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MANTHAN
A General Awareness Weekly

25th September to 1st October, 2023

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 1

PREFACE

Dear Students,

The ‗Current Affairs‘ section is an integral part of any examination. This edition of Manthan has been developed by our
team to help you cover all the important events of the Week. This comprehensive bulletin will help you prepare the
section in a vivid manner. We hope that our sincere efforts will serve you in a better way to fulfill aspirations.

Happy Reading

Team CL

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
National

India and UN launch joint capacity building initiative for Global South
 India and the United Nations launched a joint capacity-building initiative for the Global South. The ―India-
UN Capacity Building Initiative‖ aims to share India‘s development experiences, best practices and expertise
with partner countries in the Global South through capacity building and training programs.
 The initiative was announced at the India-UN for the Global South in New York. The India-UN initiative also
complements the India-UN partnership in the form of ―India-UN Development Partnership Fund‖ which has
developed a portfolio of 75 development projects in 61 countries in the last 6 years.
 As part of this initiative, the UN India team and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will partner to
leverage India‘s Technical and Economic Cooperation platform. A Joint Declaration of Intent was exchanged
between the UN Resident Coordinator in India and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
 This Initiative will also operationalise the development-relevant deliverables of India‘s G20 Presidency.
These include the G20 Action Plan for Accelerating Progress on the SDGs, technological transformation and
building Digital Public Infrastructure. The Global South broadly comprises countries in the regions of Africa,
Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia (excluding Israel, Japan, and South Korea), and Oceania
(excluding Australia and New Zealand), which are generally characterised by relatively low levels of economic
and industrial development.
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain
international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and
serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. It is the world‘s largest international organization. The
UN is headquartered in New York City, United States. On 25 April 1945, 50 nations met in San Francisco,
California for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted on 25 June 1945. The charter
took effect on 24 October 1945, when the UN began operations. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; as of
2023, it has 193 – almost all of the world‘s sovereign states. The UN was established after World War II with the aim
of preventing future world wars, and succeeded the League of Nations, which was characterized as ineffective. The
UN has six principal operational organizations: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and
Social Council, the International Court of Justice, the UN Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council, although
the Trusteeship Council has been inactive since 1994.

Goa‘s Bebinca recently received the GI tag

 It is variedly called the Queen of Goan desserts, or the Emperor of Goan confection. It is a treasured food
souvenir. It is a dish that showcases Goa‘s multi-cultural culinary history. And recently, bebinca got a
Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai. Bebinca is a
layered cake/pudding made with flour, coconut milk, and egg yolks. There is ghee for moistness, palm
jaggery for colour, and salt and nutmeg for flavouring. It is baked one layer at a time. It joins a list of other GI
tagged Goan food products like mancurad mango, cashew feni, Khola chilli, Harmal chilli, Moira banana, and
khaje.

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A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific
geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade
Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003. GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO
Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement as: ―Indications which
identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given
quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.‖ The GI tag
ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the
geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged
product in India, in 2004–2005. The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It
can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each.

India Global Forum and World Governments Summit signed MoU to develop Emerging
Economies Programme
 India Global Forum and World Governments Summit have signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to develop an Emerging Economies Programme. The programme will convene key stakeholders,
including government officials, business leaders, economists, and experts to foster high-level discussions on
sustainable economic growth, geo-economic perspectives, and innovative solutions.
 The partnership will also focus on cultivating and fostering thought leadership, producing research on
emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities that pertain to the Global South. The programme will also
progressively enhance the data on the region for future governments.
 The MoU was signed by Manoj Ladwa, Founder and Chairman of India Global Forum and Mohamed al
Sharhan, Managing Director, World Governments Summit, in the presence of Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE
Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Vice-Chair of
the World Governments Summit Organization.
 The World Governments Summit is an annual event held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It brings together
leaders in government for a global dialogue about governmental process and policies with a focus on the issues
of futurism, technology innovation and other topics. The summit acts as a knowledge exchange hub between
government officials, thought leaders, policy makers and private sector leaders and as an analysis platform for the
future trends, issues and opportunities facing humanity.
Shipping ministry hosted India‘s first lighthouse festival in Goa
 The Centre organised India‘s first lighthouse festival in Goa as part of an effort to promote the country‘s
lighthouses as tourist attractions. The Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal
along with Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant will inaugurate the festival from Goa‘s Fort Aguada Lighthouse in
Panjim, and participate in a two-hour long session– ‗Vanguards of Our Shores: Lighthouses as Testaments of
India‘s Past and Present‘.
 Three days festival, ending on 25th September, to be celebrated across all the lighthouses in the country in an
effort to transform these historic spots as tourist destinations. The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways,
which is the custodian of the country‘s lighthouses, is seeking to develop lighthouses into tourist hubs across
the country under the ‗Lighthouse Heritage Tourism‘ under the PPP model.
 A public–private partnership (PPP, 3P, or P3) is a long-term arrangement between a government and
private sector institutions. As part of the plan, old lighthouses will be given a new life, and 75 lighthouses
across the country will be developed into tourist hubs and developed on the lines of those in Europe and America.
Rajnath Singh inaugurates Bharat Drone Shakti exhibition 2023, inducts C-295 MW aircraft
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Bharat Drone Shakti-2023 exhibition at the Hindan Air
Base in Uttar Pradesh‘s Ghaziabad district. In a first, Singh also formally inducted the C-295 MW transport
aircraft, set to replace the ageing Avro-748 fleet, into the Indian Air Force in the presence of top military
officials, including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.

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 In September 2021, India formalised the acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft at a cost of Rs. 21,935 crore.
The two-day event being co-organised by the Indian Air Force and the Drone Federation of India, will
showcase the prowess of India‘s drone industry at full capacity hosting over 50+ live aerial demonstrations. On
display would be survey drones, agriculture drones, fire suppression drones, tactical surveillance drones, heavy-
lift logistics drones, loitering munition systems, drone swarms, and counter-drone solutions.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the
government relating directly to national security and the Indian armed forces. The President of India is the
ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. The Indian Armed Forces (including
Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy) and Indian Coast Guard under the Ministry of Defences are
primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of the nation. A military department was created by the
supreme government of the British East India Company at Kolkata in the year 1776. Rajnath Singh is currently
serving as the Defence Minister of India. He has been Member of parliament, Lok Sabha two times from
Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) and once from Ghaziabad (Lok Sabha constituency).

Indian Oil unveils India‘s first green hydrogen-run bus that emits just water
 India‘s top oil firm IOC unveiled the nation‘s first green hydrogen-powered bus that emits just water as it
takes the lead in bringing out unrivaled tools to replace fossil fuels. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will
produce close to 75 kg of hydrogen by splitting water using electricity from renewable sources. This
hydrogen will be used to power two buses which will ply across the national capital region for trial runs.
 IOC‘s R&D Centre at Faridabad is producing green hydrogen for the pilot run. Four cylinders with a
capacity of 30 kg can run the buses for 350 km. It takes 10-12 minutes for the four tanks to fill. Hydrogen when
burnt emits only water vapour as a by-product. With three times the energy density and the absence of harmful
emissions, hydrogen shines as a cleaner, more efficient choice to meet the energy requirement. As much as 50
units of renewable electricity and 9 kg of deionized water are needed for the production of one kilo of green
hydrogen. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel for fuel cells.
Hydrogen when produced by electrolysis using renewable energy is known as Green Hydrogen which has no
carbon footprint. During the budget speech in February 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
announced the launch of the Hydrogen Energy Mission to produce hydrogen from renewable sources. Recently,
India and the US have set up a task force under the aegis of the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) to
mobilise finance and speed up green energy development. Green hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its
Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) Targets and ensure regional and national energy security, access and
availability. Grey Hydrogen is hydrogen produced using fossil fuels such as natural gas. Unfortunately this
accounts from roughly 95% of the hydrogen produced in the world today.

Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang inaugurated Chatten ll hydropower plant

 Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang inaugurated the Chatten ll hydropower plant developed by Sikkim
Power Development Corporation Limited at Chatten, Lachen in Mangan district. Chatten ll hydropower
project, with a capacity of 3 MW, is a run-of-the-river project, utilization water from the Chagyachu River.
 Located at an altitude of around 8,000 feet, the project was built at a cost of approximately Rs. 35.30 crores.
The chief minister also visited an Angora rabbit farm at Rabum Lachen, where products sourced from yak, sheep
and rabbit were exhibited. The Chief Minister also interacted with employees of the farm, particularly those
employed under the One Family One Job scheme of the state government.
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and
northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close
to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest among the
Indian states. In 1975, after the Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok, a referendum was held that led to
the dissolution of the monarchy and Sikkim joining India as its 22nd state. Sikkim‘s capital and largest city is
Gangtok. Kangchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world located in Sikkim. In 2016, the adjoining
Khangchendzonga National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lakshman Prasad Acharya is
the current Governor of Sikkim. Pawan Kumar Chamling holds the record for longest serving CM in India.

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Chhattisgarh government launches own housing scheme for state‘s homeless families
 Chhattisgarh government announced 47,000 odd poor people in the state‘s rural areas will get houses in the
first phase of the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas NYAY Yojana. This comes after the Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana was to be implemented by the Chhattisgarh government along with the Centre in 2021. However, it could
not be brought about because the Chhattisgarh government failed to contribute its share of money, said the Centre.
On its part, the state government said it could not implement the scheme because of the lack of funds due to the
pandemic.
 Earlier this year, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said his government would conduct a socio-
economic survey in the absence of the decennial census in India after the 2011 Census. The survey of 59.79
lakh families was conducted in April and its update went on until May, according to which 10,76,545 families
were found living in kutcha (weak) houses. As many as 47,090 homeless families found in the Chhattisgarh
Socio-Economic Census 2023 in the financial year 2023-24 will benefit in the first phase of the state government
scheme. An assistance of Rs. 1.30 lakh will be given to families in remote areas of the state and Rs. 1.20 lakh to
those living in plain areas for housing.
Chhattisgarh is a landlocked state in Central India. Formerly a part of Madhya Pradesh, it was granted
statehood on 1 November 2000 with Raipur as the designated state capital. Biswabhusan Harichandan is serving
as the current Governor of Chhattisgarh. Bhupesh Baghel, popularly known as Kaka, is serving as the 3rd and
current Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh since 2018.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh led Parliamentary delegation to BRICS forum in
Johannesburg
 Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh led a Parliamentary delegation to participate in
the 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the head of the delegation, he made
an opening statement and also chairs a session on ‗Climate Change and Legislative Mobilisation in BRICS
Countries. ―They participated in a debate on the theme ‗Harnessing Multilateralism and Parliamentary
Diplomacy to Deepen BRICS and Africa Partnership for Accelerated Implementation of the Africa Free-
Trade Agreement‘ and other sessions‖.
Harivansh Narayan Singh is an Indian journalist and politician, who is the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya
Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He is a Member of Parliament from Janata Dal (United) in the
Rajya Sabha representing Bihar. He was re-elected as the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha on 14 September
2020 after he returned to the Rajya Sabha for his second term from Bihar.

Indian Navy unveiled ‗Swavlamban 2.0‘

 The Indian Navy released its updated indigenisation roadmap, named ‗Swavlamban 2.0‘, which will provide
an update on what has been achieved so far and the way ahead. The Navy has surpassed its target set last year to
develop 75 futuristic technologies in partnership with domestic Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) and startups, and these unveiled at the second edition of the Swavlamban seminar and exhibition held
on October 4.
Tripura becomes fourth state to introduce e-cabinet system
 Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha launched an e-cabinet system at Agartala to promote digital
infrastructure development and digitisation of government services and information. Tripura has thus
become the fourth state—and second in the Northeast—after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal
Pradesh, to have introduced an e-cabinet system.
 All future cabinet meetings in the state will be paperless, reducing the carbon footprint and environmental
degradation in the process, with ministers and bureaucrats using tablets. All ministers attended the event at the
new Secretariat complex, where the Chief Minister launched the app to be used for the e-cabinet.
 In the debut e-cabinet meeting, the government approved a proposal to procure a loan of Rs. 160 crore from the
Asian Development Bank, which has earlier provided soft loans with low interest rates to the government and
partnered with it in several developmental projects.

