Aims to boost solar energy adoption across India and reduce reliance on traditional power sources.
43rd UNESCO Heritage Site of India: Moidams of Assam.
Charaideo Maidam Becomes Northeast India’s First Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Moidams of Assam, the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, have been included in the
cultural category of the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is the 43rd site in India to be included in
UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.
3rd site of Assam to be included in UNESCO’s Heritage List
The Moidams of Assam- the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty is the third site in Assam and
North East to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List and the first in the cultural category.
Kaziranga National Park of Assam and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary were included in the UNESCO list in
1985 under the Natural category.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually initiated the first blast for the Shinkun La Tunnel project in
Kargil, Ladakh.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Amrit Brikshya Andolan 2.0 app.
The app enables individuals to register or renew their participation in the tree-planting campaign.
Telangana CM Launches 'Rajiv Gandhi Civils Abhayahastam' Scheme.
Anumula Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister (CM) of Telangana, launched the 'Rajiv Gandhi Civils
Abhayahastam' scheme.
Under this scheme, financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to Telangana's Civil Services aspirants
who have qualified for the Mains exams of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Eligible Categories: SC, ST, OBC, Women, and EWS.
Income Limit: Family annual income must be less than Rs 8 lakh.
Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, launched the 'Shramik Basera' scheme.
The scheme aims to provide temporary accommodation for around 15,000 construction workers at a daily
rent of Rs 5.
Telangana Launches Innovative Project Swasthya Nagaram for TB-Free Municipalities.
A unique model for TB-Free Municipalities, under the Project Swasthya Nagaram, was launched in
Hyderabad, Telangana.
The initiative involves the State Tuberculosis Cell, Municipal Corporations of Peerzadiguda, Boduppal,
and Pocharam in Medchal Malkajgiri district, Central TB Division, WHO India, USAID, and other
stakeholders.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the OTT platform 'Hello Meghalaya' on July
12 in Shillong.
The platform aims to support and promote local filmmakers, content creators, and musicians by providing
them with a dedicated space to showcase their work
Haryana government has introduced the IT Saksham Yuva Scheme 2024 to enhance youth
empowerment and employment.
The scheme's initial phase aims to create 5,000 job opportunities for young individuals.
New Plant Species Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.

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Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have identified a new plant species named
Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii in the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Papum Pare district, Arunachal
Pradesh.
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of dogfish shark off
the coast of Kerala.
Dehradun Opens State’s First Bird Gallery Near Jolly Grant Airport.
The state’s first bird gallery was recently opened in Dehradun near Jolly Grant airport by the research wing
of the forest department.
Manvi Madhu Kashyap Becomes India's First Transgender Sub-Inspector.
Manvi Madhu Kashyap, from a small village in Bhagalpur, Bihar, has become India's first transgender sub-
inspector.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Unveils ‘Ladla Bhai Yojana’ for Boys.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the ‘Ladla Bhai Yojana’for boys on Ashadhi
Ekadashi at the Vitthal temple in Pandharpur.
The scheme aims to provide financial aid and skill development to the youth of Maharashtra.
Monthly Grant:
Graduate boys: Rs 10,000 per month.
Boys pursuing diploma: Rs 8,000 per month.
Boys who have passed the 12th standard: Rs 6,000 per month.
Uttarakhand Integrates eSwasthya Dham Portal with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
The eSwasthya Dham portal, launched by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of
Uttarakhand, is now integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
This integration aims to create an integrated digital health infrastructure across India.
The portal monitors the health parameters of pilgrims on the Char Dham Yatra, which includes visits to
Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
Pilgrims can create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), a 14-digit number, in just 1-2
minutes using the portal.
Amit Shah Inaugurates Prime Minister College of Excellence in MP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Prime Minister College of Excellence in all 55 districts
of Madhya Pradesh.
The initiative aims to provide excellent and high-quality education to students across MadhyaPradesh.
India Hosts 6th EAS Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation in Mumbai.
The 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation was held in Mumbai,
Maharashtra .
The conference was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI).
Partnered with the Governments of Australia and Indonesia.
Supported the EAS Plan of Action 2024-2028.
Karnataka Launches 'Digital Nagarik & AR-VR Skills'.
Karnataka minister for Information Technology (IT) and Biotechnology (BT), Priyank Kharge, has
introduced the 'Digital Nagarik and Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR-VR) Skills' Programmes in
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The programme was launched in partnership with Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook).
Objective: To train over 1 lakh teachers and 10 lakh students across Karnataka in digital safety and AR-VR
by 2025.
The programme will train 10 lakh students aged 18 to 24 from various schools, Pre-University (PU)
colleges, and universities in Karnataka in digital safety and AR-VR skills.
Rajasthan aims to pioneer India's first ten-year action plan focused on enhancing road safety.
Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa announced the plan's goal: a 50% reduction in traffic accidents
by 2030.
Vizhinjam Port arrival First Container Ship 'San Fernando.
The Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, achieved a historic milestone with the arrival of its
first container ship, 'San Fernando'.
'San Fernando' departed from Xiamen Port in China and received a water salute upon arrival.

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Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a policy to waive registration tax on strong hybrid cars,
effective immediately as per a July circular.
This initiative offers a 100 percent waiver on registration fees, potentially saving customers up to Rs 3.5
lakh.
Manufacturers such as Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Honda Cars India are set to benefit
from this decision.
Tata Power Solar Systems Limited launched 'Ghar Ghar Solar, Tata Power ke Sang' initiative in Uttar
Pradesh.
The initiative aims to provide rooftop solar solutions to every home in Uttar Pradesh starting from
Varanasi.
The initiative promises substantial financial savings and environmental benefits through state-of-the-art
Rooftop Solar Solutions (RTS).
Maharashtra has been awarded the Best Agriculture State Award for 2024 by the 15th Agriculture
Leadership Awards Committee.
The award recognizes Maharashtra's innovative agricultural and rural initiatives.
The Yogi Adityanath government announced the launch of 'Mitra Van' under the Tree Plantation Jan
Abhiyan-2024.
The aim of the 'Mitra Van' initiative is to increase the green cover on the Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border.
The 'Mitra Van' initiative will be on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Nepal.
Madhya Pradesh Launches 'Lokpath Mobile App' to Expedite Road Issue Resolution.
Developed by Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation Limited (MPSEDC), the app
was created by the Public Works Department (PWD).
It allows the public to report road issues by submitting images directly to officials
Aims to improve 40,000 kilometers of roads in Madhya Pradesh, addressing national highways, state
highways, and major district roads.
Andhra Pradesh Launches NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched the NTR Bharosa pension scheme.
Increased Monthly Pensions:
Old-aged, widows, weavers, toddy tappers, fishermen, single women, traditional cobblers, transgenders,
and artistes: Increased from ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 per month.
Disabled and multi-deformity leprosy patients: Increased from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 per month.
Fully disabled (bedridden/wheelchair-bound), severe muscular dystrophy patients: Increased from ₹5,000
to ₹15,000 per month.
Chronic disease patients (e.g., kidney diseases, thalassemia): Increased from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 per month.
Uttar Pradesh government has passed the draft for the Uttar Pradesh Nodal Investment Region for
Manufacturing (Construction) Area Bill (NIRMAN)-2024.
National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Spices Board of India signed an MoU to study cardamom
diseases in Sikkim using AI.
The project is titled "Development and Deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aided Tools for
Detection and Classification of Large Cardamom Diseases."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has extended the age limit for the Mukhyamantri Majhi
Ladki Bahin Yojana to 65 years.
Eligible beneficiaries to receive ₹1500 monthly aid starting from July.
Eligible women aged 21 to 65 years will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 under this scheme.
Uttar Pradesh becomes the first state in India to generate one crore tokens through the Ayushman
Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID.
ABHA ID:
Initiative by the National Health Authority (NHA) under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
Features a unique 14-digit identification number linked to Aadhaar or mobile numbers.
Telangana Registers First FIR Under New Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Charminar Police Station.
The first FIR under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which replaces the Indian Penal Code
(IPC) from July 1, was registered at the Charminar police station in Hyderabad.

