Current Affairs 13th October 2021| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

CCEA approves fixation of nutrient based subsidy rates for Phosphatic & Potassic fertilizers- 2022

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy Rates for Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers (P&K) for the year 2021-22.
• The approved rate for Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) in case of Nitrogen has been fixed at 789 rupees per kilogram, for Phosphorus it is 45.323 rupees per Kg, for Potash 10.116 rupees per Kg and 2.374 rupees per Kilogram for Sulphur.
• The total amount of rollover will be 28 thousand 602 crore rupees and a special one-time package of additional subsidy on Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) at a tentative cost of 5 thousand 716 crore rupees has also been provided.
• The net subsidy required for the rabi season for 2021-22 will be 28 thousand 655 crore rupees after deducting savings. The CCEA also approved the inclusion of Potash derived from Molasses under the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme.
• It will give 438 rupees per bag benefit on Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and 100 rupees per bag benefit on NPK grades so as to maintain prices of these fertilizers affordable to the farmers.

Union Cabinet approves AMRUT 2.0 till 2025-26

• The Union Cabinet has approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) till 2025-26. The Cabinet has providing reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services to urban households is a national priority.
• The decision is a step towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat and with aim of making the cities water-secure and self-sustainable through a circular economy of water.
• Taking forward the remarkable strides made under AMRUT, AMRUT 2.0, targets universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all four thousand 378 statutory towns.
• The mission targets to provide two crore 68 lakh tap connections and two crore 64 lakh sewer and septage connections to achieve the intended outcomes.
• The total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is two lakh 77 thousand crore rupees including a central share of 76 thousand 760 crore rupees for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Coal Crisis in India: Govt Enabled Imported Coal Power Plants to Sell Un-requisitioned Power; Allowed 50% Sale of Coal from Captive Mines

• Even though being the world’s 2nd largest producer and consumer of coal (after China), currently India is facing a coal crisis.
• As per the data of the Ministry of Power, coal stocks of the 135 thermal power plants of India reduced to an average of 4 days’ worth of stock.
• India consumed 124 billion units of power in August 2021 compared to 106 billion units of power in August 2019 (Prior to COVID-19).
• Govt Enabled Imported Coal Power Plants to Sell Un-Requisitioned Power
• Union Minister of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy R K Singh approved certain guidelines over the provisions of National Tariff Policy, 2016 and enabled imported coal-based plants (having sufficient coal) to operate and sell the un-requisitioned power in the power exchange.
• The provisions will apply for both the power plants whose tariff has been determined under Section-62 and those having PPA (power purchase agreement) under Section-63 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
• If the procurer does not requisition (demand) power from the power plant with which he has signed the PPA, 24 hours in advance prior to midnight of the day of delivery of power, the generator could sell the un-requisitioned power in the power exchange.

OneWeb Entered into Arrangement with NSIL to Launch Satellite

• OneWeb (a venture backed by Bharti Airtel), has entered into an arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, to use Indian-built PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and the heavier GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) – MkIII as potential platforms to launch OneWeb’s satellites in India from 2022.
• The arrangement was made through a non-binding letter of intent (LOI); could be converted into a binding one after board approval.

About NewSpace India Limited (NSIL):

• Establishment – 6 March 2019
• Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
• CMD – G. Narayanan

PM Launched Indian Space Association

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA), a private industry body to help boost space technology in India.
• ISpA will participate and work with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other stakeholders of both government and its agencies, on the issue of policy around space domain and technology.
• Its founding members include Larson & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries, and Ananth Technology Limited among others.
• It will act as a single-window and independent agency on matters related to space technology.

India, Nepal sign agreements to boost cross-border train services

• India and Nepal have signed two agreements aimed at boosting cross-border train services and reviewed ongoing railway projects as part of efforts by the two countries to improve regional connectivity and trade.
• The agreements were inked as the two sides held the fifth meeting of a joint working group and the seventh meeting of a project steering committee in New Delhi during October 6-7 to review the implementation of cross-border railway links and bilateral cooperation in the railways sector.
• The signing of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for starting passenger train services on the Jaynagar-Kurtha section will help finalise the technical aspects of running passenger trains in this region.
• The SOPs will also serve as a guiding document for the early start of services in upcoming cross-border railway links.
• Both sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Final Location Survey (FLS) of the proposed broad gauge railway line between Raxaul and Kathmandu.
• Both sides discussed the ongoing works of Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar broad gauge railway lines between India and Nepal, being developed with grant assistance from Government of India.
• The technical preparedness of the completed 34 km long section of the railway line, from Jaynagar (India) to Kurtha (Nepal) for operationalization of passenger train services was also reviewed.
• Both sides agreed to enhance technical cooperation in the railway sector, including in the areas of capacity building, logistic support and training of Nepali railway personnel.