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Tripura is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country and the seventh-least populous state
with a population of 36.71 lakh. It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east and by Bangladesh to the north,
south and west. Agartala is the capital and the largest city in the state. Satyadev Narayan Arya is the current
Governor of Tripura.

In London, Uttarakhand government signs agreements for skiing resorts, cable car projects
 Understanding (MoU) of investment worth Rs. 2,000 crore with Poma Group, MoUs worth Rs. 4,800 crore
were signed with different companies in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Dhami, while
participating in the roadshow organised for the Global Investors Summit in London ahead of the Global Investors
Summit scheduled in December in Uttarakhand, held a meeting with many leading business houses of London.
 According to a statement issued by the state information department, two separate MoUs worth Rs. 3,800 crore
were signed with Kayan Jet and investment MoUs worth Rs. 1,000 crore were signed with Usha Breco. An
investment MoU of Rs. 2,100 crore for developing a skiing resort in Uttarakhand and Rs. 1,700 crore for a cable
car project was signed by Kayan Jet. It was agreed to develop skiing resort projects in Auli, Dayara Bugyal
and Munsiyari by Kayan Jet. Along with this, it was agreed to develop ropeways in Haridwar and other districts
by Usha Breco Limited, a leader in the field. As many as 80 business houses from the education, tourism, IT,
health sectors of London participated in the event.
Uttarakhand is often referred to as the Devbhumi, due to many Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres found
throughout the state. On 9 November 2000, Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of India, being
created from the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh. Trivendra Singh Rawat is the
eighth and current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Baby Rani Maurya is serving as the seventh governor of
Uttarakhand since 26 August 2018. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city of the state,
which is a rail head. Gairsain, a town in Chamoli district is the summer capital of Uttarakhand. The High Court
of the state is located in Nainital.

4th edition of Indo-Latin America Cultural Festival organised by ICCR begins in New Delhi
 The fourth edition of Indo-Latin America Cultural Festival organised by the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR) began in New Delhi. Total 34 artists of three countries - Colombia, Ecuador and Chile are
participating in the two-day festival.
 On the first day of the festival, artists from Chile mesmerized the audience with their music and dance. ICCR
President Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said the vibrant celebration of culture and art aims to showcase the rich
cultural. The festival is bringing together key stakeholders from India and Latin America to deliberate on the
prospects of cultural and educational collaborations.
PM Narendra Modi launched week-long programme ‗Sankalp Saptaah‘ for Aspirational Blocks
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a week-long programme for Aspirational Blocks in the country
called Sankalp Saptaah in New Delhi. The inaugural programme witnessed participation of about three thousand
panchayat and block level people‘s representatives and functionaries from across the country in Bharat
Mandapam. In addition, about two lakh people including block and panchayat level functionaries, farmers, and
persons from other walks of life, will join the programme virtually. Sankalp Saptaah is linked to the effective
implementation of Aspirational Blocks Programme ABP. The nationwide programme was launched by the
Prime Minister on 7th January this year to improve governance at the block level and enhance the quality
of life of citizens.
 It is being implemented in 500 Aspirational Blocks across 329 districts. For implementing the Aspirational
Blocks Programme and to prepare an effective block development strategy, chintan shivirs were organised at
village and block levels across the country. The Sankalp Saptaah is a culmination of the chintan shivirs. Each day
in Sankalp Saptaah, starting from 3rd October to 9th October is dedicated to a specific development theme on
which all Aspirational Blocks will work. The themes for the first six days include Sampoorna Swasthya, Suposhit
Pariwaar, Swachhta, Krishi, Shiksha, and Samridhi Diwas. The last day of the week 9th October will be a
celebration of the work conducted during the entire week, as Sankalp Saptaah - Samavesh Samaroh.

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I&B Ministry notifies key amendments to Cable Television Network Rules
 The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has issued a notification amending the Cable Television
Network Rules, 1994, thereby introducing a procedure for the renewal of Multi-System Operator (MSO)
registrations. In addition, an enabling provision has been inserted in the Rules for the sharing of infrastructure by
the cable operators with the broadband service providers to promote Internet penetration to the last mile.
 The salient features of the amended Rules provide that the cable operators will have to apply for the registration
or renewal of registration online at the Ministry‘s Broadcast Seva Portal of MIB. The registrations will be
granted or renewed for 10 years.
 The processing fee of Rs. 1 lakh has been kept for the renewal of registration also. The application for
renewal of registration will be within a window of seven to two months before the expiry of registration. ―The
renewal procedure is in line with the government‘s commitment to ease of doing business as it will provide
certainty to cable operators to continue their services without interruption and therefore make the sector attractive
for foreign investment.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (Ministry of I&B) is a ministerial level agency of the Government of
India responsible for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws in the areas of
information, broadcasting, the press and the Cinema of India. Anurag Singh Thakur is a Member of Parliament
in the Lok Sabha from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. He is the current Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and
Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Healthway: India‘s first solar roof cycling track thrown open in Hyderabad
 The 23-km cycle track along the Outer Ring Road (ORR), in Hyderabad which was awaiting inauguration for
quite some time, was finally unveiled. The Healthway Cycling Track, which features a global design, is divided
into two stretches.
 The first section spans TSPA to Nanakramguda, covering a distance of 8.5 km. The second stretch is from
Narsingi to Kollur, covering 14.5 km. According to Hyderabad Cycling Revolution (HCR), a cycling
community of over 10,000 members, the track will be open 24/7, with five access points - Narsingi, Kollur,
TSPA, Vattinagulapalli and Nanakramgua.
Bihar caste survey released: EBCs form 36% of population, OBCs at 27.13%
 The Bihar government‘s caste survey report, showed that extremely backward classes (EBCs) account for
36.01 percent of the 13.07 crore population of the state. OBC Yadavs are the single biggest caste with 14.26
per cent. According to the survey, conducted in two phases, the Hindu population in the state is 81.99 percent
and Muslim population is 17.7 percent.
 There were 2,146 people who did not mention any religion in the survey. Among social groups, OBCs are 27.12
percent of the state population and EBCs are 36.01 percent. The Scheduled Caste population is 19.65 percent,
while the general category is 15.52 percent, with Brahmins leading the tally with 3.67 percent, closely followed
by Rajputs at 3.45 percent. Nitish Kumar‘s core constituency, Kurmis, are 2.87 per cent, Kushwahas 4.27 percent
and Dhanuks 2.16 percent.
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th
largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West
Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west
to east. On 15 November 2000, southern Bihar was ceded to form the new state of Jharkhand. Nitish Kumar is
serving as current Chief Minister of Bihar since 22 February 2015, having previous held the office from 2005 to
2014 and for a short period in 2000. Rajendra Arlekar is the current Governor of Bihar. As per the 2011 census,
among states, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate of 47% and highest in Kerala (male: 96.1%, female 92.1%).

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International

Nepal is ready to take BRI project further

 Nepal will continue to actively participate in China‘s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Prime Minister
Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said, laying to rest speculation that he would push Beijing for measures to
safeguard Nepal from falling into a debt trap.
 Prachanda, who flew to Hangzhou from New York to witness the inaugural session of the Asian Games, has
told Chinese President Xi Jinping that his government will further promote the Trans-Himalayan network
as it will ―greatly assist‖ Nepal‘s national economic development. The Trans-Himalayan network, an
economic corridor between Nepal and China, is part of the BRI.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) known within China as the One Belt One Road is a global infrastructure
development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries and
international organizations. It is considered a centerpiece of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping‘s foreign policy. The
BRI forms a central component of Xi‘s ―Major Country Diplomacy‖ strategy, which calls for China to assume a
greater leadership role for global affairs in accordance with its rising power and status. It has been compared to the
American Marshall Plan. The participating countries include almost 75% of the world‘s population and account
for more than half of the world‘s GDP.

UK to unveil ‗World‘s First‘ Sculpture Celebrating Women Who Wear Hijab

 A steel sculpture dedicated to Muslim women who wear the hijab is set to be unveiled in Britain‘s second-
largest city, Birmingham. The sculpture designed by Luke Perry, will be installed in the Smethwick area of the
West Midlands in October.
 Notably, the hijab is a headscarf that covers the hair, neck, and sometimes a woman‘s shoulders. The
sculpture, which is five meters tall and weighs around a tonne, is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.
The artwork, called ―Strength of the Hijab‖, depicts a Muslim woman wearing a hijab with the words ―it is
a woman‘s right to be loved and respected whatever she chooses to wear‖ inscribed across its base. In the past,
Mr Perry has designed the Black British History and British History sculpture, alongside Canaan Brown, which
was installed in nearby Winson Green in May.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK)
or Britain is a sovereign country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It
comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great
Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the British Isles. The
United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital and largest city is
London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of over 14 million. Sterling is the
official currency of the United Kingdom and its associated territories. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George)
is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir
apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to accede to the British throne upon the
death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. Rishi Sunak is the current Prime Minister. He is also
the Leader of the Conservative Party since October 2022. Sunak was born in Southampton to parents of Indian
descent who migrated to Britain from East Africa in the 1960s.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 9

Thailand‘s ancient town of Si Thep, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 Si Thep, an ancient town located about 340 km north of Bangkok in the Phetchabun province, is the newest
addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand. The site has been listed as The Ancient
Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments. With this new addition, Thailand now has seven
World Heritage Sites.
 The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments comprise of a twin-town site, featuring
an Inner and Outer Town surrounded by moats, the impressive Khao Klang Nok ancient monument, and
the Khao Thamorrat Cave ancient monument. Si Thep is a place like no other.
 The beauty and charm of the ancient town is complemented by the region‘s breathtaking beauty, cool climate,
mist-covered mountains and a lot of options for adventure activities like outdoor camping and trekking. Origin of
the town of Si Thep dates back to the Dvaravati period (6th to the 11th century CE). Back then, Si Thep was a
bustling regional trading centre that led to the development of the unique regional culture and art.
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam, is a country in Southeast Asia on
the Indochinese Peninsula. Bangkok is the nation‘s capital and largest city. The baht is the official currency of
Thailand. Vajiralongkorn is the King of Thailand.

World‘s largest Hindu temple outside India in modern era to be inaugurated in New Jersey
 The world‘s largest Hindu temple constructed outside India in the modern era is all set to be inaugurated in
New Jersey on October 8, 2023. About 60 miles (90 km) south of Times Square, New York, or about 180 miles
(289 km) north of Washington DC, the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in the little Robbinsville Township of
New Jersey has been built by an army of more than 12,500 volunteers from across the US in over 12 years from
2011 to 2023.
 Being currently visited by thousands of Hindus and people of other faiths every day from across the country
ahead of its formal inauguration, the temple popular as Akshardham measures 255 ft x 345 ft x 191 ft and spans
over 183 acres. It has been designed according to ancient Hindu scriptures and includes design elements from
ancient Indian culture including 10,000 statues and statuettes, carvings of Indian musical instruments and dance
forms. The temple is possibly the second largest after Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
 The 12th-century Angkor Wat Temple Complex, the largest Hindu temple in the World, is spread over 500
acres and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Akshardham temple in New Delhi which was opened for
the public in November 2005 is spread over 100 acres. The unique Hindu temple design includes one main shrine,
12 sub-shrines, nine shikhars (spire-like structures), and nine pyramidal shikhars. Akshardham houses the largest
elliptical dome of traditional stone architecture ever constructed. It is designed to last a thousand years.
India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue held in Washington
 India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue was held in Washington. Underscoring the transformative
momentum in the India-US relationship, the two countries held discussions on opportunities to further
strengthen interoperability and logistics cooperation. The sides also discussed combined maritime
engagements in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as expanded cooperation in the space and cyber domains.
 The 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue advanced a wide range of ambitious initiatives across the breadth of
the US-India partnership, including defence and security, emerging technologies, people-to-people ties, clean
energy, and supply chain resilience. The two sides reaffirmed that a strong partnership between the two countries
is essential to upholding security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Joint venture to develop first LNG ship bunkering hub in US Gulf
 A joint venture is developing the first dedicated liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering facility for ships in
the US Gulf amid efforts by the maritime industry to find cleaner fuel solutions.
 Shipping, which accounts for nearly 3% of global CO2 emissions and is under pressure from investors and
environmental groups to accelerate decarbonisation, is exploring a number of other technologies including
ammonia, methanol and wind in an effort to move away from dirtier bunker fuel.