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Enactment of three new criminal laws effective from 1 July 2024.
Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita (BNS2) Act, 2023.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita (BNSS2) Act, 2023.
Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Adhiniyam Act, 2023.
These new laws replaced British-colonial era laws:
The Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
The Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973.
The Indian Evidence Act (IEA), 1872
Bihar Assembly passed the Anti-Paper Leak Bill, imposing strict penalties, including a 10-year
minimum prison sentence and a ₹1 crore fine, to combat malpractices in government exams.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. to set up Green Charcoal plant in Haryana.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL) will set up two green charcoal plants in Gurugram and
Faridabad, Haryana.
The plant will be set up in Bandhwari, Gurugram, and Motuka in Faridabad.
Each plant will cost Rs 500 crore.
The combined capacity of the two plants will be to process 1,500 tonnes of daily collected waste materials
into charcoal.
Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) has inaugurated a centre of excellence on “Classical and
Quantum Communications for 6G” at IITM Research Park, Chennai.
Haryana government announced a 10 per cent quota for Agniveers in select government jobs amid
rising protests from students and political parties.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS JUNE 2024

Asia’s First Health Research “Pre-Clinical Network Facility” Inaugurated in Faridabad.
Uttar Pradesh government has announced an ambitious plan to establish a bioplastic park in the
Lakhimpur Kheri district.
Jaipur Military Station has become the second military station in India to have a road made from plastic
waste.
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved Tata Sons’ proposal to build a ‘museum of temples’ in Ayodhya, a project
worth Rs 650 crore to be funded through Tata’s corporate.
Union Territory of Ladakh Achieves Full Functional Literacy Under ULLAS.
Ladakh has achieved full functional literacy, reaching over 97 percent literacy under the ULLAS-Nav
Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
Madhya Pradesh cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, decided, that ministers will now pay
income tax on their salaries and allowances themselves.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India inaugurated the ‘Chadwick House: Navigating Audit
Heritage’ Museum at Shimla.
Bharat Centre of Olympic Research and Education (BCORE) was inaugurated at the Rashtriya Raksha
University in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district.
India’s First Coal Gasification Pilot Project Launched in Jamtara District of Jharkhand.
Srinagar has become the fourth Indian city to be recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Craft
Council (WCC).
Three years after it was designated as part of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN) for crafts and
folk arts.
Haryana govt Increases Reservation for OBC Category from 15% to 27%.
Uttar Pradesh is set to establish the world’s first conservation and breeding centre for Asian king vultures or
red-headed vultures in Maharajganj.
Kozhikode made history by becoming the first UNESCO City of Literature in India.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurated the National Yoga Olympiad 2024 in Mysuru.

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 Madhya Pradesh government has completed preparations for its ambitious cheetah reintroduction project
at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
This is slated to be the second home for cheetahs in India after Kuno National Park.
International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has committed $105 million
(approximately Rs 871 crore) to Brookfield’s Bikaner Solar Power project in Rajasthan.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched an intra-State air service to promote tourism Raja
Bhoj International Airport in the state capital Bhopal.
It is called ‘PM Shri Paryatan Vayu Seva’ and the first flight was flagged off from the capital Bhopal to
Jabalpur.
Jammu & Kashmir Elevates Agricultural Partnership with New Zealand.
Assam Launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina’ Scheme to Promote Girl Education.
Pema Khandu of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took the oath as the Chief Minister of Arunachal
Pradesh for the third consecutive time.
Chandrababu Naidu Sworn In as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for 4th Term.
Mohan Charan Majhi as the new Chief Minister of Odisha. He becomes the 15th Chief minister of Odisha.
Bhajan Lal Sharma, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, has announced an ambitious plan to develop the
Maharana Pratap Tourist Circuit with an investment of Rs 100 crore.
Uttarakhand government organized India’s first-ever astro-tourism event called ‘Nakshatra Sabha’ in
Mussoorie, the ‘Queen of Hills’,.
Kerala has introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning in the Information & Communication
Technology (ICT) textbook for Class 7 students.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS MAY 2024

According to the Central Electricity Authority’s latest data, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top state
in terms of adding transmission lines by state transmission companies in 2023-24.
National Desert Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, has revealed a significant presence of the critically endangered
Great Indian Bustard.
Karnataka government has mandated a 33% reservation for women in outsourced government jobs.
Japan and Nagaland Inaugurate Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco Park.
IREDA, a state-owned entity promoting renewable energy, establishes a subsidiary in GIFT City's
IFSC, Gujarat
Uttarakhand government has launched the ‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ campaign to contain the raging forest fires
in the state.
Manipur Launches “School on Wheels” Initiative for Students in Relief Camps.
Uttarakhand Tourism Announced India’s First Astro Tourism Campaign Named ‘Nakshatra Sabha’.
Uttarakhand government has suspended the manufacturing licenses of 14 products from Patanjali Ayurved,
founded by Baba Ramdev.
In a collaborative effort between the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation Cell
(SVEEP) of Kamrup Election District and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, a
groundbreaking 3D-printed dummy ballot unit has been unveiled.
The government of Tamil Nadu has launched a three-day survey of the Nilgiri Tahr, the state’s iconic
animal.
This initiative aims to better understand and conserve this endangered species that faces numerous
challenges, including habitat loss and poaching

NATIONAL AFFAIRS APRIL 2024

The 34th Seng Khihlang festival, a revered event for adherents of the Khasi Indigenous Faith, recently

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 concluded in Wahiajer, Meghalaya.
Madhya Pradesh excels in implementing the Green Credit Programme, facilitating tree plantation across 10
states.
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in Dharamshala has become the first BCCI-
accredited venue to install a state-of-the-art 'hybrid pitch'.
Uttar Pradesh has unveiled its first-ever glass skywalk bridge, located at the enchanting Tulsi (Shabari)
Waterfall in Chitrakoot.
Three traditional products from Tripura have recently received the prestigious Geographical Indication
(GI) tag. The products are Matabari pera prasad, Rignai pachara textiles and Risa. With this, Tripura now
has 4 GI Protected products.
Uttar Pradesh has taken the lead in having the highest number of Geographical Indication (GI) certified
products in the country. With the recent addition of 15 new products, Uttar Pradesh now boasts a total of
69 GI-tagged products, surpassing Tamil Nadu’s 58

INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES AUGUST 2024

IIT-Madras retains Top Ranking in the 9th NIRF 2024 Overall Category.
Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) Madras has retained its top spot in the recently released 9th India
Rankings report which ranks the High Educational Institutions in India.
IIT Madras retained its first position in the Overall Category for the sixth consecutive year, from 2019 to 2024.
The 9th Indian Rankings report was released by the Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on 12
August 2024 in New Delhi
Top Three Institutions in the 9th India Ranking 2024

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RIL top-ranked Indian Company on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 List.
Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) maintained its status as the top-ranked Indian company in
the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list.
Nine Indian companies were included in the 2024 list, with RIL improving its rank from 86 to 88.
Only eight Indian companies were included in the list in 2023, and HDFC Bank was included for the first time
this year.
The 2024 Fortune Global 500 List was released by the global multi-platform media company Fortune on 5
August 2024. American company Walmart retained its top position on the list for the 11th consecutive year.
Indian Companies on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 List

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Top 10 Fortune Global 500 List

According to the Prime Global Cities Index (PGCI) Q2 2024 by Knight Frank.
Mumbai has secured the 2nd position with a 13% annual increase in prime residential property prices.
while New Delhi is ranked 3rd with a 10.6% increase.
Manila topped the list with a remarkable 26% annual increase.
This index tracks the performance of luxury residential prices across 44 global cities.
Amul was ranked as the world's strongest food and dairy brand in 2024 according to Brand Finance's annual
Food & Drink report.
Brand Strength Index (BSI): Amul scored 91 out of 100 on the BSI, earning an AAA+ rating.
Brand value: Amul's brand value increased 11% to $3.3 billion in 2024

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is a key player in the global financial system, securing its place as the 12th
largest central bank worldwide based on total assets.
According to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute (SWFI), central banks hold a variety of assets, including
foreign exchange reserves, gold, and government bonds, which reflect their economic influence.
Top 10 richest global central banks in 2024.