About Nepal :

• Capital: Kathmandu
• Currency: Nepalese rupee
• President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
• Prime minister: Sher Bahadur Deuba

CURRENT AFFAIRS :INTERNATIONAL NEWS

UNHRC Declares Access to a Clean, Healthy Environment a Human Right                  

• High Commissioner for United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Michelle Bachelet addresses the Human Rights Council and recognised access to a clean and healthy environment as a fundamental right.
• Triple planetary threats of climate change, pollution, and nature loss are described by her as the single greatest human rights challenge and recognizes the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
• The council encouraged States to adopt policies for the enjoyment of the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment and invited the General Assembly to consider the matter.
• The new resolution was proposed by Costa Rica, the Maldives, Morocco, Slovenia, and Switzerland and passed with significant support of 43 votes.
• Russia, India, China and Japan abstained from voting.
• As per the data of the World Health Organization (WHO), 24 percent of all global deaths, ~13.7 million deaths a year, are linked to the environment, due to risks such as air pollution and chemical exposure.

About United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHCR):

• The HRC replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
• Establishment – 15 March 2006
• Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
• President – Nazhat Shameem Khan

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Karnataka govt signs MoU with NASSCOM to provide industry suited skill training to students

• The Karnataka State Higher Education Council has entered into an MoU with the National Association of Software and Service Companies, NASSCOM to provide industry-suited skill training to the youth. 
• The Minister for Higher Education C N Ashwatha Narayana was present on this occasion. Speaking to media persons, the minister informed that the MoU will benefit over five lakh students studying in the institutions of higher learning in Karnataka every year.
• The skill training courses are designed as per the national occupational standards of the National Skills Qualification Framework.
• Both faculty and students can have free access to the course materials in the online mode. By this agreement, the students of higher learning can now study subjects related to digital fluency, artificial intelligence and cyber security. 
• The minister pointed out that the lack of digital talent among those engaged in the IT service industry is a challenge that has to be resolved if the full potential has to be reached.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

Around 1.26 bn people at High Ecological Risks: 2nd ETR 2021 by IEP

• The 2nd edition of ‘Ecological Threat Report (ETR) 2021: Understanding ecological threats, resilience and peace’ was released by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP).
• As per it, around 1.26 billion people across 30 countries are suffering from both extreme ecological risk and low levels of resilience.
• The 11 countries with the worst ETR score are Afghanistan, Niger, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Guatemala, Mozambique, Pakistan, Angola and Yemen.
• By 2050 the global demand for food is expected to increase by 50%.

About Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP):

• Founder & Executive Chairman– Steve Killelea
• Headquarters– Sydney, Australia

Shivalik Small Finance Bank partners with Go Digit Insurance

• Shivalik Small Finance Bank announced a strategic partnership with Bengaluru-based insurtech company, Go Digit General Insurance, to provide an array of instant, easy-to-understand insurance products through the bank’s network of branches across India.
• This will include health insurance plans, motor insurance, and home and shop insurance.
• This partnership will enable over 4.5 lakh customers of Shivalik Small Finance Bank to instantly access and purchase from Digit’s list of offerings, through paperless processes, in real time.
• This partnership with Shivalik Small Finance Bank comes at a time when we are looking to expand our reach to newer markets with an aim to aid insurance penetration.
• The bank has a strong foothold in the northern states of the country and this association will help the bank’s customers in getting insured from a partner that believes in simplicity, transparency and hassle-free settlement of claims

AUM of NBFCs to rise 18–20% y-o-y this fiscal: Crisil Ratings

• Assets under management (AUM) of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), which primarily offer loans against gold, are expected to rise 18–20 per cent to ₹3 lakh crore this fiscal against ₹1.1 lakh crore in FY21, according to Crisil Ratings.
• The credit rating agency analysed this growth would be despite a contraction in the first quarter, when pandemic-driven lockdown measures hindered branch operations and kept potential borrowers away.
• The agency has demand for gold loans from micro enterprises and individuals — to fund working capital and personal requirements, respectively — has increased with a pick-up in economic activity and the onset of the festive season, which coincides with the easing of lockdown restrictions by several States.
• With leverage being low and pre-provision profitability remaining strong, Crisil Ratings expects the overall credit profile of gold-loan NBFCs to remain stable.

RBI grants banking licence to Unity Small Finance Bank

• The Reserve Bank of India has granted a banking licence to Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd (USFBL), which was established jointly by the Centrum Financial Services Ltd (CFSL) and Resilient Innovations Private Limited (BharatPe), to carry on a SFB business in India.
• RBI had accorded “in-principle” approval to CFSL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centrum Capital, on June 18 to set up a small finance bank (SFB).
• The grant of banking licence to USFBL sets the stage for RBI to place in the public domain a draft scheme of amalgamation of PMC Bank with the SFB.
• It is the first time ever that two partners are uniting equally to build a bank. The proposed business model is one of collaboration and open architecture, uniting all its stakeholders to deliver a seamless digital experience
• Centrum’s MSME and micro-finance businesses will be merged into USFBL.