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 Seapath, a subsidiary of global business group Libra, and Houston-based energy infrastructure company Pilot
LNG have formed a joint venture to develop, construct, and operate the LNG bunkering facility in the
greater Houston/Galveston area of Texas, with operations set to begin in early 2026.
Sri Lanka cabinet approves $200 mln loan from Asian Development Bank
 Sri Lanka‘s cabinet approved a $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as the country
focusses on rebuilding its crisis-hit economy. The funds will be obtained in a five-year loan to help the island
navigate its way out of its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades.
Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal.
Sri Lanka is separated from the India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri
Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe is the current President of Sri Lanka, in office since January 2015. Sri Lankan
rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka. Dinesh Gunawardena is the current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Taiwan launched Island‘s first domestically made submarine for testing

 Taiwan‘s President Tsai Ing-wen launched the island‘s first domestically made submarine for testing at a
port in Kaohsiung. The submarine, if successful in its tests, will be a major breakthrough for Taiwan in
shipbuilding and design.
 The submarine, named Hai Kun, or literally ―Sea Kun,‖ is named for a type of fish found in Chinese
literature called Kun, of legendary proportions. It took seven years of design and construction. It will only be
handed over to the military after passing both its harbor and ocean-faring tests. Taiwan plans to build another
submarine if successful, with both to be deployed by 2027.
Taiwan officially the Republic of China (ROC) is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South
China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People‘s Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest,
Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. The main island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa.
The capital, Taipei, forms along with New Taipei City. The New Taiwan dollar is the official currency of
Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen is the incumbent as the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since 2016.

China opens its first cross-sea bullet train, linking major cities in the southeastern Fujian
province
 China opened its first cross-sea bullet train, linking major cities in the southeastern Fujian province. The
bullet trains — or high-speed rail (HSR) as they are called in China — will travel at the same 350 km per hour
speed as other trains on the network. The new track, which links five cities in Fujian, including capital
Fuzhou and business-hub Xiamen, includes portions along a cross-sea bridge, running right across the strait
from Taiwan. The over-sea segment covers around 20 km of the total 277 km route.
 The entire network comprises newly built track to accommodate the faster bullet trains. The first route,
connecting Beijing and Tianjin, went online in 2008. The latest phase of expansion is covering China‘s remote
and sprawing western regions, with new tracks being opened in Tibet, Xinjiang and Sichuan.
China is a country in East Asia and the world‘s most populous country, with a population of around 1.404
billion. Beijing is the capital of the People‘s Republic of China. Xi Jinping is serving as president of the People‘s
Republic of China. National People‘s Congress is the national legislature of the People‘s Republic of China. With
2,980 members in 2018, it is the largest parliamentary body in the world. China‘s currency yuan joins the
International Monetary Fund‘s basket of reserve currencies. China claims sovereignty over all of the South China
Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, Philippines
and Brunei, have made counterclaims. Chinese claims in the South China Sea are described in part by the
nine-dash line. China and India are the two neighbouring countries in Asia. India shares 3488 km of border
with China that runs along the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and
Arunachal Pradesh. The Belt and Road Initiative, known in Chinese and formerly in English as One Belt One
Road or OBOR for short, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in
2013 to invest in nearly 70 countries and international organizations.

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Dr Mohamed Muizzu wins Presidential elections in Maldives
 Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the opposition PPM PNC coalition has won the Presidential elections in Maldives.
In the provisional results, Dr. Muizzu was shown to have polled over 53 per cent of the votes. As per the laws,
at least 50% vote is necessary for a candidate to emerge victorious.
 The provisional results of elections tallied by various media outlets in the archipelago nation of Maldives showed
Dr. Muizzu winning the popular vote. Ibrahim Mohammed Solih of the ruling MDP increased his support from
39% in the first round to 46% in the runoff, but fell short of the necessary 50% to win.
 The President elect thanked all those who voted for him and called for the release of Abdulla Yameen who is
serving an 11 year sentence on charges of Corruption. Mr. Solih also congratulated Dr. Muizzu and
expressed gratitude to the Maldivian people for the democratic example they set in the elections.
 Mr. Solih had won the last election in 2018 by a landslide, amid widespread anger over human rights abuses
and corruption under his predecessor. The vote for change in the Maldives comes after a strong anti-incumbency
sentiment and riding on a vitriolic campaign against the Mr. Solih‘s policies.
Maldives is a South Asian country, located in the Indian Ocean, situated in the Arabian Sea. Male is the capital
and most populated city, traditionally called the ―King‘s Island‖ for its central location. Maldivian rufiyaa is the
currency of the Maldives. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is the current President of the Maldives. Mohamed Muizzu is
the President-elect of the Maldives, due to take office on 17 November 2023. The Maldives rejoined the
Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic processes and popular
support.

The European Union launches first phase of world‘s first carbon border tariff
 The European EU Union launched the first phase of the world‘s first system to impose CO2 emissions
tariffs on imported steel, cement and other goods as it tries to stop more polluting foreign products from
undermining its green transition.
 The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners and at a forum last month, China‘s top climate
envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The bloc will
not begin collecting any CO2 emission charges at the border until 2026.
 However, marks the start of an initial phase of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) when EU
importers will have to report the greenhouse gas emissions embedded during the production of imported volumes
of iron and steel, aluminium, cement, electricity, fertilisers and hydrogen. Importers will from 2026 need to
purchase certificates to cover these CO2 emissions to put foreign producers on a level footing with EU
industries that must buy permits from the EU carbon market when they pollute.
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in
Europe. A monetary union was established in 1999, coming into full force in 2002, and is composed of 19
member states which use the euro currency. The union and EU citizenship were established when the
Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. The EU traces its origins to the European Coal and Steel Community
(ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), established, respectively, by the 1951 Treaty of Paris and
1957 Treaty of Rome. The original member states of what came to be known as the European Communities were
the Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. The United Kingdom
became the first member state to leave the EU on 31 January 2020. Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German
politician and physician who has been President of the European Commission since 1 December 2019. Charles
Michel is a Belgian politician serving as President of the European Council.

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ECONOMY AND FINANCE

Micron begins construction of $2.75 billion semiconductor plant in Gujarat

 US based chipmaker Micron Technology, Inc. carried out the groundbreaking of its $2.75 billion assembly,
testing and packaging plant (ATMP) in Sanand, Gujarat. The event took place at Gujarat Industrial
Development Corporation‘s (GIDC) industrial estate in Sanand where the company has been allotted 93 acres
of land for the project.
 The project marks the largest investment under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). Tata Projects
announced its collaboration with Micron Technology to construct an advanced semiconductor assembly and test
plant in Sanand and said it will roll out semiconductor chips next year. The contract awarded to Tata Projects
solidifies the company‘s proficiency in large-scale, sustainable infrastructure development in the Indian
manufacturing landscape.
Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity between conductors and insulators. They can be pure
elements, silicon or germanium or compounds, gallium, arsenide or cadmium selenide. They are the basic
building blocks that serve as the heart and brain of all modern electronics and information and
communications technology products. These chips are now an integral part of contemporary automobiles,
household gadgets and essential medical devices such as ECG machines. In December 2021, the centre govt
sanctioned Rs. 76,000 crore under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage the
manufacturing of various semiconductor goods within India.

GanderCoin: India‘s First Digital Coin

 CoinCRED is the best crypto exchange in india that offers advanced cryptocurrency features to make the
digital revolution accessible. In a world marked by constant innovation and ever-evolving financial landscapes,
CoinCred, an Indian crypto exchange, emerges as a dynamic force, reshaping how we perceive and engage with
trading.
 The company‘s mission is to empower traders with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in the
fast-paced world of cryptocurrency trading. With a commitment to transparency, security, and cutting-edge
technology, CoinCred is not merely a crypto exchange platform; it‘s a revolution in the making.
 GanderCoin emerges as the pioneering digital coin as it is set to redefine how we transact invest, and
safeguard our financial assets. CoinCRED‘s phenomenal Success is moving another step forward with the
Success of its first Indian cryptocurrency, Gander Coin, which CoinCRED has formally acquired.
Axis Bank launches ‗NEO for Business‘
 Axis Bank announces the launch of ‗NEO for Business‘, a distinctive Transaction Banking platform specially
curated for Indian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive
digital proposition that caters to the real, current, and emerging Transaction Banking needs of MSMEs.
 Axis Bank‘s NEO for Business platform offers a wide array of Banking and Beyond Banking features such
as: Digital self on-boarding, Bulk Payments, GST Compliant Invoicing, Payment Gateway integration, 360°
Customer View, End to End Transaction Tracking, Auto Reconciliation, Recurring Collections and Cash Flow
Reports and many more.

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Axis Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It sells financial
services to large and mid-size companies, SMEs and retail businesses. It is the third largest private sector bank
in India The bank was founded in December 1993 as UTI Bank, opening its registered office in Ahmedabad and a
corporate office in Mumbai. Shikha Sharma was the managing director and CEO of Axis Bank from 2009 to 2018.
Amitabh Chaudhry is the current managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of it.

India gets green light to join JPMorgan bond index; rupee, bonds gain
 JPMorgan will include India in its widely tracked emerging market debt index, setting the stage for billions
of dollars of inflows into the world‘s fifth-largest economy and helping it finance its current account and fiscal
deficits.
 India‘s local bonds will be included in the Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) index
and the index suite, benchmarked by about $236 billion in global funds. The decision marks a key moment for
India, one of the world‘s fastest growing major economies, which has embarked on a big push to raise its standing
in international financial markets.
 JPMorgan said 23 Indian Government Bonds (IGBs) with a combined notional value of $330 billion, all of
which fall under the ―fully accessible route‖ for non-residents are eligible. ―India‘s weight is expected to reach the
maximum weight threshold of 10% in the GBI-EM Global Diversified, and approximately 8.7% in the GBI-EM
Global index‖.
J.P. Morgan & Co. is an American financial institution specialized in investment banking, asset management
and private banking founded by financier J. P. Morgan in 1871. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the
company is now a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest banking institutions in the world. The
company has been historically referred to as the ―House of Morgan‖ or simply Morgan. It is headquartered in New
York City.

40% electric vehicles sold in India manufactured in Tamil Nadu

 Tamil Nadu has become one of the largest manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (EV) sold this year, data from
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways‘. Out of the ten lakh EVs sold in India this year, over four lakh were
manufactured in Tamil Nadu. The EVs were two and four-wheelers along with cars manufactured by ten
companies in the state. According to the Vahan Dashboard data, as many as 10,44,600 EVs were registered with
RTOs from January until September 20. Of this, Tamil Nadu sold 4,14,802 EVs manufactured based on
registration of all EVs across the state‘s RTOs.
Government approves one-year extension to RBI Deputy Governor Rajeshwar Rao
 The government extended the term of RBI Deputy Governor M Rajeshwar Rao for a period of one year.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of M Rajeshwar Rao, Deputy
Governor Reserve Bank of India, for a period of one year with effect from October 9, 2023. He was appointed as
the RBI Deputy Governor in October 2020 for a period of three years. Rao was elevated as the RBI executive
director in November 2016.
GeM to soon launch a mobile-based inclusive lending platform GEM Sahay 2.0
 The Government E-Marketplace (GeM) will launch GeM Sahay 2.0 for the sellers to provide easy access to
loans up to 10 lakh rupees. The Government is working to make the GeM portal more seamless to bring on
board sellers from various categories.
 The loan will be disbursed in a hassle-free manner in 10 minutes and more banks will be couraged to join
the initiative. GeM Sahay 2.0 is a mobile-based inclusive lending platform enabling sellers to avail loans on
acceptance of an order on the GeM platform.
 GeM has disbursed loan amounts of around 21 crore rupees to sellers so far. It said, two lakh 13 thousand
businesses are actively offering 36 lakh products on the GeM platform. GeM is leveraging the latest
technology to enable sellers from all over India to access the public procurement market, including
initiatives like GeM outlet stores and the One District One Product initiative.