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India Ranked 39th in the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024.
World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released its Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) for
2024, offering a comprehensive evaluation of India's standing in the global tourism landscape.
India has secured the 39th position among 119 countries in the 2024 TTD.
Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024 overall rankings

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Parle, the biscuit brand owned by Parle Products, continues to be India's top FMCG brand.
Parle, the biscuit brand owned by Parle Products, continues to be India’s top FMCG brand.
According to the latest edition of Brand Footprint, Kantar World panel’s annual ranking of the most chosen
consumer brands in India

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 INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES JULY 2024
Global Liveability Index 2024
Released By : Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
TOP : Vienna, Austria
2nd : Copenhagen, Denmark
3rd : Zurich, Switzerland
4th : Melbourne, Australia
5th : Calgary, Canada
6th : Geneva, Switzerland
7th : Sydney, Australia
8th : Vancouver, Canada
9th : Osaka, Japan (Only Asian City)
10th : Auckland, New Zealand
India's rank on the Henley Passport Index improved by two places to 82, according to the recently
released 2024 Henley Passport Index. Singapore displaced Japan to become the world's most powerful
passport, while Pakistan remained the fourth-worst-ranked country for the fourth consecutive year.
At present, an Indian passport holder can travel to 58 countries without the requirement of any visa.
Singapore improved its rank to become the world’s most powerful passport. Singapore citizens can visit
visa-free 195 of 227 travel destinations around the world.
At the joint second place were France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, each with visa-free access to 192
destinations.
Afghanistan’s passport is ranked at the bottom, at 103, in the 2024 Henley Passport Index. An Afghan
citizen can travel only to 26 countries visa-free.
State of the World’s Forests 2024, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently, has
brought both relief and concern regarding the state of the world’s forests.
About State of the World’s Forests 2024 Report:
It is published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
It provides a comprehensive analysis of forest conditions and trends.
Highlights of the Report:
It highlighted a decline in deforestation rates compared to previous decades, with several countries showing
significant improvements.
The data also reveals a disturbing picture of the challenges forests face due to climate change.
In 2020, the global forest covered approximately 4.1 billion hectares (ha), or 31 per cent of the land area.
Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America, and China account for 54 per cent of the global
forest area, in descending order.
Virat Kohli Tops Celebrity Brand Valuation In 2023.
Cricketer Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot to become India’s most valued celebrity, boasting a brand
value of $227.9 million in 2023. However, this value still falls short of his peak brand value of $237.7
million in 2020, as reported by Kroll’s Celebrity Brand Valuation Report 2023.
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh to second place at $203.1 million.
India’s population is projected to peak at 1.7 billion in the early 2060s before declining by 12%, as predicted
by the United Nations’ World Population Prospects 2024 report. Despite the decline, India will remain the
world’s most populous country throughout the 21st century.
India ranks fifth in Generative AI (GenAI) innovations with 1,350 patents, trailing China, the US,
Republic of Korea, and Japan.
Tata Group has maintained its position as India’s most valuable brand with a value of US$ 28.6
billion, marking a 9% increase from last year.
Infosys ranks second, and HDFC Group has surged to third place following its merger with HDFC Ltd

INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES JUNE 2024

Global Energy Transition Index 2024
Released By : World Economic Forum(WEF)

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TOP : Sweden
2nd : Denmark
3rd : Finland
4th : Switzerland
5th : France
INDIA : 63
Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024
TOP : Estonia
2nd : Luxembourg
3rd : Germany
4th : Finland
5th : United Kingdom
INDIA : 176
Global Gender Gap Report 2023
Released By : World Economic Forum (WEF)
TOP : Iceland
2nd : Finland
3rd : Norway
4th : New Zealand
5th : Sweden
INDIA : 129
Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024
Released By : World Economic Forum(WEF)
TOP : United States of America
2nd : Spain
3rd : Japan
4th : France
5th : Australia
INDIA : 39
Global Peace Index 2024
Published By : the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)
TOP : Iceland
2nd : Ireland
3rd : Austria
4th : New Zealand
5th : Singapore
INDIA : 116th
Infosys, a leading information technology company, has secured its position among the 100 most valuable
brands in the world for the third consecutive year.
QS World University Rankings 2025
TOP : Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, United States
2nd : Imperial College London, United Kingdom
3rd : University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) : 118th

INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES MAY 2024

World Press Freedom Index 2024
Released By : Reporters without Borders
TOP : Norway
2nd : Denmark
3rd : Sweden
4th : Netherlands

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5th : Finland
INDIA : 159
A recent report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember
evaluates the progress of India’s clean electricity transition at the state level.
Karnataka and Gujarat continue to excel in integrating renewable energy sources and decarbonizing their
power sectors.
Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh need to enhance renewable energy deployment and
strengthen distribution companies

INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES APRIL 2024

Bhumi Pednekar & 4 Indians in WEF Young Global Leaders Class of 2024.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced its 20th edition of Young Global Leaders Community:
The Class of 2024 on 4 April 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The list includes nearly 90 young people under 40 years of age from diverse fields of politics, business, civil
society, the arts, and academia.
Indians included in the WEF Forum of Young Global Leaders 2024

According to the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2024 report, the pace of creation of unicorn startups in
India has slowed since 2017. However, India is still the third largest hub of unicorns in the world after the
United States of America and China.
The San Francisco Bay area, in California, the United States of America, maintained its status as the
world's unicorn capital, The famous Silicon Valley is located in the San Francisco city.
Singapore emerged as the fastest-growing hub for unicorns.
Most Valuable Unicorn in India
According to the Hurun report, the Food delivery platform Swiggy and fantasy sports-focused Dream11 are
the most valuable unicorns from India. They were valued at $8 billion each.

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Swiggy and Dream11 were ranked 83rd in the world.
The third most valuable unicorn was Razorpay at $7.5 billion. It was ranked 94th in the world
According to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report published on 22 April
2024 ,India was the fourth largest military spender in the world in 2023 after the United States ,China and
Russia. The Indian expenditure on military 2023 was $83.6 billion .In 2022 also India was the fourth
largest military spender in the world
According to a recently released 13th Hurun Global Rich List report of Hurun India on 26 March 2024,
India’s financial capital, Mumbai, has emerged as the Asian billionaire capital, replacing China’s capital,
Beijing. Mumbai has also emerged as the fastest-growing billionaire capital in the world. According to the
Hurun report, the number of billionaires in Mumbai increased from 66 to 92.
According to the report, India added the largest number of new billionaires to the list after the United
States of America due to a booming stock market.
Rank of Cities
1. New York with 119 billionaires
2. London with 97 billionaires
3. Mumbai, with 92 billionaires
4. Beijing with 91 billionaires
5. Shanghai with 87 billionaires
According to a recent report by the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Indian service
sector exports grew by 11.4 per cent to $345 billion in the calendar year 2023(January-December).
According to the UNCTAD, the service sector export in the world grew by 8.9% in 2023 and reached US$
7.9 trillion in 2023.
The main reason for the growth in the service sector export was the growth in the International travel
sector. The travel service sector export grew by 40%.
The transport sector recorded a negative growth of 12 per cent.
According to the report, Services, many of which can be traded digitally, recorded a growth of over 7% in
each quarter of 2023.
India is the 7th largest exporter of services in the world. The United States is the largest service exporter in
the world, followed by the United Kingdom.
According to UNCTAD, India was the 9th largest service-importing country in the world. The United
States was the leading service importer country in the world, followed by China.

IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS UNION BUDGET 2024-25

The Union Budget 2024-25:
On 23 July 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 7th consecutive budget of her tenure.
Like last year, this budget is also a paperless budget
What is a budget?
According to Article 112 of the Constitution, the annual financial statement is called the Union Budget of
the year
On 7 April 1860, the country’s first budget was presented by the Finance Minister of the British
Government, James Wilson
Union Budget: 2024-2025
After independence, the country’s first budget was presented by the first Finance Minister R.K.
Shanmukham Chetty on 26 November 1947
In 1958-59, the then Prime Minister of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru, presented the budget. At that time,
the Finance Ministry was with him. He became the first Prime Minister of the country to do so.
The first woman to hold the post of Finance Minister and present the budget was Indira Gandhi and the
second woman is Nirmala Sitharaman.
Till 2016, the budget was presented on the last day of February, but from 2017, the budget started being
presented on 1 February
In 2017, the Railway Budget was merged with the General Budget
In 2020, Nirmala Sitharaman gave the budget speech from a tablet Had read