IMF retains India’s growth forecast for FY22 at 9.5%

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained India’s GDP at 9.5 per cent for the current fiscal i.e 2021-22 while cutting forecasts for the global economy by 5.9 per cent for the year 2021.
• The Indian economy recorded growth of 7.3 per cent during FY 2020-21.
• World Economic Outlook: Recovery During a Pandemic Health Concerns, Supply Disruptions, and Price Pressures’, the report also maintained growth outlook for next fiscal (2022-23) at 8.5 per cent.
• Earlier, in July, the Fund had cut the growth forecast for the current fiscal by 300 basis points but raised the projection for next fiscal by 160 basis points.
• IMF’s projection for the current fiscal is similar to RBI’s and S&P growth projection of 9.5 per cent. However, it is higher than Fitch’s estimate of 8.7 per cent and World Bank’s estimate of 8.3 per cent. 
• Various other agencies have projected growth rate of 8.2- 9.5 per cent except Asian Development Bank which expects a double digit growth rate (10 per cent) for the current fiscal. OECD projection is also at the higher side with 9.7 per cent.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Former IAS officer Amit Khare appointed as PM Modi’s advisor

• Former IAS officer Amit Khare has been appointed as advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mr Khare initially for a period of two years or until further orders. 
• Mr Khare has recently retired from the post of Union Education Secretary.
• He had also served as secretary in Information and Broadcasting earlier.

President Ram Nath Kovind Approved Appointment of CJ of 8 High Courts & Transfer of 5 CJs

• Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, has approved the appointment of the chief justices (CJ) to 8 high courts (HC) across India. 
• He has also approved the transfer of 5 chief Justices to different high courts.
• The appointments have been made in the exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution of India in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
• The new appointments and transfers were recommended by the Supreme court of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Navy hosts largest exercise Exercise MILAN 

• Indian Navy hosts its largest naval train, Ex Milan in February 2022 for which 46 countries have been invited.
• The exercise will see the participation of all Quad countries ( India, USA, Australia, Japan ) with the U.S. being invited for the first time.

About Exercise MILAN :

• It is a biennial, multilateral naval exercise which started in 1995.
• It has so far been held at Port Blair but is now being shifted to Visakhapatnam which offers more space and infrastructure.
• The invitees include all Indian Ocean littoral states and countries from SouthEast Asia.
• The Navy has held 10 editions of the Milan exercise, with the theme of “synergy across the seas” to enhance professional interactions between friendly foreign navies and learn best practices from each other.
• The areas of cooperation of the exercise includes capacity building, marine domain awareness, training, hydrography, technical assistance, and operational exercises.

About Indian Navy :

• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Commander-in-Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind
• Chief of Defence Staff : General Bipin Rawat
• Chief of the Naval Staff :  Karambir Singh
• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff :  Satish Namdeo Ghormade
• Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff :  Ravneet Singh

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

PM Modi to address 28th NHRC foundation day programme 

• On Oct 12, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 28th National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) foundation day programme through video conferencing in New Delhi.
• Union home minister Amit Shah and NHRC chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra will also be present during the event.
• Narendra Modi emphasized that with measures like International Solar Alliance, renewable energy goals and Hydrogen Mission, India is rapidly moving in the direction of sustainable life and eco-friendly growth.

About NHRC :

• NHRC – National Human Rights Commission of India
• Formed: 12 October 1993
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairperson : Justice Arun Kumar Mishra
• First executive: Ranganath Misra
• Current executive: H. L. Dattu
• NHRC of India is a Statutory public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993.
• It is for the promotion and protection of human rights and dignity of the marginalised.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ITCA Bengaluru launches 75 Students’ Satellites Consortium

• Indian Technology Congress Association in Bengaluru focuses on constructing synergies between academia, trade and analysis organisations.
• It has initiated a formidable programme to commemorate the 75 years of Indian Independence & it has launched 75 Students’ Satellites Consortium: Mission 2022.
• Under the mission, a consortium of 75 college students will construct satellites to be launched by ISRO.
• The ITCA has collaborated with varied organisations comparable to TMISAT of Israel, CSPD Serbia and UNISEC of Japan to design and launch the student-built satellite tv for pc by 2022 when India completes its 75 years of Independence.

About  ITCA :

• Headquarters : Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Founded : 2012

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

ISSF Junior World Championship: India wins total 43 medals including 17 Gold                

• The 2021 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun was held at Lima in Peru from September 27 to October 10, 2021.
• India has won 43 medals, including 17 Gold, 16 Silver and 10 Bronze medals to stand atop in the medal table.
• The USA finished second on the medal table with 21 medals including six gold, eight silver and six bronze followed by Italy with 10 medals.