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FSSAI introduces ‗Special Category‘ provision to promote gender equality in food biz
 The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a new provision of ‗Special
Category‘ in the online Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal.
 The newly launched provision aims at promoting gender equality and equal opportunities for women and
transgender entrepreneurs in the food business sector. ―Under this provision, licensing and registering
authorities will process ‗Special Category‘ applications in a balanced manner to maintain one-to-one ratio
alongside regular applications, until there are no pending application in either category‖.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The FSSAI has been established under the Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2006, which is a consolidating statue related to food safety and regulation in India. FSSAI is
responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
The FSSAI has its headquarters at New Delhi. The authority also has 6 regional offices located in Delhi,
Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, and Chennai.

Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund launches India‘s first Nifty 500 ETF
 Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund has introduced India‘s first Nifty 500 ETF, an open-ended scheme designed to
replicate the performance of the Nifty 500 Total Return Index. The primary objective of this scheme is to
deliver returns that, before accounting for expenses, mirror the total returns of the securities represented in the
Nifty 500 Total Return Index, while considering tracking error. This makes it a suitable choice for investors
looking for returns corresponding to the Nifty 500 Total Return Index‘s performance, with a focus on long-term
capital growth.
India will sell 50-year bonds for the first time
 The new bond adds to the 30-year and 40-year tenor debt sold, extending the nation‘s yield curve, according to a
borrowing plan released by the Reserve Bank of India. The nation‘s burgeoning life insurance and pension
fund industries, driven by an expanding middle class, are changing the landscape for India‘s $1 trillion
sovereign debt market.
 The sale reflects their growing heft and helps Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s government reduce its
reliance on purchases by banks to fund record borrowings. Investor demand has been strong, supported by the
expansion of the formal sector, with households allocating a higher share of financial savings in life insurance,
pensions and provident funds.
 The authorities are trying to increase the tenure of debt sold and expect yields to decline after India‘s
inclusion in JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s emerging market index. The government will sell 300 billion rupees
($3.6 billion) of the 50-year bond in the October to February period, which accounts for almost 5% of its total
borrowings.
India retains 40th rank in Global Innovation Index 2023
 India has retained 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023. NITI Aayog said India retained the 40th
rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World
Intellectual Property Organization.
 It said India has been on a rising trajectory over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index,
from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023. NITI Aayog said the consistent improvement in the GII ranking is owing
to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant start-up ecosystem, and the work done by the public and private
research organizations.
 Atal Innovation Mission has played a major role in expanding the Innovation ecosystem. NITI Aayog has
been working to ensure the optimization of national efforts for bringing policy-led innovation in different areas
such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, and alternative energy sources. It has also played
a role in expanding the innovation eco-system in states and districts. The GII is a reliable tool for governments
across the world to assess the innovation-led social and economic changes in their respective countries.
 For the 13th year in a row, Switzerland is the most innovative economy in 2023 followed by Sweden, the
United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Discover how other economies are performing in the Global

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 15

Innovation Index 2023 rankings. After a rapid ascent, gaining 23 positions over the last decade, China ranks 12th
this year, dropping one rank relative to 2022.
The Global Innovation Index is a leading reference for measuring an economy‘s innovation ecosystem
performance. Published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization, it is also a valuable
benchmarking tool used by policymakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders to assess progress in innovation
over time. The Global Innovation Tracker 2023 addresses these crucial questions. It takes the pulse of four key
stages in the innovation cycle: (1) science and innovation investment; (2) technological progress; (3) technology
adoption; and (4) the socioeconomic impact of innovation.

Oil giant Saudi Aramco announces first global LNG deal

 Saudi Aramco announced its first global investment in liquefied natural gas, part of a broader bid by the
energy giant to expand beyond oil. The company seen as the jewel of the Saudi economy said it would acquire a
minority stake worth $500 million in MidOcean Energy, which is managed by the U.S. investment firm EIG.
 Saudi Arabia, the world‘s biggest crude oil exporter, owns 90 percent of Aramco‘s shares and is depending
on its revenue for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman‘s sweeping economic and social reform programme
known as Vision 2030, which aims to shift the economy away from fossil fuels.
India‘s first offshore wind projects to come up across Tamil Nadu coast
 The Union government floated the country‘s first ever tender to allocate seabed sites along the coast of
Tamil Nadu for developing offshore wind projects. This is a significant development as currently, there are no
offshore wind projects in India. The country only has land-based wind farms as of now, totalling a capacity
of 44,089.68 MW. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will allocate the seabed sites through
auction and will waive off inter-state transmission system (ISTS) charges for developers or generators who
commission their offshore wind projects on or before December 31, 2032.
 Studies on offshore wind projects will take maximum five years, an operational project is likely to come up
only after 2030. The generators will also be eligible for additional surcharge for the power drawn from offshore
wind power projects. Besides, a concessional custom duty on import of critical components for manufacturing of
offshore wind turbines is also likely to be offered. Currently, the same is offered to onshore wind turbines.
India‘s NABARD raises 10 billion rupees in country‘s first social impact bond
 India‘s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) concluded the country‘s first
social impact bond issue, but raised less than it could have due to higher costs for the issuer. NABARD
accepted bids worth 10.40 billion rupees ($124.9 million), the bankers said, declining to be identified as they
are not authorised to speak to the media. NABARD had planned to raise at least 10 billion rupees via this issue,
with a greenshoe option to retain an additional 20 billion rupees.
 The state-run company has set a coupon of 7.63% on this issue. Projects that promise energy efficiency,
including green buildings, energy storage, and smart grids, would be eligible for funding through these bonds. AK
Capital, ICICI Securities Primary Dealership and Trust Investment Advisors were among the arrangers for the
bond issue, which was rated AAA by CRISIL and ICRA. Bonds for funding green projects or social impact
projects have failed for issuers in India as they yield on par with vanilla bonds. The government has also seen its
green bonds issued only marginally below the cost of regular securities, as there is a common pool of investors.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is an apex regulatory body for overall
regulation of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India. It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry
of Finance, Government of India. The bank has been entrusted with ―matters concerning policy, planning, and
operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India‖. NABARD is
active in developing and implementing financial inclusion. Shri Shaji K V is the current Chairman of NABARD.
It is headquartered in Mumbai.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Inventions/Discoveries
NASA‘s OSIRIS-REx: First-ever asteroid sample dropped on Earth
 The NASA‘s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer
(OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, launched on 8th September 2016, has successfully delivered the first asteroid
samples from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu (formerly 1999 RQ36) to Earth after a seven-year journey,
bringing valuable 4.5 billion-year-old samples.
 The precious cargo contains somewhere around 250 grams of material that was gathered from the asteroid
Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft around two years ago. After seven long years in space, the mission now
faces one of its most daunting challenges—actually delivering the samples to Earth.
 The Osiris-Rex sample capsule was released during an Earth flyby, landing safely in the Utah desert,
United States preserving the asteroid samples. Scientists estimate the capsule has at least a cupful of debris
from the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu. The samples are expected to provide insights into the formation of
Earth and life 4.5 billion years ago. Osiris-Rex will continue its mission by studying another asteroid,
Apophis, which it will reach in 2029.
OSIRIS-REx was launched on 8 September 2016, flew past Earth on 22 September 2017, and rendezvoused
with Bennu on 3 December 2018. It spent the next two years analyzing the surface to find a suitable site from
which to extract a sample. On 20 October 2020, OSIRIS-REx touched down on Bennu and successfully collected
a sample. OSIRIS-REx departed Bennu on 10 May 2021 and returned its sample to Earth on 24 September
2023, subsequently starting its extended mission to study 99942 Apophis. OSIRIS-Rex was a NASA asteroid-
study and sample-return mission that visited and collected samples from 101955 Bennu, a carbonaceous near-
Earth asteroid. The material, returned in September 2023, is expected to enable scientists to learn more about
the formation and evolution of the Solar System, its initial stages of planet formation, and the source of organic
compounds that led to the formation of life on Earth. Following the completion of the primary mission, the
spacecraft is planned to conduct a flyby of asteroid 99942 Apophis as OSIRIS-APEX.

Asteroid Bennu, a ticking n-bomb that could destroy Earth and NASA‘s mission to prevent it
 Asteroid Bennu, named after an ancient Egyptian mythological bird, that is associated with the Sun,
creation and rebirth has been predicted to hit the Earth by NASA. In order to protect the planet and hopefully
avert the crisis the space research centre sent an asteroid study and sample return mission named OSIRIS-REx in
2016, to collect a sample from the asteroid and study it‘s origin.
 According to scientists, Bennu which is taller than the Empire State Building and 510 meters wide- could
release 1,2000 megatons of energy if it hit Earth, i.e. 24 times more powerful than the most powerful nuclear
weapon ever built. Calculations state that if the collision happened it would occur in the late 2100s and early
2200s, with the single likeliest impact coming on the afternoon of September 24, 2182. NASA states that the
odds of the collision happening are 1 in 1,750 by the year 2300 or 0.05%. While Bennu‘s chances of collision
with Earth may have been termed as less likely by NASA for now, it has been categorized as a ―potentially
hazardous asteroid‖ that could come as near as 4.65 million miles from Earth.

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101955 Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid in the Apollo group discovered by the LINEAR Project on 11
September 1999. It is a potentially hazardous object that is listed on the Sentry Risk Table and has the highest
cumulative rating on the Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale. It has a cumulative 1-in-1,750 chance of
impacting Earth between 2178 and 2290 with the greatest risk being on 24 September 2182. It is named after Bennu,
the ancient Egyptian mythological bird associated with the Sun, creation, and rebirth. Bennu was the target of
the OSIRIS-REx mission that returned samples of the asteroid to Earth.

Disease X, the next pandemic, could kill about 50 million people

 COVID-19 claimed approximately 20 million lives worldwide, but if scientists are to be believed, the next
pandemic could kill more than twice that figure. In a new book, the former Chair of the UK Vaccine
Taskforce, Kate Bingham, has issued a stark warning about the potential for the next pandemic to emerge
from a vast pool of unknown viruses, potentially claiming as many lives as the Spanish Flu, which killed an
estimated 50 million people. Co-authored with vaccine expert Tim Hames, an excerpt from the book published in
the Daily Mail outlines their concerns about the next pandemic and calls for enhanced pandemic preparedness.
 ―So far, scientists are aware of 25 virus families, each of them comprising hundreds or thousands of different
viruses, any of which could evolve to cause a pandemic,‖ caution Bingham and Hames. Their concerns align
with the World Health Organisation‘s (WHO) recent warning about the inevitability of a future pandemic,
referred to as ―Disease X.‖
 This term was coined by the WHO in 2018 and includes diseases such as Ebola, SARS, and Zika among its
potential sources. ―Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a
pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease,‖ notes the WHO.
 These diseases fall under the WHO‘s ―Blueprint list priority diseases,‖ which lack effective medical
countermeasures. Many experts believe that the next Disease X will likely be zoonotic, originating in animals
before spilling over into human populations, as seen with Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19.
 Although, Bingham and Hames point out that the relatively low fatality rate compared to other viruses was
a stroke of luck. They caution against assuming that the next pandemic will be easily contained, given the higher
fatality rates of other pathogens such as Ebola, bird flu, and MERS.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It has since
spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. WHO first learned of this new virus on 31 December 2019,
following a report of a cluster of cases of ‗viral pneumonia‘ in Wuhan, People‘s Republic of China. The most
common symptoms of COVID-19 are, Fever, Dry cough and Fatigue. The standard diagnosis method is by
real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab. In India, the
first case was reported in Kerala.