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In 2020 Nirmala Sitharaman gave a budget speech of 2 hours 40 minutes
In 1977 H.M. Patel presented an interim budget of 800 words
9 priorities of the government in the budget:
1. Agriculture
2. Employment
3. Social Justice
4. Manufacturing and Service
5. Energy
6. Urban Development
7. Infrastructure
8. Innovation-Research and Development
9. Next Generation Reform
Focus on 4 main castes:
1. ‘Poor’
2. ‘Women’
3. ‘Youth’
4. ‘Annadaata’
Theme:
The theme of Union Budget 2024-25 is “EMPLOYMENT”.
E: Employment and Education
M: MSMEs
P: Productivity
L: Land
O: Opportunities
Y: Youth
M: Middle Class
E: Energy Security
N: New Generation Reforms
T: Technology
The Modi government has set a target to make India a developed country or a Vikshit Bharat by 2047
Agriculture and Allied Sectors
Allocation of Rs 1.52 lakh crore for 2024-25.
Allocation to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (Rs 60,000 crore), Modified Interest Subvention
Scheme (22,660 crore), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (14,600 crore) and Pradhan Mantri Annadata
Aay Sanrakshan Yojana ( Rs 6,437 crore).
The target is to include one crore farmers in Natural Farming.
Ten thousand need-based bio-input resource centres will be set up for natural farming.
A Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Kharif crops will be started in 400 districts of the country to assess
crop yields.
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture will be implemented in three years to cover farmers and
their lands.
Six crore farmers and their land details will be brought under farmer and land registries.
Jan Samarth-based Kisan Credit Cards will be enabled in 5 states. Jan Samarth is an online platform that
connects lenders with beneficiaries.
New 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops are to be released for
cultivation by farmers.
The government will continue to work to achieve self-sufficiency in oil seeds such as mustard, groundnut,
sesame, soybean, and sunflower. India is the world's largest edible oil importer, and it meets around 58 %
of its edible oil requirements through imports.
The government will provide financial support to set up a Network of Nucleus Breeding Centres for Shrimp
Broodstocks.
The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development( NABARD) will facilitate shrimp farming,
processing, and export financing.

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Prime Minister Package for Employment, Skilling and Manufacturing in India

The budget announced five schemes and initiatives under the Prime Minister Package to boost employment
opportunities, skilling, and the manufacturing sector in the economy.

Scheme 1

First Timers

The government will provide one month's wage in three instalments to workers who have joined the
organised sectors.

The criteria are that the employee must be registered with EPFO(Employees Provident Fund
Organisation), and the maximum salary shall be Rs 1 lakh.

The maximum benefit is Rs 15,000.

Scheme 2

Job Creation in the Manufacturing sector

Incentives will be provided to the employee and the employer for their EPFO contribution in the first four
years of employment.

Scheme 3

Support to employers

To encourage job creation, the government will re-reimburse the employer Rs 3,000 per month for 2 years
towards their EPFO contribution for new employees they employ. The condition is that the new
employee's salary shall be not more than Rs one lakh per month.

Scheme 4

Skilling

1000 ITI (Industrial Training Institute) is to be upgraded through the hub-and-spoke model over five years,
with a budgetary allocation of Rs 60,000 crores.

Twenty lakh youths will be skilled over five years.

The Model Skill Loan Scheme will be revised to facilitate loans up to `Rs 7.5 lakh with a guarantee from a
government-promoted Fund. This measure is expected to help 25,000 students every year.

Scheme 5

Internship in Top Companies

Internship to one crore youth in the next five years in the top 500 companies of India.
The training period is one year,
The Central government will provide the youth with a stipend of Rs 5000 per month and one-time
assistance of Rs 6000.
The Companies will pay for the training and 10 per cent of the internship costs from their
CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) fund.

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Education Loan

Education loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education studies in India, with an interest subvention of 3 per
cent.
Every year, one lakh students will be covered.
This scheme is for students who are not covered under any government scheme.

Purvodaya

A new plan, Purvodaya, will be launched for the all-round development of the eastern region of the
country, covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
An industrial node at Gaya will be developed along the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

Three crore additional houses are to be built in rural and urban areas of the country.

Women-led Development

More than Rs 3 Lakh crore has been allocated in the budget for schemes benefitting women and girls.

Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan

A new scheme will be launched for the socio-economic development of tribal families in tribal-majority
villages and aspirational districts.
The scheme will cover 63,000 villages and benefit 5 crore tribal people.

Bank Branches in North Eastern Region

One hundred India Post Payment Bank branches will be set up in the northeastern region.

Mudra Loans

The limit of Mudra loans under the ‘Tarun’ category will be increased to Rs 20 lakh from the present Rs 10
lakh.
This new limit will apply to customers who have repaid their previous loans.
Under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, micro units seeking loans have been categorised into Shishu,
Kishore, and Tarun.
Under the Shishu category, the maximum loan amount is Rs 50,000, while in Kishore, it is more than R s
50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh rupee,
After the announcement in the budget for the Tarun category, the loan amount will be more than Rs 5
lakhs and up to Rs 20 lakhs for certain borrowers.

Industrial Parks

The government, in partnership with the state government and the private sector, will set up in or near 100
plug-and-play industrial parks .These parks will have fully developed infrastructure.
Twelve industrial parks under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme also will be
sanctioned.

Critical Mineral Mission

The government will launch a Critical Mineral Mission to increase domestic production, recycle critical
minerals, and acquire critical mineral assets overseas.

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Urban Housing

Under the PM Awas Yojana Urban 2.0, one crore houses are to be built for urban poor and middle-class
families in the next five years.
The total investment required Rs 10 lakh crore, and the centre will contribute Rs 2.2 lakh crore in the next
5 years,

Street Markets

New scheme to support the development of 100 weekly ‘haats’ or street food hubs every year for the next 5
years in select cities.

Research and development of Small and Modular Nuclear Reactors

The government, in partnership with the private sector, will set up Bharat small nuclear reactors.
The government will collaborate with the private sector for research and development of Bharat Small
Modular Nuclear Reactor.

Advanced Ultra Super Critical Thermal Power Plants

NTPC and BHEL will set up a joint venture to set up a full-scale 800 MW commercial plant using
Advanced Ultra SuperCritical (AUSC) technology.

Infrastructure investment by Central Government

`Central government to spend Rs 11,11,111 crore (3.4 % of GDP) as capital expenditure for the
infrastructure sector.

Infrastructure investment by State governments

The central government will provide Rs 1.5 lakh crore interest-free loans to the state governments for
investment in infrastructure projects.

Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY)

The central government will launch phase IV of PMGSY to provide all-weather connectivity to 25,000
rural habitations.

Irrigation and Flood Mitigation

The government will assist Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim for floods, landslides, and
other related projects.
Rs 11.500 crore to Bihar to support the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link project and 20 other projects.

Tourism

Comprehensive development of Vishnupad Temple Corridor In Gaya, Mahabodhi Temple Corridor in

Bodh Gaya and Rajgir in Bihar
Assistance for developing temples, monuments, craftsmanship, wildlife sanctuaries, natural landscapes,
and pristine beaches in Odisha.

Research & Development

Anusandhan National Research Fund for basic research and prototype development to be operationalised.

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A financing pool of Rs 1 lakh crore will be set up for spurring private sector-driven research and innovation
at a commercial scale.

Space Economy

A Venture capital fund (VCF) of Rs 1,000 crore will be established to expand the space economy by
fivefold in the next ten years.

NPS Vatsalya

A new scheme, NPS Vatsalya, will be launched for minors. The parent of the minor will contribute to the
NPS Vatsalya.
When the child attains the age of 18, it can be converted into a normal NPS(National Pension System)
account,
Special Provision for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar
Though the Narendra Modi government refused to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, it has
announced a spate of projects for both states.

Andhra Pradesh

Rs 15,000 crore will be arranged in 2024-25 through multilateral development agencies for the development
of Andhra Pradesh's new capital, Amravati.
Full financing for the early completion of the Polavaram irrigation project on the Godavari River.
Funds for the development of infrastructure, such as railways, roads, etc., for the Kopparthy node on the
Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor and the Orvakal node on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial
Corridor.
The central government will provide grants for the backward regions of Rayalaseema, Prakasam, and the
North Coastal Andhra area of Andhra Pradesh.

Bihar

The Budget has announced Rs 58,900 crore support to Bihar.

Financial support for Rs 11,500 crore for Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing and new
schemes, including barrages, river pollution abatement and irrigation projects.