IIT Guwahati develops silica nanoparticle-coated cotton fabric for efficient oil-water separation;
aids in clearing oil spills
 Indian Institute of Techonology (IIT) Guwahati has developed a Silica Nanoparticles coated cotton fabric
that can separate oil from oil-water mixture. This research aims to convert a large-scale agricultural waste into
a sustainable value-added product to mitigate marine oil pollution.
 The said nanoparticles have been developed by utilising rice husk, an agricultural waste, as the primary
source material. The findings of this study can aid in development of economical, sustainable platforms for
separating oil/water mixtures or harmful components from aqueous/non-aqueous mixture.
Zambia find shows humans have built with wood for 476,000 years
 Along the banks of the Kalambo River in Zambia near Africa‘s second-highest waterfall, archaeologists have
excavated two logs of the large-fruited bushwillow tree that were notched, shaped and joined nearly half a
million years ago.
 These artifacts, represent the oldest-known example of humans - in this case a species that preceded our
own - building wooden structures, a milestone in technological achievement that indicates that our forerunners

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displayed more ingenuity than previously thought. The logs, modified using stone tools, appear to have been part
of a framework for a structure, a conclusion that contradicts the notion humans at that time simply roamed the
landscape hunting and gathering resources.
 ―The framework could have supported a walkway or platform raised above the seasonally wet surroundings. The
earliest-known Homo sapiens fossils date from roughly 300,000 years ago in Morocco. The Kalambo Falls
logs were determined to be from about 476,000 years ago.
 No human remains were found there, but Barham suspects the artifacts were fashioned by a species called Homo
heidelbergensis known from about 700,000 to 200,000 years ago. Homo heidelbergensis possessed a large
browridge and a bigger braincase and flatter face than earlier hominins - species on the human evolutionary
lineage.
Zambia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa. The capital city of
Zambia is Lusaka. The Kwacha is the currency of Zambia. Hakainde Hichilema is the current President of
Zambia since 24 August 2021.

IISc again tops Indian institutes in global rankings of universities

 Indian Institute of Science (IISc) emerged as the top-performing higher educational institution in the
country, ranking among the top 250 institutes in the 20th edition of Times Higher Education‘s World University
Rankings. This is the first time since 2017 that Bengaluru-based IISc has ranked among the top 250
universities. Last year, it featured in the 251-300 band.
 Overall, a record 91 Indian universities and institutions have made it to this year‘s rankings, marking a
significant jump from last year‘s 75, according to London-based Times Higher Education (THE). Its strongest
debutant is Malaviya National Institute of Technology [Jaipur] which ranks in the 601-800 band‖. Besides IISc,
the other highest-ranked Indian universities are Anna University (Chennai), Jamia Millia Islamia (Delhi),
Mahatma Gandhi University (Kottayam, Kerala), Shoolini University (Solan, Himachal Pradesh) — all of them in
the top 501-600 band.
 Two Indian Institutes of Technology — IIT Guwahati and IIT Dhanbad — moved up two bands from last
year‘s 1,001-1,200 rankings to feature in the 601-800 band this year. To be sure, top IITs including IIT
Madras, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi, have not been participating in THE rankings for the last four years citing
―transparency‖ issue.
 A total of 1,904 universities from 108 countries and regions were ranked this year, up from 1,799 last year, the
statement said. The institutions are ranked against 18 performance indicators — up from 13 last year — grouped into
five pillars: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry. Of the five new
metrics include three that look at research quality and one that examines patents in the industry pillar.
Eutelsat Communications and OneWeb merge to create world‘s first Geo-Leo satellite space
connectivity company
 Eutelsat Communications SA, one of the world‘s leading satellite operators, announced the completion of its
all-share combination with OneWeb, the global low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications network,
following the approval of the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of Eutelsat shareholders.
Headquartered out of Paris, the merged entity will have Bharti Enterprises as its largest shareholder with
21.2% share.
 Bharti Group is committed to be a long-term strategic investor in the Eutelsat Group. Mr. Sunil Bharti
Mittal will be the Vice-Président (Co-Chair) and Shravin Bharti Mittal, who spearheaded the OneWeb
investment, taking it out of Chapter 11, will be Bharti‘s lead as a Director on the Board of Eutelsat. Mr. Akhil
Gupta will continue to serve as a Director on the Board of OneWeb, now a 100% subsidiary of Eutelsat. OneWeb
will be a subsidiary operating commercially as Eutelsat OneWeb with its centre of operations remaining in
London. The Company remains listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange and has applied for standard listing
on the London Stock Exchange. Christened as the Eutelsat Group, the new entity will be the first GEO-LEO
integrated satellite group, transforming space communications and addressing the fast-growing
connectivity market.

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Sukrayaan 1: ISRO‘s mission to Venus
 A little over a month after achieving a historic milestone with the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan 3
on the Moon‘s south pole, and then launching the nation‘s first solar mission Aditya-L1, the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) has shifted its focus to Venus.
 ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the Venus mission, often informally referred to as Shukrayaan-1,
is making progress. The mission has been configured, and several payloads are currently in the development
phase. The name ‗Shukrayaan-1‘ is a combination of two words ‗Shukra‘, meaning Venus, and ‗Yaana‘,
meaning craft, in Sanskrit. The idea of ‗Shukrayaan -1 was born in 2012. In that year, the ISRO sought
payload proposals from research institutes.
 The primary objective of the mission is to conduct a comprehensive study of Venus, often referred to as
―Earth‘s twin.‖ This includes examining both the surface and atmosphere of Venus, as well as analyzing its
geological composition. NASA has expressed doubt about the possibility of life on Venus at this time.
Nonetheless, some scientists have not ruled out the potential existence of microbes in the upper atmosphere of
Venus, where the pressure is more akin to Earth‘s surface. Shukrayaan-1 seems to be progressing, but ISRO has
not yet disclosed important details such as the launch date and other key aspects of the project.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. As the
brightest natural object in Earth‘s night sky after the Moon, Venus can cast shadows and can be, on rare
occasions, visible to the naked eye in broad daylight. Venus lies within Earth‘s orbit, and so never appears to
venture far from the Sun, either setting in the west just after dusk or rising in the east a little while before dawn.
Venus orbits the Sun every 224.7 Earth days.

Germany and Israel announce signing of ‗historic‘ missile shield deal

 Germany has signed a deal to purchase the Arrow 3 hypersonic missile system from Israel, making it a
crucial part of Europe‘s defense against air attacks. The deal, worth approximately $3.5 billion, is the largest
ever for Israel‘s military industry. Arrow 3 system, which can shoot down missiles above the Earth‘s atmosphere.
The system was developed and produced by Israel and the United States and the sale had to be approved by
Washington before it could be finalised. The system was first deployed at an Israeli air force base in 2017 and has
been used to protect Israel against attacks from Iran and Syria.
 Arrow 3 is a ―mobile system‖ that can be deployed depending on the threats faced, according to
manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries. The money for the deal comes from a landmark 100-billion-euro fund
unveiled by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to bolster the country‘s defences in the wake of Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.
More than a dozen European countries have so far signed up to Germany‘s common air defence project, the
European Sky Shield Initiative. The Sky Shield project would involve joint procurement for short-, medium- and
long-range systems, including the German-made Iris-T, the American Patriot system and Arrow 3.
SpaceX set to launch NASA mission to asteroid Psyche
 Elon Musk-led SpaceX is set to launch the National Aeronautics and Space Administration‘s mission to the
asteroid Psyche. The mission is set to launch on the company‘s Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. Psyche is the name for both the asteroid and the NASA mission that plans to visit
it. The mission is led by Arizona State University, and the space agency chose it in 2017 as one of the two
missions for its Discovery Program. The Discovery Program funds relatively low-cost missions to targets within
the solar system.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the executive branch of
the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and
aerospace research. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958. Senator Bill Nelson is current
administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Australian woman becomes world‘s first person to survive deadly flesh-eating bacteria
 An Australian woman has become the world‘s first documented person to survive a pathogen which usually
causes the deadly ―blackleg‖ disease in sheep and cattle. The doctors treating the woman published the unique

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case this week in the Medical Journal of Australia which gave details of the successful treatment of the pathogen
after the only two similar cases in humans to have ever occurred – one in Japan and the other in the United States
– had turned fatal.
 The lead author of the article Dr Ria Ko was working as an infectious diseases advanced trainee at Sydney‘s
Prince of Wales Hospital when the 48-year-old woman was admitted last year with multi-organ failure, which
included kidneys and liver, and very low blood pressure.
 The hospital immediately admitted the woman to intensive care. She had a fever, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and
showed signs of shock. After performing blood culture testing, Ko discovered that a bacterium in the blood of
a patient that she had never heard of before and was called Clostridium chauvoei was the cause of the
infection.
 After looking into the exposure history of the patient, ―We thought that the most likely point of entry for this
bug would be from contaminated soil, with Clostridium chauvoei entering her bloodstream through these
scratches.‖ She added that although very little was mentioned about how to treat humans infected with the
bacteria, in the veterinary world it was known to be the leading cause of blackleg in cattle.
Scientists use pollen data to decode first human migration into Eurasia
 Pollen grains analysis helps understand how the first humans migrated from Africa across Europe and
Asia. The pollen data showed that warming temperatures supported forests that expanded into Siberia and
facilitated early human migration there, researchers from the University of Kansas, US.
 They compared Pleistocene vegetation communities around Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, to the oldest
archeological traces of Homo sapiens in the region. Pleistocene period is considered two million to 11 thousand
years ago and as the time of human evolution.
 In this study, the researchers use the ―remarkable evidence‖ to tell this migration story from about 45,000-
50,000 years ago. ―This research addresses long-standing debates regarding the environmental conditions that
early Homo sapiens faced during their migration into Europe and Asia around 40,000 to 50,000 years ago‖.

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SPORTS

Sports Personalities in News

Formula One leader Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix
 Formula One leader Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position as his dominant Red
Bull team secured the constructors‘ title for the second year in a row. Verstappen, who also took the fastest
lap and now leads Perez by a massive 177 points, can seal his third drivers‘ title in a row with five rounds to spare
at next month‘s Qatar Grand Prix.
MotoGP 2023: Marco Bezzechi wins the first Indian GP as Japanese bikes
 The first-ever MotoGP race on Indian soil took some work to come to fruition, but it was a rewarding
experience. Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney VR46 Racing Team became the first-ever MotoGP race winner at the
Bharat GP and he was accompanied by Jorge Martin, another Ducati rider, on the podium.
Asian Games | Indian 10m air rifle team clinches gold with world record score
 The Indian men‘s 10m air rifle team shot down gold with a world record score on the second day of
shooting competition at the Asian Games. The team of world champion Rudrankksh Patil, Olympian Divyansh
Panwar and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar aggregated 1893.7 in the qualification round to better the world record
of 1893.3 set by the Chinese less than a month back at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. South
Korea clinched the silver with an aggregate of 1890.1, while China won the bronze with a score of 1888.2.
Indian Women‘s Cricket team defeat Sri Lanka in final to clinch first-ever Asian Games gold
medal in Hangzhou
 The Indian Women‘s Cricket Team made the country proud by securing gold at the Asian Games, being
held in Hangzhou, China. Women in Blue beat Sri Lanka in a closely fought final match. With this medal, India‘s
total tally has risen to 11 medals- two gold, three silver, and six bronze in the Asian Games so far. This is India‘s
first gold medal in the sport at the Asian Games.
A 41-year old medal drought ends in equestrian gold, riding on a quartet of youngsters
 Equestrian as a sport made its maiden appearance at the Asian Games in 1982 and saw host India
dominating the competition with three gold medals. Since then, it had been a 41-year long wait for the elusive
yellow medal that ended with a team dressage gold as a quartet of 20-plus year olds scripted history at the Tonglu
Equestrian Centre in Hangzhou. It was also the first-ever medal in dressage for India, the previous one coming in
eventing. The four riders and their horses — Sudipti Hajela (Chinski), Divyakriti Singh (Adrenalin Firfod),
Hriday Cheda (Chemxpro Emerald) and Anush Agarwalla (Etro) — overcame a strong field that saw multiple-
times winner South Korea being eliminated and defending champion Japan relegated to fourth.
Sift Kaur Samra smashes world record to give India first individual gold at Asian Games 2023
 Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra created history by smashing every record possible on her way to winning
gold in the women‘s 50m rifle 3 position event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