Rs 26,000 crore for four road projects

(1) Patna-Purnea Expressway,

(2) Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway,
(3) Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Vaishali and Darbhanga spurs and
(4) additional 2-lane bridge over river Ganga at Buxar.
2400 MW Thermal Power plant projects at Pirpainti cost Rs 21,400 crore.
New airports, medical colleges, and sports infrastructure will be constructed in Bihar.
Central Government Finance 2024-25
The money received by the government through taxes and non-tax sources plus borrowings are called
receipts.

Estimated Receipts in 2024-25

Rs 32.07 lakh crore. It doesn't include borrowings. Out of the total estimated receipts the ;

Revenue receipts, including tax and not tax -Rs 31.29 lakh crore
Non Debt capital receipts -Rs 78,000 crore

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Expenditure

Total expenditure in 2024-25 -Rs 48.21 lakh crore

Revenue expenditure -`37.09 lakh crore (11.4 per cent of GDP).
Capital expenditure: Rs 11,11,111 crore (3.4 per cent of GDP). This also includes Rs. 1,50,000 crore of
financial assistance to the States for capital expenditure.
Thus, India's government budget is a deficit budget as its receipts are less than its expenditures.
Deficits of the Government of India
All the figures are in percentage of India's Gross Domestic Product at Market prices.

Borrowings of the Central Government

The government meets its fiscal deficit through borrowing. The government meets its fiscal deficit by
borrowing through its long-term government securities, called dated securities, National Small Savings
Funds (NSSF), which invest in special securities of the governments, State Provident Funds, and External
borrowings.

Break up of the Borrowing plan for 2024-25

Borrowing through dated securities- gross borrowings target of Rs 14.01 lakh crore and net borrowings Rs
11.63 lakh crore,
Through NSSF- Rs 4.20 lakh crore
Through State Provident Fund - net borrowing of Rs 5000 crore
External Borrowings -Rs 15,952 crore.

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 MCQs India's Union Budget 2024-25

Q. In which article of the Indian Constitution is the annual financial statement mentioned?
A) Article 112 B) Article 118
C) Article 122 D) Article 144
Answer : A

Q. When was the country’s first budget presented by James Wilson, the Finance Minister of the British
Government?

A) 1870 B) 1875
C) 1860 D) 1890
Answer : C

Q. Which budget of her tenure has Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented in July 2024?
A) First B) Seventh
C) Eighth D) Ninth

Answer : B

Q. Who presented the first budget of independent India?

A) Jawaharlal Nehru B) Rajendra Prasad
C) B. R. Ambedkar D) R. K. Shanmukham Chetty
Answer : D

Q. In which year did Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman give the longest budget speech ever?

Α) 2021 Β) 2022
C) 2020 D) 2019
Answer : C

Q. Which main castes have been focused on in Budget 2024?

A) Annadaata B) Poor
C) Women D) Youth
E) All of the above
Answer : E

Q. How many priorities has the government mentioned in Budget 2024?

A) 08 B) 10

C) 09 D) 12
Answer : C

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Q. What are the main themes of Budget 2024?
A) Employment B) Skill training
C) MSME D) Middle class

E) All of the above

Answer : E

Q. What percentage of expenditure has been made by the government on defence?

A) 8% B) 4%
C) 3% D) 2%
Answer : A

Q. How much budget has been provided by the government for the defence sector?
A) Rs 4,54,773 crore B) Rs 5,54,773 crore
C) Rs 6,54,773 crore D) Rs 3,54,773 crore
Answer : A

Q. How much budget has been provided by the government for the education sector?
A) Rs 3,25,638 crore B) Rs 7,25,638 crore
C) Rs 1,25,638 crore D) Rs 2,25,638 crore

Answer : C
Q. How much budget has been provisioned for farmers and agriculture sector in Budget 2024?
A) Rs 1.52 lakh crore
B) Rs 2.52 lakh crore
C) Rs 3.52 lakh crore
D) Rs 4.52 lakh crore

Answer : A

Q. What has been the growth rate of India in the financial year 2024?

Α) 8.2% Β) 7.5%
C) 2.8% D) 9.8%
Answer : A

Q. What is the fiscal deficit in FY 2024?

A) 1.3% B) 5.6%
C) 8.8% D) 9.5%
Answer : B

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Q. How much budget provision has been made for women and girls?
A) 9 lakh crore rupees B) 8 lakh crore rupees
C) 7 lakh crore rupees D) 3 lakh crore rupees

Answer : D
Q. What percentage of income tax will be levied on income of Rs 3 to 7 lakh in the new tax regime?
A) 5% B) 8%
C) 4% D) 9%
Answer : A

Q. In the new tax regime, what percentage of income tax will be levied on income of Rs 7 to 10 lakh?
A) 5% B) 8%

C) 4% D) 10%
Answer : D
Q. Duty on phones and chargers has been reduced to what percentage?
A) 15% B) 4%
C) 8% D) 12%
Answer : A

Q. How many industrial parks have been approved under the National Industrial Corridor Development
Program?
A) 18 B) 25
C) 35 D) 12
Answer : D

Q. Which scheme will be launched for the development of Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal, Odisha and Andhra?
A) Purvodaya Scheme B) Success Scheme
C) Sarvodaya Scheme D) Gyanodya Scheme
Answer : A

Q. How much package has been provided to Bihar in Budget 2024?

A) 41000 crores
B) 78000 crores

C) 52000 crores
D) 70000 crores
Answer : A

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Q. How much package has been given to Andhra Pradesh in Budget 2024?
A) 17000 crores B) 19000 crores
C) 15000 crores D) 18000 crores

Answer : C
Q. In how many cities will ready-made “plug and play” industrial parks be built?

A) 200 Β) 300
C) 400 D) 100
Answer : D

Q. In which state a new 2400 MW power plant will be set up in Pirpainti at a cost of Rs 21,400 crore?
A) Jharkhand B) Rajasthan
C) Karnataka D) Bihar
Answer : D

Q. What percentage of income tax will be levied on income of Rs 10 to 12 lakh in the new tax regime?

Α) 7.5% B) 12%
C) 15% D) 10%

Answer : C

Q. What is the total estimated expenditure in the Union Budget for the financial year 2024-25?
A) 44,90,486 crore B) 47,65,768 crore
C) 11,11,111 crore D) 14,96,693 crore
Answer : B
✓ The total expenditure in the Budget is estimated at 47,65,768 crore (47.65 Lakh Crore)

Q. How much is the total capital expenditure in the Budget 2024-25?

A) 9,50,246 crore
B) 2,97,328 crore
C) 14,96,693 crore
D) 11,11,111 crore
Answer : D

✓ The total expenditure in the Budget is estimated at 47,65,768 crore(47.65 Lakh Crore), with a
significant focus on capital expenditure, reaching 11,11,111 crore(11.11 Lakh Crore).
✓ This reflects a commendable increase of 16.9% in capital expenditure over the Revised Estimates (RE)
for 2023-24.

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Q. What is the total resources transferred to the States in the Budget 2024-25, including devolution, grants,
loans, etc.?
A) 22,22,264 crore B) 4,13,848 crore
C) 2,97,328 crore D) 44,90,486 crore
Answer : A

✓ In the fiscal year 2024-25, resources transferred to states, including devolution, grants, loans, and
centrally sponsored schemes, amount to 22,22,264 crore(22.22 Lakh Crore).
✓ This represents a noteworthy increase of 4,13,848 crore over the Actuals of FY 2022-23.

Q. What is the percentage increase in Effective Capital Expenditure in Budget 2024-25 over the Revised
Estimates for 2023-24?
A) 15.2% B) 17.7%
C) 20.5% D) 14.3%

Answer : B
✓ The effective capital expenditure for 2024-25 is projected at `14,96,693 crore, showcasing a substantial
increase of 17.7% over the RE for 2023-24.

Q. Which category accounts for the highest expenditure in the Budget for 2024-25?
A) Pension B) Interest
C) Defence D) Tax Administration
Answer : B
✓ With ₹11,90,440 crore allocated, managing interest payments remains a critical component of fiscal
planning.

Q. What is the projected fiscal deficit for the fiscal year 2024-25 as a percentage of Nominal GDP?
A) 5.1% B) 2.0%
C) 3.0% D) 1.5%
Answer : A
✓ The fiscal deficit for 2024-25 is projected at `16,85,494 crore, constituting 5.1% of the Nominal GDP

Q. Which sector receives the highest allocation in the Budget for 2024-25?
A) Education
B) Transport
C) Rural Development
D) Defence
Answer : D
✓ Defence Ministry receives the highest allocation with ₹6.1 lakh crore.

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Q. What is the budget estimate for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program
(MGNREGA) in the fiscal year 2024-2025?
A) ₹60,000 B) ₹80,000
C) ₹86,000 D) ₹90,000
Answer : C
✓ Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program: ₹86,000 crore.

Q. What is the budget estimate for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) in 2024-2025?
A) 60,000 crore B) 80,671 crore
C) 79,590 crore D) 54,103 crore

Answer : B
✓ Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY): ₹80,671 crore

Q. How much is allocated for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) in the Revised
Estimates for 2023-2024?

A) ₹60,000 B) ₹58,254
C) ₹40,000 D) ₹50,000

Answer : A
✓ Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi: ₹60,000 crore

Q. How much is allocated for the Urea Subsidy in the year 2024-2025?
A) ₹1,19,000 B) ₹1,31,100
C) ₹1,28,594 D) ₹1,65,217
Answer : A
✓ Urea Subsidy: ₹1,19,000 crore

Q. What is the proposed budget allocation for the Scheme for Bhutan in the fiscal year 2024-2025?
A) ₹2,467 crore B) ₹2,401 crore

C) ₹2,399 crore D) ₹2,069 crore

Answer : D

✓ The government has allocated 2,069 Crore amount for the Scheme for Bhutan in the proposed budget,
reflecting its commitment to bilateral relations and cooperation with Bhutan
Q. What is the proposed budget allocation for the Scheme for Nepal in the fiscal year 2024-2025?
A) ₹434 crore B) ₹550 crore

C) ₹650 crore D) ₹700 crore

Answer : D

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 ✓ The government has earmarked 700 Crore amount for the Scheme for Nepal in the proposed budget,
emphasizing the ongoing support and collaboration between India and Nepal
✓ Other Allocation
✓ Nepal – ₹700 crore
✓ Sri Lanka – ₹245 crore
✓ Seychelles – ₹30 crore
✓ Bhutan – ₹2,068.56 crore
✓ Myanmar – ₹250 crore
✓ Mauritius – ₹370 crore
✓ Mongolia – ₹5 crore
✓ Bangladesh – ₹80 crore
✓ Afghanistan – ₹200 crore
✓ Maldives – ₹400 crore

Q. What is the proposed budget allocation for the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) in
the fiscal year 2024-2025?
A) ₹1,683 crore B) ₹2,000 crore

C) ₹1,501 crore D) ₹1,701 crore

Answer : C
✓ The government has allocated 1,501 Crore amount for NIIF in the proposed budget, aiming to support
infrastructure development and investment in strategic projects

Q. What is the allocated budget for the Education sector in the fiscal year 2024-2025?
A) ₹1,24,638 crore B) ₹1,30,000 crore
C) ₹1,15,500 crore D) ₹1,40,000 crore

Answer : A
✓ Education: A significant allocation of ₹1,24,638 crore underscores the importance of investing in
education for national progress

Q. What is the increased limit for mudra loans?

A) Rs 10 Lakh B) Rs 15 Lakh
C) Rs 20 Lakh D) Rs 25 Lakh
Answer : C

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 ECONOMIC SURVEY 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
The economic survey is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser of the Finance
Ministry.
The present Chief Economic Adviser is Dr. V Anantha Nageswaran.
First Economic Survey of India was presented in the year 1950-51. Up to 1964, it was presented along with
the Union Budget. From 1964 Onwards, it has been delinked from the Budget.
What are the Key Takeaways from the Economic Survey for 2023-24?
State of the Economy:
o Real GDP Growth: India’s real GDP grew by 8.2% in FY24, surpassing the 8% mark in three out
of four quarters of FY24.
o Retail Inflation: Retail inflation decreased from 6.7% in FY23 to 5.4% in FY24.
o Current Account Deficit (CAD): The CAD improved to 0.7% of GDP in FY24 from 2.0% in
FY23.
o Tax Revenue: Direct taxes contributed 55% of the total tax revenue, with indirect taxes making up
the remaining 45%.
o Capital Spending: The government progressively increased capital expenditure and provided free
food grains to 81.4 crore people.
Monetary Management and Financial Intermediation – Stability is the Watchword
Monetary Policy: The RBI maintained a steady policy repo rate at 6.5% throughout FY24.
Consequently, Core inflation declined by around 4% from April 2022 to June 2024.
Credit Growth: Credit disbursal by Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) reached Rs 164.3 lakh crore,
growing by 20.2% by March 2024.
Banking Sector: Gross and net non-performing assets are at multi-year lows, and bank asset quality has
improved.
o Data from the RBI’s Financial Stability Report of June 2024 show that the asset quality of SCBs
has improved, with the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio declining to 2.8% in March
2024, a 12-year low.
o Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code has been recognised as an effective solution for the twin balance
sheet problem, in the last 8 years, 31,394 corporate debtors involving a value of Rs 13.9 Lakh
Crore have been disposed off as of March 2024.
o Twin Balance Sheet Problem refers to heavily indebted corporations and banks burdened with bad
loans, creating a vicious cycle hindering economic growth.
Capital Markets: Primary capital markets facilitated capital formation of Rs 10.9 lakh crore,
approximately 29% of the gross fixed capital formation of private and public corporates in FY23.
Insurance and Microfinance: India is poised to become one of the fastest-growing insurance markets and
has the second-largest microfinance sector globally.
Prices and Inflation – Under Control:
Inflation Trends:
o 29 States and Union Territories recorded inflation below 6% in FY24.
o Core services inflation eased to a nine-year low in FY24
o Food inflation increased from 6.6% in FY23 to 7.5% in FY24.
o Price cuts on LPG, petrol, and diesel helped in keeping retail fuel inflation relatively low.
Future Projections: The RBI forecasts inflation to decline to 4.5% in FY25 and 4.1% in FY26.
External Sector – Stability Amid Plenty:
o Exports: India’s services exports grew by 4.9% to USD 341.1 billion in FY24, with significant
contributions from IT/software and other business services.

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 o Remittances: India remains the top global recipient, with remittances totaling USD 120 billion in
2023.
o External Debt: India’s external debt to GDP ratio stood at 18.7% as of March 2024.
o Logistics Performance: India's rank in the World Bank Logistics Index improved to 38th in 2023
from 44th in 2014.
o Tourism: India’s share in world tourism receipts increased from 1.38% in 2021 to 1.58% in 2022.
Medium-Term Outlook – A Growth Strategy for New India:
o Growth Strategy: To sustain a 7%+ growth rate, a tripartite compact between the Union
Government, State Governments, and the private sector is required.
o Key Focus Areas: Job and skill creation, agriculture, MSME bottlenecks, green transition, and
addressing the education-employment gap are crucial for medium-term growth.
Climate Change and Energy Transition – Dealing with Trade-Offs:
o Renewable Energy: As of May 2024, non-fossil sources accounted for 45.4% of installed electricity
generation capacity.
o Energy Needs: India’s energy needs are projected to grow 2 to 2.5 times by 2047.
o Investment in Clean Energy: The clean energy sector attracted investments of Rs 8.5 lakh crore
between 2014 and 2023.
Social Sector – Benefits that Empower:
o Welfare Expenditure: Grew at a CAGR of 12.8% between FY18 and FY24.
o Healthcare: Over 34.7 crore Ayushman Bharat cards have been issued.
o Housing: 2.63 crore houses constructed under PM-AWAS-Gramin in the past 9 years.
o Rural Infrastructure: 15.14 lakh km of roads constructed under the Gram Sadak Yojana since
2014-15.
Employment and Skill Development – Towards Quality:
o Unemployment Rate: Declined to 3.2% in 2022-23.
o Net payroll additions under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have more than
doubled to 13.15 million in the past five years, indicating robust growth in formal employment.
o Youth Unemployment: Fell from 17.8% in 2017-18 to 10% in 2022-23.
o Female Labor Force Participation: Rising for six consecutive years (37.0% currently).
o Gig Economy: Workforce expected to reach 2.35 crore by 2029-30.
Agriculture and Food Management
o Agricultural Growth: The sector registered an average annual growth rate of 4.18% at constant
prices over the last five years.
o Credit and Micro Irrigation: Credit disbursed to agriculture amounted to Rs 22.84 lakh crore.
o 90 lakh hectares covered under micro-irrigation since 2015-16.
o Kisan Credit Cards: 7.5 crore cards issued with a Rs 9.4 lakh crore limit.
Industry – Small and Medium Matters:
o Industrial Growth: Economic growth of 8.2% in FY24 is supported by an industrial growth rate of
9.5%.
o Pharmaceutical and Clothing Sectors: India’s pharmaceutical market is the world’s third-largest
by volume, valued at USD 50 billion.
o It is the second-largest clothing manufacturer globally, with textile and apparel exports reaching Rs
2.97 lakh crore in FY24.
o Electronics Manufacturing: India’s electronics sector accounts for an estimated 3.7% of the global
market share.
o Domestic production increased to Rs 8.22 lakh crore, with exports rising to Rs 1.9 lakh crore in