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 This was India‘s first individual gold at this Games and the fifth top finish overall. The previous four gold
medals came in various team events in shooting, women‘s cricket, and equestrian. Ashi Chouksey, the other
Indian in the event, bagged bronze in the same event, taking India‘s overall medal tally at Hangzhou to 18.
Leander Paes becomes first Asian man to be nominated as a player to International Tennis Hall
of Fame
 Legendary Leander Paes, the multiple Grand Slam champion made history as he became the first Asian
male nominee for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category. The 50-year-old Paes is one of
the six nominees for the Class of 2024.
 He will be vying for this prestigious honor alongside fellow nominees Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos
Moya, Daniel Nestor, and Flavia Pennetta in the Player Category. Li Na, the Chinese player who won the
women‘s singles title at Australian Open and French Open, became the first Asian player to get nominated to the
ITHF in 2019.
Palak Gulia wins gold, Esha Singh silver for India in women‘s 10m air pistol
 The Indian contingent‘s unprecedented run in shooting at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou continues as 17
year old Palak Gulia secured a gold medal while 18 year old Esha Singh secured a silver medal in the 10m
air pistol women‘s individual final. With an individual score of 242.1 points, Palak not only won the gold, but
also established a new Asian Games record in her category, going past China‘s record from 2018. Esha won the
silver with 239.7 points, continuing her incredible run as a shooter in Hangzhou with her fourth medal of these
games.
Equestrian Star Anush Aggarwalla Wins India‘s First Ever Individual Medal in Dressage
 India‘s Anush Agarwalla secured another medal in the Equestrian event at the Hangzhou Asian Games. He
bagged a bronze medal in Dressage Individual Intermediate I Freestyle. This is also the first individual medal
for India in Equestrian. Malaysia‘s Fathil Mahamad clinched gold with 75.780 scores and Hong Kong‘s
Jacqueline Wing Ying claimed silver by scoring 73.450 points.
 Indian rider Hirday Chedda had also qualified for the medal event, but he was eliminated. In qualifying,
Hriday topped the charts with a total score of 73.883, while Anush astride his horse ETRO secured a fourth-spot
finish with a total score of 71.706. to advance to the final.
 Divyakriti Singh was also in the mix but ended up falling short of the qualifying mark as she finished in the
11th spot with a total score of 67.676. Earlier, the Indian team comprising Anush, Hriday, Divyakriti and Sudipti
registered a huge score of 209.205 in the Team Dressage to win gold.
 Anush Agarwalla and his horse ETRO scored the maximum score at 71.088 while Hriday Chheda-Emerald
scored 69.941. Divyakriti Singh-Adrenalin Firdod scored 68.176. Sudipti Hajela-Chinski scored 66.706. India
finished with a score of 209.205 which was significantly higher than second-placed China‘s 204.882. Anush
Agarwalla stole the show with a score of 71.088 while Hriday scored 69.941 and Divyakriti scored 68.176.
Together, they ensured that no team even comes close to their combined score.
Avinash Sable becomes first Indian man to win 3000m steeplechase gold in Asian Games
 A record-breaking Avinash Sable became the first Indian man to win a gold medal in 3000m steeplechase at
the Asian Games. The 29-year-old national record holder thus earned India its first gold medal in athletics at the
ongoing Games, completing the race in 8:19.50 seconds.

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MISCELLANEOUS
Law panel recommends rolling out registration of e-FIRs in a phased manner
 The Law Commission has recommended rolling out registration of e-FIRs in a phased manner beginning
with offences bearing up to three years jail term. In a report submitted to the government earlier this week and
made public, the law panel proposed setting up a centralised national portal to facilitate registration of e-FIRs. It
said e-FIRs will tackle long persisting issue of delay in the registration of FIRs and allow citizens to report crimes
in real time. ―Due to the march of technology, means of communication have progressed in leaps and
bounds. In such a landscape, clinging on to an archaic system of registering FIRs does not augur well for criminal
reforms.‖
In a first, India‘s unique investor count tops 80 million
 The total number of unique investors directly investing in the stock market has surged to 80 million for the
first time, with the latest 10 million additions taking place in just eight months, according to data shared by the
National Stock Exchange (NSE), the country‘s largest bourse. ―The 80 million unique PAN (permanent account
number) investors correspond approximately to around 50 million unique households in India amounting to
around 17 per cent households directly investing in the Indian stock market via NSE‘s extensive nationwide
network of trading members,‖.
Kerala launched ‗Thirike Schoolil‘ campaign organised by ‗Kudumbashree‘
 Kudumbashree, the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme of the Kerala government
launched ―Thirike Schoolil‖ or Back to School to enable knowledge acquisition for its 46 lakh members.
Thirike Schoolil or Back to School is perhaps the largest ever campaign organised by the Kudumbashree in
Kerala.
 It is aimed at strengthening the Kudumbashree‘s three tier organisational system, and to equip its women
members to take up new ventures in tune with the changing times. It also aims to strengthen the micro-
economic livelihood activities of the Neighbourhood Groups, generate awareness about digital technology, and
create a vision that will help in uplifting the status of women. The activities have been designed in a way that is
reminiscent of school days.
‗2018: Everyone is a Hero‘ picked as India‘s Oscar entry
 Earlier this year, ‗2018: Everyone is a Hero‘ created history as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie,
pulling the Kerala film industry out of the post-pandemic slump. The Film Federation of India (FFI) announced
its selection as India‘s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards
2024.
 The federation had received nearly 45 entries out of which 22 movies were shortlisted. Following this, the
selection committee headed by Girish Kasarvalli chose 2018 for its strong message regarding climate change,
global warming and the catastrophic effect of illegal constructions.‖ Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the
movie is about the devastating Kerala floods in the year 2018 as well as how people from all walks of life
came together to survive the calamity and help each other. The film celebrates human resilience and empathy. The
film‘s ensemble cast features Tovino Thomas, Indrans, Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, and others.
The World‘s First Ice-Cream Made From Plastic Waste
 The world‘s first food made from plastic waste – according to its developer – is vanilla ice cream, and
despite being locked in a freezer in London she hopes it kickstarts a heated debate about the future of food
and the plastic pollution crisis. The ice cream is actually an art installation, called ‗Guilty Flavours‘ by artist and
designer Eleanora Ortolani, 27, intended to challenge the way we think about plastic waste and what we are – and
are not – prepared to eat.

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PERSONS IN NEWS
Father of Green Revolution in India, MS Swaminathan passes away in Chennai
 Agricultural scientist Dr MS Swaminathan, known as the father of India‘s Green Revolution, passed away in
Chennai. He was 98 years old. Swaminathan brought a social revolution through his policies to rescue India from
famine-like circumstances in the 1960s. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation and played a
vital role in developing high-yield variety seeds of wheat, which led to the green revolution in India.
 World-renowned for his work on the policy front, Swaminathan has received numerous international awards
and honours, including Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, the first World Food Prize in 1987,
Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 1991, and the Planet and Humanity Medal of International
Geographical Union in 2000.
 He was conferred with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. President Murmu said, he was a
visionary who worked endlessly to achieve food security and was rightly called the Father of Green Revolution.
The President said he leaves behind a rich legacy of Indian agriculture science which may serve as a guiding
light to steer the world towards a safer and hunger-free future for humanity.
Param Vir Chakra Awardee Captain Bana Singh Nominated As Ambassador for ‗War Against
Waste‘ in Jammu & Kashmir
 In a remarkable move to combat sanitation challenges in rural areas of Union Territory of Jammu and
Kashmir, the Directorate of Rural Sanitation, J&K has announced the nomination of country‘s highest
gallantry awardee, the Param Vir Chakra recipient, Captain Bana Singh, a dedicated and decorated former
soldier, as the ambassador for the ―War Against Waste‖ initiative in Jammu & Kashmir. This was announced by
the Director Rural Sanitation, J&K, Shri Charandeep Singh at Captain Bana Singh Stadium, R. S. Pura Jammu
during an ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS 2023) campaign.
 SHS 2023 is being celebrated from 15th September to 2nd October aiming to generate mass movement
through community participation to reinforce the concept of Sanitation as everyone‘s business, and as a
prelude for Swachh Bharat Diwas (2nd October) with nationwide participation. Theme of SHS-2023 is ‗Garbage
Free India‘ with focus on visual cleanliness and welfare of SafaiMitras.
 The focus of these swachhata drives is on high footfall public places like bus stands, railway stations,
cantonment boards, beaches, tourist places, zoos, national parks and sanctuaries, historical monuments,
heritage sites, river fronts, ghats, drains and nallahs.
Shanth Kumar of Deccan Herald is new PTI Chairman
 K.N. Shanth Kumar of The Printers (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd was elected Chairman of the Press Trust of India‘s
Board of Directors for a one-year term. The Board also elected Praveen Someshwar, the Chief Executive
Officer of Hindustan Times, as the Vice-Chairman. Mr. Shanth Kumar replaces Aveek Sarkar, who served as
Chairman for two consecutive terms.
 Mr. Shanth Kumar has been involved in the management of The Printers (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd in various
roles since 1983. He was also Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), a member of the Executive
Committee of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) for more than 20 years. This is the second time that he is
serving as the Chairman of the Board of PTI, the last time being 2013 to 2014.

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AWARDS
Dadasaheb Phalke Award conferred on Waheeda Rehman
 Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India‘s highest film
honour, this year. Rehman is a towering legend of Indian cinema known for iconic roles in films like Guide,
Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Chaudhvin Ka Chand and numerous others.
 In a career spanning over six decades, she has been honoured with multiple prestigious awards including the
Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, India‘s fourth and third highest civilian awards respectively. She is
also a recipient of a National Film Award for Best Actress.
 ―At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women‘s Reservation Bill, 2023) has been
passed by Parliament, her being awarded with this lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of the
leading ladies of Indian Cinema and one who has dedicated her life after films to philanthropy and the greater
good of society,‖. Veteran Asha Parekh was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2020.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India‘s highest award in cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film
Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting. The recipient is honoured for their ―outstanding contribution to the growth and development of
Indian cinema‖ and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry. The
award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs. 1,000,000
(US$13,000). It was first presented in 1969 and the first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani; the
award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke‘s contribution to
Indian cinema. Phalke is popularly known as and often regarded as ―the father of Indian cinema‖, was an
Indian filmmaker who directed India‘s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913).

Ruixiang Zhang Awarded 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize in Mathematics

 Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang, an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, has
been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize. This award recognizes his
remarkable contributions to the field of mathematics. The prize, which includes a cash award of $10,000, will
be presented during an international conference in Number Theory, held in the hometown of the renowned
mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, at SASTRA University in Kumbakonam during the third week of
December.
 In keeping with the legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose groundbreaking work was accomplished during
his tragically brief life of 32 years, the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize maintains an age limit of 32 years for its
recipients. This age restriction pays tribute to the extraordinary achievements of Ramanujan.
 Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician. Though he had almost no formal training in pure
mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and
continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable. The Man Who
Knew Infinity is a 2015 British biographical drama film about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa
Ramanujan, based on the 1991 book of the same name by Robert Kanigel. Ramanujan is a 2014 biographical
film based on the life of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The film, written and directed by
Gnana Rajasekaran, was shot back to back in the Tamil and English languages.

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IMPORTANT DAYS
World Tourism Day 27 September
 Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as
international observances on September 27. This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the
UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
 This World Tourism Day 2023, the UNWTO, under the theme ―Tourism and green investment‖ highlights the
need for more and better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN roadmap for a
better world by 2030.
World Maritime Day 28 September
 This year‘s World Maritime Day was celebrated on 28 September 2023 and further details about the event
will be circulated in good time.
 This year‘s theme, ―MARPOL at 50 — Our commitment goes on, reflects the International Maritime
Organization‘s (IMO)‘ long history of protecting the environment from the impact of shipping via a robust
regulatory framework and emphasizes its ongoing commitment to this important work. The theme
spotlights the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which covers
prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
World Rivers Day
 World Rivers Day, celebrated on September 24th, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about the
importance of rivers and their conservation. It encourages people to engage in activities like river cleaning,
educational programs, riverbank restoration projects and river rewinding. The World Rivers Day 2023 theme is
Rights of Rivers.
World Heart Day
 The day is observed every year on 29th of September to raise public awareness about cardiovascular
diseases their prevention and their global impact. This year the theme is - ‗Use Heart, Know Heart‘. World
Heart Day informs people about the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
International Translation Day 30 September
 International Translation Day is an international day recognising translation professionals. It is on 30
September, which is the day of the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of
translators. St. Jerome was a priest from North-eastern Italy, who is known mostly for his endeavor of translating
most of the Bible into Latin from the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.
 The theme for International Translation Day 2023 is ‗Translation unveils the many faces of humanity.‘
International Day of Older People
 The International Day of Older People is observed on October 1 each year. On December 14, 1990, the
United Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older People as
recorded in Resolution. The holiday was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991. The observance is a focus
of ageing organizations and the United Nations Programme on Ageing.
 The theme for the celebration was ‗Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for
Older Persons: Across Generations.‘

---------------

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 27

QUESTIONS
1. Recently, India and the __________ launched a joint capacity-building initiative for the Global South.
(a) United Nations (b) UNESCO (c) NABARD (d) Amnesty International

2. Recently, Bebinca from __________ received the GI tag.

(a) Goa (b) Manipur (c) Sikkim (d) Kerala

3. The Centre organised India‘s first lighthouse festival in __________ as part of an effort to promote the country‘s
lighthouses as tourist attractions.
(a) Maharashtra (b) Gujarat (c) Nagaland (d) Goa

4. The Trans-Himalayan network is an economic corridor between Nepal and __________ is part of the BRI.
(a) Bhutan (b) India (c) China (d) Myanmar

5. A ‗World‘s First‘ steel sculpture dedicated to Muslim women who wear the hijab is set to be unveiled in
__________.
(a) Cairo (b) Tehran (c) Birmingham (d) Wellington

6. Which of the following is collaborating with Micron Technology to construct the semiconductor assembly and test
plant in Sanand, Gujarat?
(a) Intel Corporation (b) Tata Projects
(c) Samsung Electronics (d) Qualcomm Incorporated

7. Name India‘s first digital coin, which emerged as the pioneering digital coin as it is set to redefine how we transact
invest, and safeguard our financial assets.
(a) Tandem Coin (b) Uno Coin (c) One Coin (d) Gander Coin

8. Which of the following organizations is responsible for shaping the future of governments and focuses on
harnessing innovation and technology to address global challenges?
(a) India Global Forum (b) World Governments Summit
(c) UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (d) The Global South Initiative

9. Who among the following recently won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position?
(a) Max Verstappen (b) Valterri Bottas (c) Thomas Mach (d) Carlos Pere4

10. Every Year, World Tourism Day is celebrated on __________.

(a) September 18 (b) September 24 (c) September 27 (d) September 29

11. Si Thep, an ancient town is the newest addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in __________.
(a) Thailand (b) Laos (c) Cambodia (d) Malaysia

12. The world‘s largest Hindu temple constructed outside India in the modern era is all set to be inaugurated in ______.
(a) New Jersey (b) New York (c) Wellington (d) Paris

13. What is the primary target audience for Axis Bank‘s ‗NEO for Business‘ platform?
(a) Large Corporations (b) Indian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises
(c) Individual Consumers (d) International Businesses

14. Which of the following will include India in its widely tracked emerging market debt index, setting the stage for
billions of dollars of inflows into the world‘s fifth-largest economy and helping it finance its current account and
fiscal deficits?
(a) Bank of China (b) American Express
(c) Morgan Stanley (d) JPMorgan

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 28

15. Recently, In a first who formally inducted the C-295 MW transport aircraft, set to replace the ageing Avro-748
fleet, into the Indian Air Force?
(a) Narendra Modi (b) Rajnath Singh (c) Amit Shah (d) Piyush Goyal

16. What is the primary by-product of burning hydrogen as a fuel?

(a) Carbon dioxide (CO2) (b) Water vapor (H2O)
(c) Methane (CH4) (d) Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

17. What percentage of Electric Vehicles (EVs) sold in India this year were manufactured in Tamil Nadu?
(a) 10% (b) 25% (c) 40% (d) 50%

18. The asteroid named after an ancient Egyptian mythological bird and which has been predicted to hit the Earth by
NASA is __________.
(a) Asteroid Bennu (b) Asteroid Kennu (c) Asteroid Nenu (d) Asteroid Lulu

19. Who won the first-ever MotoGP race on Indian soil at the Bharat GP?
(a) Jorge Martin (b) Marco Bezzecchi (c) Valentino Rossi (d) Andrea Dovizioso

20. Which country won the gold medal in the men‘s 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games?
(a) China (b) India (c) South Korea (d) Azerbaijan

21. Which among the following iconic Indian actress is set to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year, India‘s
highest film honor?
(a) Asha Parekh (b) Waheeda Rehman (c) Jaya Prada (d) Sharmila Tagore

22. Who among the following will lead the Parliamentary delegation from India to the 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum
in Johannesburg, South Africa?
(a) Narendra Modi (b) Harivansh Narayan Singh
(c) Anurag Thakur (d) Om Birla

23. Where is the Chatten II hydropower project located in India?

(a) Sikkim (b) Nagaland (c) Manipur (d) Arunachal Pradesh

24. Which of the following Indian states rural areas will get houses in the first phase of the Mukhyamantri Gramin
Awas NYAY Yojana?
(a) Haryana (b) Chhattisgarh (c) Rajasthan (d) Uttarakhand

25. Which of the following Asian countries cabinet approved a $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank?
(a) Maldives (b) Malaysia (c) Sri Lanka (d) Indonesia

26. How many maximum Deputy Governors can be appointed in Reserve Bank of India?
(a) Two (b) Three (c) Four (d) Six

27. Which of the following has recently introduced a new provision of ‗Special Category‘ in the online Food Safety
Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal?
(a) Ministry of Health & Family (b) Food Corporation of India
(c) FSSAI (d) DOPT

28. What is the primary source material used in the development of Silica Nanoparticles coated cotton fabric by IIT
Guwahati for separating oil from oil-water mixtures?
(a) Silicon dioxide (b) Rice Husk (c) Cotton (d) Petroleum

29. Which of the following women‘s cricket team secured gold at the Asian Games?
(a) India (b) Bangladesh (c) Pakistan (d) Sri Lanka

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 29

30. World Rivers Day is celebrated on __________.
(a) September 18th (b) September 22nd (c) September 24th (d) September 26th

31. Which of the following Indian states had yet not introduced an e-cabinet system?
(a) Assam (b) Arunachal Pradesh (c) Tripura (d) Uttarakhand

32. Recently, India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue was held in __________.

(a) New York (b) New Delhi (c) New Jersey (d) Washington DC

33. Which of the following states recently signed an Understanding (MoU) of investment worth Rs. 2,000 crore for
skiing resorts and cable car projects?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Sikkim (c) Uttarakhand (d) Himachal Pradesh

34. Who has introduced India‘s first Nifty 500 ETF, an open-ended scheme designed to replicate the performance of
the Nifty 500 Total Return Index?
(a) Azim Premji Mutual Fund (b) Reliance Mutual Fund
(c) Hitachi Mutual Fund (d) Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund

35. The Government E-Marketplace (GeM) launched __________ for the sellers to provide easy access to loans up to
10 lakh rupees.
(a) GeM Sahay 2.0 (b) GeM Sahyog 2.0
(c) GeM Sahay 3.0 (d) GeM Sahayata 2.0

36. What is the name of the updated indigenisation roadmap recently released by the Indian Navy?
(a) Operation Samarth (b) Swavlamban 1.0 (c) Swavlamban 2.0 (d) NavSankalp

37. The government will sell 300 billion rupees ($3.6 billion) of the __________ bond in the October to February
period, which accounts for almost 5% of its total borrowings.
(a) 40-year (b) 50-year (c) 60-year (d) 75-year

38. Along the banks of the Kalambo River in __________ near Africa‘s second-highest waterfall, archaeologists have
excavated two logs of the large-fruited bushwillow tree that were notched, shaped and joined nearly half a million
years ago.
(a) Morocco (b) Niger (c) Zambia (d) Liberia

39. Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra won gold in which event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou?
(a) Women‘s 100m sprint (b) Men‘s 50m rifle 3 position
(c) Women‘s 50m rifle 3 position (d) Women‘s cricket

40. India‘s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards 2024 is______.
(a) The Elephant Whisperers (b) ‗2018: Everyone is a Hero‘
(c) All That Breathes (d) Writing with Fire

41. What is India‘s rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023?

(a) 25th (b) 40th (c) 81st (d) 132nd

42. Which of the following Indian institutes emerged as the top-performing higher educational institution in the
country, ranking among the top 250 institutes in the 20th edition of Times Higher Education‘s World University
Rankings?
(a) IIT Bombay (b) IIT Madras
(c) IIT Kanpur (d) Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

43. Who was the first Asian male nominee for the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) in the player category?
(a) Li Na (b) Carlos Moya (c) Leander Paes (d) Ana Ivanovic

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 30

44. What is the significance of Dr. MS Swaminathan‘s work in India?
(a) He was a renowned actor in the Indian film industry.
(b) He played a crucial role in the Green Revolution in India.
(c) He was a prominent space scientist at ISRO.
(d) He was a leading politician in India.

45. Who among the following recently concluded the country‘s first social impact bond issue, but raised less than it
could have due to higher costs for the issuer?
(a) NABARD (b) SIDBI (c) SEBI (d) RBI

46. Which of the following recently launched the island‘s first domestically made submarine for testing at a port in
Kaohsiung?
(a) Ireland (b) Thailand (c) Laos (d) Taiwan

47. Which of the following countries are participating in the fourth edition of the Indo-Latin America Cultural Festival?
(a) Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil (b) Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile
(c) Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina (d) Peru, Venezuela, and Chile

48. A joint venture is developing the first dedicated liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering facility for ships in the
__________ amid efforts by the maritime industry to find cleaner fuel solutions.
(a) Hudson Bay (b) Mississippi River (c) US Gulf (d) Caspian Sea

49. Which of the following union ministries has issued a notification amending the Cable Television Network Rules,
1994, thereby introducing a procedure for the renewal of Multi-System Operator (MSO) registrations?
(a) Home Ministry (b) Finance Ministry
(c) Culture Ministry (d) Information and Broadcasting Ministry

50. How many themes are covered during the Sankalp Saptaah, which runs from 3rd October to 9th October?
(a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 7 (d) 8

51. The International Translation Day is an international day recognising translation professionals on __________.
(a) 25 September (b) 28 September (c) 30 September (d) 1 October

52. Why did Saudi Aramco decide to invest in liquefied natural gas (LNG)?
(a) To maintain its status as the world‘s biggest crude oil exporter.
(b) To support Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman‘s Vision 2030 economic reform program.
(c) To acquire a majority stake in MidOcean Energy.
(d) To reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

53. India‘s first offshore wind projects is to come up across __________ coast.
(a) Maharashtra (b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala

54. Which of the following countries recently opened its first cross-sea bullet train, linking major cities?
(a) Japan (b) Malaysia (c) China (d) USA

55. The ―Arrow 3‖ system, which can shoot down missiles above the Earth‘s atmosphere was developed and produced
by Israel and the __________.
(a) France (b) Germany (c) Russia (d) United States

56. Which of the following has recently recommended rolling out registration of e-FIRs in a phased manner beginning
with offences bearing up to three years jail term?
(a) Law Commission (b) NITI Aayog
(c) Ministry of Law and Justice (d) Ministry of Home Affairs

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 31

57. Recently, ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the Venus mission, often informally referred to as
__________, is making progress.
(a) Shukrayaan-1 (b) Venus I (c) Shukrayaan-3 (d) Venus IV

58. According to data shared by the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the total number of unique investors directly
investing in the stock market has surged to __________ for the first time.
(a) 65 million (b) 80 million (c) 90 million (d) 95 million