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 FY23.
Services – Fuelling Growth Opportunities:
o Sector Contribution: The services sector accounted for 55% of the economy in FY24 and grew by
7.6% during the year.
o Digital Services: India's share in global digitally delivered services exports increased to 6% in
2023.
o Globally, India’s services exports constituted 4.4% of the world's commercial services exports in
2022 & accounted for 44% of India’s total exports in FY24.
o Aviation: 15% YoY increase in total air passengers in FY24.
o E-commerce: Expected to cross USD 350 billion by 2030.
o Start-ups: Increased from around 2,000 in 2014 to approximately 31,000 in 2023.
Infrastructure – Lifting Potential Growth:
o National Highways: The pace of National Highways construction increased from 11.7 km per day
in FY14 to approximately 34 km per day by FY24.
o Railways: Capital expenditure on Railways increased by 77% over the past five years.
o Aviation: 21 new airport terminal buildings operationalised in FY24.
o Logistics: Rank in the International Shipments category improved to 22nd in 2023 from 44th in
2014.
o Space: India has 55 active space assets, including 18 communication, 9 navigation, 5 scientific, 3
meteorological, and 20 earth observation satellites.
o Digital Infrastructure: The DigiLocker platform has over 26.28 crore registered users and over 674
crore issued documents.
o Telecommunication: The overall teledensity (number of telephones per 100 population) in India
increased from 75.2% in March 2014 to 85.7% in March 2024.
o The internet density also increased to 68.2% in March 2024.
Climate Change and India:
o Current global strategies for climate change are flawed and not universally applicable.
o The Western approach does not seek to address the root of the problem, i.e., overconsumption, but
rather chooses to substitute the means to achieve overconsumption.
o A one-size-fits-all approach will not work, and developing countries need to be free to choose their
own pathways.
o India’s ethos emphasises a harmonious relationship with nature, in contrast to the culture of
overconsumption in other parts of the developed world.
o Shifting towards ‘traditional multi-generational households’ could pave the way towards
sustainable housing.
o “Mission LiFE” focuses on human-nature harmony, promoting mindful consumption rather than
the overconsumption that lies at the root of the global climate change problem.

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 PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
The 33rd Summer Olympics ended on 11 August 2024, when the International Olympic Committee
President Thomas Bach, accompanied by the athletes and French swimmer Leon Marchand, extinguished
the Olympic flame in the host city of Paris, France.
The Olympic flag was handed over to the city of Los Angeles, USA, which will host the next 34th Summer
Olympics in 2028.
The Olympics games are held every four years, starting with the 1896 Athens Olympics.
Los Angeles will host its third Summer Olympics having been hosted in 1932 and 1984.
Paris also hosted its third Summer Olympics, having hosted in 1900, 1924, and 2024.
Manu Bhaker and PR Sreejesh were the Indian flag bearers at the closing ceremony.
Badminton player PV Sindhu and table tennis player Sharath Kamal were the Indian flag bearers at the
opening ceremony.
Unlike the opening ceremony, which was held in the open on the River Seine, the closing ceremony was
held in France's biggest stadium, Stade de France, in Paris.
3rd Best Indian Performance at the Paris Olympics
India, which sent a 117-member sportspersons team to the Paris Olympics, won only six medals: one silver
and five bronze. Six Indian players finished in fourth position, missing the bronze medal by a whisker.
This was the third-best finish for India at the Summer Olympics.
India’s best performance in the Olympics was at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where India won seven
medals-one gold, two silver and four bronzes.
India’s second-best performance was in the 2012 London Olympics when it won six medals—two silver
and four bronze.
Indian Medal Winner at the Paris Olympics
India finished the Paris Olympics with 6 medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics - 1 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Serial number Players Event Medal
1 Manu Bhaker Women's 10m air Bronze
pistol
2 Manu Bhaker & 10m air pistol Mixed Bronze
Sarabjot Singh Team Shooting
3 Swapnil Kusale Men’s 50m rifle 3 Bronze
Positions
4 Men’s Hockey Team Men’s Hockey Bronze
5 Neeraj Chopra Javelin Silver
6 Aman Sehrawat Wrestling 57 kg Bronze
freestyle
Total 6 medals
Overall Medal Tally at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The United States led the medal tally at the Paris Olympics with 126 medals. India was 71st with 6
medals.
Position in Medals Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
Tally Medal Medal Medal Medal
1 United States of 40 44 42 126
America

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2 China 40 27 24 91
3 Japan 20 12 13 45
4 Australia 18 19 17 53
5 France 16 26 22 64
71 India 0 1 5 6
Recap of the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Paris Olympics was held from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
For the first time, the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics ceremony was held not in a stadium but
in the open. The parade was held on boats floating on the River Seine, along which Paris city lies.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes from the territories of 206 National Olympic Committees and the
IOC Refugee Olympic Team participated.
Total number of sports, 32 and 48 disciplines, in the Paris Olympics.
329 medal events.
Breaking sport introduced for the first time in the Olympics
First-time medal winner country in the Summer Olympics
Albania: Chermen Valiev bronze medal in men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling
Cape Verde: David de Pina, bronze in men's 51 kg boxing
Dominica: Thea LaFond , gold in women’s triple jump
Saint Lucia: Julien Alfred, gold in women’s 100m meter
Refugee Olympic Team: Cindy Ngamba, bronze medal in women’s 75kg boxing. She is a refugee from
Cameroon
First-time country has won a Gold Medal in the Summer Olympics
Botswana: Letsile Tebogo in 200 meters
Dominica: Thea LaFond in women’s triple jump
Guatemala: Adriana Ruano Oliva in shooting
Saint Lucia: Julien Alfred in women's 100 meters race.
Mascot and Motto of the 2024 Paris Olympics
Mascot -Olympic Phryge - based on traditional French Phyrigian Hat. Its colours were blue, white and
red, reflecting the colour of the French Flag.
Motto-.Alone, we go faster, but together, we go further.
PARIS OLYMPIC 2024
Aman Sehrawat became the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal after he won a bronze medal in the
men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics.
Hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and pistol shooter Manu Bhaker will be the co-flag bearers for India at the
closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Neeraj Chopra has won the Silver Medal in the men’s javelin throw event with a best throw of 89.45
meters at the Paris Olympics.
Indian men’s hockey team led by Harmanpreet Singh won the bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics,
beating Spain 2-1.
In a heartbreak for women's wrestler Vinesh Phogat and India, she has been disqualified from the 2024
Paris Olympics.
She was to compete in the final of the women’s 50 kg category on 7 August 2024. Phogat was disqualified
for being overweight in her category.
she was overweight by 100 grams

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Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics by defeating Spain’s
Carlos Alcaraz .
The 33rd Summer Olympics opened with a first-of-its-kind opening ceremony in the French capital city
of Paris on 26 July 2024.
It is the third time Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics, having hosted in 1900,1924 and now in 2024.
The 2024 Paris Olympics Mascot is Olympic Phryge.
Alone we go faster, but together we go further,” is the motto of the Paris Olympics and the Paralympic
Games.
Breaking, Surfing, sports climbing, and Skateboarding are the four new sports to be included in the 2024
Paris Summer Olympics.
Manu Bhaker of Haryana opened the medal account for India at the 33rd Summer Olympics, being held in
Paris, France. She won the bronze medal in the 10-meter air pistol event.
Shooter Manu Bhaker teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed
team shooting event.
Shooter Swapnil Kusale of Maharstra won a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 Positions.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appointed 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist shooter Gagan
Narang as the Chef-de-Mission of the Indian team for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
PV Sindhu, the badminton ace, has been chosen as the female flag bearer for the Indian contingent.
Sharath Kamal, the veteran table tennis player, will serve as the male flag bearer.
Ace India shooter Manu Bhaker has been named India's flag bearer for the closing ceremony at the Paris
Olympics 2024.