59. What program within NASA funds relatively low-cost missions to targets within the solar system, including the
Psyche mission?
(a) Artemis Program (b) Apollo Program (c) Discovery Program (d) Voyager Program

60. Who among the following recently secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol women‘s individual final at the
ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou?
(a) Palak Gulia (b) Anamika Luthra (c) Esha Singh (d) Vineeta Narang

61. Who has been nominated as the ambassador for the ―War Against Waste‖ initiative in Jammu & Kashmir?
(a) Captain Bana Singh (b) Shri Charandeep Singh
(c) Shri Shah Faisal (d) Major Gagandeep singla

62. According to the Bihar government‘s caste survey report, which of the following is the largest social group in the
state?
(a) Brahmins (b) Kshatriyas (c) Yadavs (d) Muslims

63. Recently, India‘s first solar roof cycling track thrown open in __________.
(a) Bhopal (b) Bengaluru (c) Lucknow (d) Hyderabad

64. Which of the following Indian states launched ―Thirike Schoolil‖ or Back to School to enable knowledge
acquisition for its 46 lakh members?
(a) Karnataka (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala

65. Who has recently won the Presidential elections in Maldives?

(a) Dr. Mohamed Muizzu (b) Abdulla Yameen
(c) Ibrahim Mohammed Solih (d) Dr Mohammad Naseem

66. When will the European Union begin collecting CO2 emission charges at its borders as part of the Carbon Border
Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?
(a) In 2021 (b) In 2023 (c) In 2026 (d) In 2030

67. Which of the following countries woman has become the world‘s first documented person to survive a pathogen
which usually causes the deadly ―blackleg‖ disease in sheep and cattle?
(a) Australia (b) India (c) USA (d) Mexico

68. Who among the following recently became the first Indian man to win a gold medal in 3000m steeplechase at the
Asian Games?
(a) Chinmay Sharma (b) Avinash Sable (c) Gautam Kumar (d) Amrit Uttam

69. The International Day of Older People is observed on __________ each year.
(a) September 25 (b) September 28 (c) October 1 (d) October 5

70. Recently, Pollen grains analysis helps understand how the first humans migrated from Africa across __________.
(a) Asia and Australia (b) Europe and Asia
(c) Europe and North America (d) North America and South America

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 32

ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATION
1. a India and the United Nations launched a joint capacity-building initiative for the Global South.

2. a Bebinca is variedly called the Queen of Goan desserts, or the Emperor of Goan confection. It is a treasured food
souvenir.

3. d The Centre organised India‘s first lighthouse festival in Goa as part of an effort to promote the country‘s
lighthouses as tourist attractions.

4. c The Trans-Himalayan network, an economic corridor between Nepal and China, is part of the BRI.

5. c A steel sculpture dedicated to Muslim women who wear the hijab is set to be unveiled in Britain‘s second-largest
city, Birmingham.

6. b Tata Projects has announced its collaboration with Micron Technology to construct the advanced semiconductor
assembly and test plant in Sanand. This partnership is significant for the project‘s development and underscores
Tata Projects‘ role in the project.

7. d Gander Coin emerges as the pioneering digital coin as it is set to redefine how we transact invest, and safeguard our
financial assets.

8. b The World Governments Summit Organization, as mentioned in the provided information, is responsible for
shaping the future of governments and focuses on harnessing innovation and technology to address global
challenges.

9. a Formula One leader Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole position as his dominant Red Bull
team secured the constructors‘ title for the second year in a row.

10. c Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international
observances on September 27.

11. a Si Thep, an ancient town located about 340 km north of Bangkok in the Phetchabun province, is the newest
addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand.

12. a The world‘s largest Hindu temple constructed outside India in the modern era is all set to be inaugurated in New
Jersey.

13. b The announcement mentions that ‗NEO for Business‘ is a platform curated specifically for Indian MSMEs.

14. d JPMorgan will include India in its widely tracked emerging market debt index, setting the stage for billions of
dollars of inflows into the world‘s fifth-largest economy and helping it finance its current account and fiscal
deficits.

15. b In a first, Singh also formally inducted the C-295 MW transport aircraft, set to replace the ageing Avro-748 fleet,
into the Indian Air Force in the presence of top military officials, including IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR
Chaudhari.

16. b When hydrogen is burned as a fuel, its primary by-product is water vapor (H2O). This makes hydrogen a clean-
burning fuel with no harmful emissions like carbon dioxide (CO2) or other pollutants typically associated with
fossil fuels.

17. c Out of the ten lakh EVs sold in India this year, over four lakh were manufactured in Tamil Nadu. To calculate the
percentage, you can divide the number of EVs manufactured in Tamil Nadu (4,00,000) by the total number of EVs
sold in India (10,00,000) and multiply by 100 to get 40%.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 33

18. a Asteroid Bennu, named after an ancient Egyptian mythological bird, that is associated with the Sun, creation and
rebirth has been predicted to hit the Earth by NASA.

19. b Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney VR46 Racing Team became the first-ever MotoGP race winner at the Bharat GP.

20. b The Indian men‘s 10m air rifle team shot down gold, South Korea clinched the silver medal with an aggregate score
of 1890.1 in the men‘s 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games.

21. b Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year.

22. b The correct answer is B. Harivansh Narayan Singh. He is the one who will lead the Parliamentary delegation to the
9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, as mentioned in the provided information.

23. a The Chatten II hydropower project is located in Chatten, Lachen in Mangan district of Sikkim.

24. b Chhattisgarh government announced 47,000 odd poor people in the state‘s rural areas will get houses in the first
phase of the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas NYAY Yojana.

25. c Sri Lanka‘s cabinet approved a $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as the country
focusses on rebuilding its crisis-hit economy.

26. c The central board of directors is the main committee of the central bank. The Government of India appoints the
directors for a four-year term. The board consists of a governor, and not more than four deputy governors; four
directors to represent the regional boards;two – usually the Economic Affairs Secretary and the Financial Services
Secretary – from the Ministry of Finance and ten other directors from various fields.

27. c The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a new provision of ‗Special Category‘ in
the online Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS) portal.

28. b The nanoparticles have been developed using rice husk as the primary source material.

29. a The Indian Women‘s Cricket Team made the country proud by securing gold at the Asian Games, being held in
Hangzhou, China.

30. c World Rivers Day, celebrated on September 24th, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about the
importance of rivers and their conservation.

31. a Tripura has thus become the fourth state—and second in the Northeast—after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and
Arunachal Pradesh, to have introduced an e-cabinet system.

32. d India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue was held in Washington.

33. c Dhami, while participating in the roadshow organised for the Global Investors Summit in London ahead of the
Global Investors Summit scheduled in December in Uttarakhand, held a meeting with many leading business
houses of London

34. d Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund has introduced India‘s first Nifty 500 ETF, an open-ended scheme designed to
replicate the performance of the Nifty 500 Total Return Index.

35. a The Government E-Marketplace (GeM) launched GeM Sahay 2.0 for the sellers to provide easy access to loans up
to 10 lakh rupees.

36. c The Indian Navy has released its updated indigenisation roadmap called ‗Swavlamban 2.0‘ to provide an update on
their achievements and future plans.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 34

37. b The government will sell 300 billion rupees ($3.6 billion) of the 50-year bond in the October to February period,
which accounts for almost 5% of its total borrowings.

38. c Along the banks of the Kalambo River in Zambia near Africa‘s second-highest waterfall, archaeologists have
excavated two logs of the large-fruited bushwillow tree that were notched, shaped and joined nearly half a million
years ago.

39. c Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra created history by smashing every record possible on her way to winning gold in
the women‘s 50m rifle 3 position event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

40. b ‗2018: Everyone is a Hero‘ created history as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie, pulling the Kerala film
industry out of the post-pandemic slump.

41. b India retained the 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023.

42. d Indian Institute of Science (IISc) emerged as the top-performing higher educational institution in the country,
ranking among the top 250 institutes in the 20th edition of Times Higher Education‘s World University Rankings.

43. c Leander Paes, the legendary Indian tennis player, became the first Asian male nominee for the International Tennis
Hall of Fame in the player category in 2024. Li Na was the first Asian player to get nominated to the ITHF in 2019,
but she is not a male player. Carlos Moya and Ana Ivanovic are among the nominees, but they are not the first
Asian male nominee.

44. b Dr. MS Swaminathan is known for his pivotal role in the Green Revolution in India, which involved developing
high-yield variety seeds of wheat and policies to improve agricultural productivity and food security in the country.

45. a India‘s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) concluded the country‘s first social
impact bond issue, but raised less than it could have due to higher costs for the issuer.

46. d Taiwan‘s President Tsai Ing-wen launched the island‘s first domestically made submarine for testing at a port in
Kaohsiung.

47. b Artists from Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, three countries are participating in the festival.

48. c A joint venture is developing the first dedicated liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering facility for ships in the US
Gulf amid efforts by the maritime industry to find cleaner fuel solutions.

49. d The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has issued a notification amending the Cable Television
Network Rules, 1994, thereby introducing a procedure for the renewal of Multi-System Operator (MSO)
registrations.

50. b Each day in Sankalp Saptaah, starting from 3rd October to 9th October, is dedicated to a specific development
theme. These themes are: Sampoorna Swasthya, Suposhit Pariwaar, Swachhta, Krishi, Shiksha, and Samridhi
Diwas. Therefore, there are six themes covered during the week-long programme.

51. c International Translation Day is an international day recognising translation professionals. It is on 30 September,
which is the day of the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators.

52. b Saudi Aramco‘s investment in LNG is part of its broader effort to diversify beyond oil and support Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman‘s Vision 2030 program, which aims to shift the Saudi economy away from fossil fuels.

53. c India‘s first offshore wind projects to come up across Tamil Nadu coast.

54. c China opened its first cross-sea bullet train, linking major cities in the southeastern Fujian province.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 35

55. d The Arrow 3 system was developed and produced by Israel and the United States, and the sale had to be approved
by Washington before it could be finalized.

56. a The Law Commission has recommended rolling out registration of e-FIRs in a phased manner beginning with
offences bearing up to three years jail term.

57. a ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the Venus mission, often informally referred to as Shukrayaan-1, is
making progress.

58. b The total number of unique investors directly investing in the stock market has surged to 80 million for the first
time, with the latest 10 million additions taking place in just eight months, according to data shared by the National
Stock Exchange (NSE), the country‘s largest bourse.

59. c The Discovery Program is the NASA funds relatively low-cost missions to targets within the solar system,
including the Psyche mission to the asteroid Psyche. The other options, such as Artemis and Apollo, are associated
with different NASA programs and missions.

60. a The Indian contingent‘s unprecedented run in shooting at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou continues as 17
year old Palak Gulia secured a gold medal while 18 year old Esha Singh secured a silver medal in the 10m air pistol
women‘s individual final.

61. a Captain Bana Singh, the Param Vir Chakra recipient, has been nominated as the ambassador for the ―War Against
Waste‖ initiative in Jammu & Kashmir.

62. c The survey report states that OBC Yadavs are the single biggest caste in Bihar, accounting for 14.26 percent of the
population.

63. d India‘s first solar roof cycling track thrown open in Hyderabad.

64. d Kudumbashree, the poverty eradication and women empowerment programme of the Kerala government launched
―Thirike Schoolil‖ or Back to School to enable knowledge acquisition for its 46 lakh members.

65. a Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the opposition PPM PNC coalition has won the Presidential elections in Maldives.

66. c The European Union will not begin collecting CO2 emission charges at its borders until 2026, as mentioned in the
provided information. This allows for a transition period for importers to adapt to the new system.

67. a An Australian woman has become the world‘s first documented person to survive a pathogen which usually causes
the deadly ―blackleg‖ disease in sheep and cattle.

68. b A record-breaking Avinash Sable became the first Indian man to win a gold medal in 3000m steeplechase at the
Asian Games.

69. c The International Day of Older People is observed on October 1 each year.

70. b Pollen grains analysis helps understand how the first humans migrated from Africa across Europe and Asia.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 36