PARIS PARALYMPICS 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

The 17th Paris Paralympics came to an end on 8th September 2024 with a glittering ceremony at the Stade
de France stadium in Paris, France. The 17th Paralympics was organised by the International Paralympics
Committee in the French capital city of Paris from 28 August -8 September 2024.

The 18th Summer Paralympics will be held in Los Angeles, the United States of America in 2028.

The Paralympics are held after the Olympic Games. The 33rd Summer Olympics, organised by the
International Olympic Committee, was held in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024.

India ended the 2024 Paris Paralympics with a record 29 medals, breaking the record of 19 medals set at
the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Navdeep Singh’s silver medal was upgraded to gold after the gold medal winner, Iranian Beit Sayah
Sadegh, was disqualified in the javelin throw F41 class.

China topped the medal tally with 220 medals, while India was at the 18th position.
Harvinder Singh and Preethi Pal, Indian flag Bearer
Harvinder Singh and Preethi Pal were the Indian flag bearers at the closing ceremony of the Paris
Paralympic Games.

Sumit Antil and Bhagyashri Jadhav were the Indian flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris
Paralympics Games,

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Harvinder Singh was the first ever Indian archer to win a gold medal for India in a Paralympics Games.

Preethi Pal is the first Indian women para-athlete to win two medals in track and field at the Paralympics.
She won bronze medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter T 35 events at the Paris Paralympics.
Indian Achievements at the Paris Paralympics
o Shooter Avani Lakhera won the first gold medal for India at the Paris Paralympics.
o Avani Lakhera became the first Indian to defend her gold medal in the Paralympic Games. She
won gold in the SH1 shooting event at the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics.
o Sunil Antil became the first Indian male para-athlete to defend his gold medals in the Paralympic
Games. He successfully defended his Tokyo title by winning the gold medal in Paris in the javelin
F64 class.
o High jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu became the first Indian para-athlete to win medals at three
consecutive Paralympics. In the high jump T42 class event, he won the gold medal in Rio 2016,
silver in Tokyo 2020, and bronze in Paris 2024.
o India won a gold and silver medal in an athletics event in a single edition of the Paralympics for
the first time. Dharambir won gold, while Parnav Soorma won the silver medal in the men's club
throw F51 event.
Medal winners of India at the Paris Paralympics
India sends a strong 84-member para-athletes team to the Paris Paralympic. India won 29 medals- seven
gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze. The details of the winner are as follows;
Serial number Para-Athletes Sport Event Medal
1 Avani Lakhera Shooting Women's 10m air rifle Gold
standing SH1
2 Nitesh Kumar Badminton Men’s singles SL3 Gold
class
3 Sumit Antil Athletics Javelin throw F64 Gold
4 Harvinder Singh Archery Men's individual Gold
recurve open
5. Dharambir Athletics Men’s club throw F51 Gold
class
6 Praveen Kumar Athletics Men’s high jump T 64 Gold
7. Navdeep Singh Athletics Men's javelin throw Gold
F41
8 Manish Narwal Shooting Men's 10m air pistol Silver
SH1
9 Nishad Kumar Athletics Men's high jump T47 Silver
10 Yogesh Kathuniya Athletics Men's discus throw Silver
F56
11 Thulasimathi Badminton Women’s singles SU5 Silver
Murugesan
12 Suhas Yathiraj Badminton Men’s singles SL4 Silver
13 Sharad Kumar Athletics Men's high jump T63 Silver

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 14 Ajeet Singh Athletics Men's javelin throw Silver
F46
15 Sachin Khilari Athletics Men's shot put F46 Silver
16 Pranav Soorma Athletics Men’s club throw F51 Silver
class
17 Mona Agarwal Shooting Women's 10m air rifle Bronze
standing SH1
18 Preethi Pal Athletics Women's 100m T35 Bronze
19 Rubina Francis Shooting Women's 10m Air Bronze
Pistol SH1
20 Preethi Pal Athletics Women's 200m T35 Bronze
21 Manisha Badminton Women’s singles SU5 Bronze
Ramadass
22 Rakesh Kumar / Archery Mixed team compound Bronze
Sheetal Devi open
23 Nithya Sre Sivan Badminton Women's singles SH6 Bronze
24 Deepthi Jeevanji Athletics Women's 400m T20 Bronze
25 Mariyappan Athletics Men's high jump T63 Bronze
Thangavelu
26 Sundar Singh Athletics Men's javelin throw Bronze
Gurjar F46
27 Kapil Parmar Judo Men’s Judo -60kg J1 Bronze
Class
28 Hokato Hotozhe Athletics Men’s shot put F57 Bronze
Sema
29 Simran Athletics Women's 200m T12 Bronze
India’s Medal Tally by Sports
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, India participated in 12 of the 22 sporting disciplines. For the first time in
the Paralympic Games, India participated in para-cycling, para-rowing, and blind judo.

In Paris, India won the most medals in athletics: 17 - gold-7, silver-6, and bronze-7.
Sport Gold Medal Silver Medal Bronze Medal Total medal
Athletics 4 6 7 17
Badminton 1 2 2 5
Shooting 1 1 2 4
Archery 1 0 1 2
Judo 0 0 1 1
Total 7 9 13 29

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India at the 18th position in the Medal’s Tally
India finished the Paris Paralympics in 18th Place. China topped the medal tally with 220 medals,
followed by Great Britain.
Position Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
Medal Medal Medal Medal
1 China 94 74 50 220
2 Great Britain 49 44 31 124
3 United States of 36 42 27 105
America
4 Netherlands 27 17 12 56
5 Brazil 25 26 38 89
18 India 7 9 13 29

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 BEST MCQ BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCIAL AWARENESS
AUGUST 2024

Q. How many times RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has been rated A+ by the Central Banker Report
Card for his performance?

A) three B) twice
C) four D) five
Answer : B

✓ RBI Governor's Shaktikanta Das's performance rated A+ for 2nd consecutive year.
✓ For the second consecutive year, the Global Finance Central Banker Report 2024 has rated the
performance of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das as A+. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi congratulated Shaktikanta Das on his feat.
✓ On 19 August 2024, Global Finance magazine released the Central Banker Report Cards 2024, which
listed the names of Central Bank Governors who earned the highest grades, “A+,” “A,” or “A—" for
their performance.
✓ The Report Cards honour those bank leaders whose strategies outperformed their peers through
originality, creativity and tenacity.”
✓ Global Recognition for Shaktikanta Das's Performance
✓ The performance of the central bank governors is rated by the Global Finance magazine's "Central
Banker Report Cards 2024 on four criteria: controlling inflation, managing interest rates, promoting
economic growth, and maintaining stability in the domestic currency’s exchange rate.
✓ Based on their performance on these four criteria, the central bank governors are given grades on an
A+ to F scale. A+ is the highest grade, representing excellent performance, and F is the lowest grade,
denoting complete failure.
✓ Three central bank governors - Shaktikanata Das, Christian Kettel Thomsen of Denmark and Thomas
Jordan of Switzerland- were rated A+
✓ Who releases the Central Banker Report Cards?
✓ The Central Banker Report Cards is released annually by the New York, USA-based Global Finance
Magazine.
✓ The first Central Banker Report Card was released in 1994.
✓ The report grades the performance of the central bank governors of nearly 100 key countries, territories,
and districts. It also rates the regional central banks like the Central Bank of West African States, the
European Union, the Bank of Central African States and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

RBI IN NEWS 2024

▪ RBI has proposed to increase the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) limit for tax payments from Rs 1
lakh to Rs 5 lakh to help the taxpayers to pay higher tax liability quickly.
▪ According to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), for normal UPI the transaction limit is
up to Rs 1 Lakh per transaction.
▪ For few specific categories of transaction in UPI like Capital Markets, Collections, Insurance, Foreign
Inward Remittances – the transaction limit is up to 2 lakh and for Initial Public Offering (IPO) and
Retail Direct Scheme the limit is up to Rs 5 lakh per transaction.
▪ RBI has decreased the frequency of reporting credit information of borrowers to Credit Information
Companies (CIC) to 15 days from a 30-day period.
▪ This will be effective from January 1, 2025.

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