Top 3 in 2021 ISSF Junior World Championship:

1. India – 43 Medals ( including 17 Gold, 16 Silver, 10 Bronze )
2. USA – 21 Medals ( including 6 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze )
3. Italy – 10 Medals ( including 3 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze )

Indian Shooters Won Gold in ISSF Junior World Championship :

1. Dhanush Srikanth, Rajpreet Singh, Paarth Makhija in 10m Air Rifle Team.
2. Aishwary Pratap Singh in the 80m 3P Individual event.
3. Sarabjot Singh, Naveen Naveen, Shiva Narwal in 10m Air Pistol Team.
4. Adarsh Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu, Anish Anish in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Team.
5. Vinay Pratap Singh Chandrawat in Double Trap Grand Prix.
6. Vijayveer Sidhu in 25m Standard Pistol.
7. Arjun Singh Cheema in 50m Pistol.
8. Manu Bhaker in 10 m Air Pistol.
9. Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Shikha Narwal in 10m Air Pistol Team event.
10. Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Namya Kapoor in 25 Air Pistol.
11. Namya Kapoor in Air Pistol.
12. Ganemat Sekhon, Raiza Dhillon, Areeba Khan in Skeet Team.
13. Manvi Soni in the Double Trap Grand Prix.
14. Rhythm Sangwan in 25m Standard Pistol.
15. Shikha Narwal in 50m Pistol.
16. Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team.
17. Vijayveer Sidhu and Rhythm Sangwan in the 25m Pistol Mixed Team.

Indian Shooters who Won Silver in ISSF Junior World Championship

1. Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil in 10m Air Rifle
2. Adarsh Singh in 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
3. Bakhtyaruddin Mohamadmuzahid Malek, Shardul Vihan, Vivaan Kapoor in Men’s Trap team.
4. Sehajpreet Singh in Double Trap Grand Prix.
5. Udhayveer Sidhu in 25m Standard Pistol.
6. Shaurya Sarin in the 50m Pistol.
7. Nisha Kanwar, Zeena Khitta, Atmika Gupta in 10m Air Rifle Women’s Team Event.
8. Nischal, Prasiddhi Mahant, Ayushi Podder in 50m 3P Women’s Team Event.
9. Esha Singh in the 10m Air Pistol.
10. Ganemat Sekhon in Skeet.
11. Yeshaya Hafiz Contractor in Double Trap Grand Prix.
12. Niveditha Veloor Nair in 25m Standard Pistol.
13. Esha Singh in 50m Pistol.
14. Atmika Gupta and Rajpreet Singh in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Event.
15. Ayushi Podder and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar in 50m 3P Mixed Team Event.
16. Shikha Narwal and Naveen in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Event.

Indian Shooters who Won Bronze in ISSF Junior World Championship

1. Anish and Tejaswini in the 25m Pistol Mixed Team.
2. Navdeep Kaur in 50mPistol.
3. Naamya Kapoor in 25m Standard Pistol.
4. Hitasha in the Double Trap Grand Prix.
5. Manu Bhaker in 25m Air Pistol.
6. Ramita in the 10m Air Rifle.
7. Ajinkya Chavan in the 50m Pistol.
8. Harsh Gupta in 25 Standard Pistol.
9. Mayank Shokeen in Double Trap Grand Prix.
10. Rajveer Gill, Ayush Rudraraju, Abhay Singh Sekhon in Skeet Men’s Team.

Note :

• Manu Bhaker created a milestone record of becoming the first Indian shooter to win the highest number of medals in a single edition of the ISSF Junior World Championships, with as many as five medals ( including 4 gold medals and a bronze ).

About ISSF :

• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• President: Vladimir Lisin
• Founded: 1907
• The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is the governing body of the Olympic Shooting events in rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines, and of several non-Olympic Shooting sport events.

FIFA unveils Ibha – official mascot of U-17 2022 Women’s World Cup

• On Oct 11, 2021, The World football governing body, FIFA unveiled the official mascot named “IBHA” of the U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022.

About IBHA :

• Ibha is a strong, playful and charming Asiatic lioness.

Aim :

• To inspire & encourage women and girls across the world to take the right decisions and reach their full potential using teamwork, resilience, kindness and empowering others.”

About FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup :

• The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is an international association football tournament for female players under the age of 17.
• It is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
• The tournament is held in even-numbered years, starting in 2008.
• It will be the 7th edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup & It will be held in India from October 11-30, 2022.
• Current Championship : Spain

About FIFA :

• FIFA – Fédération Internationale de Football Association
• President: Gianni Infantino
• Secretary General : Fatma Samoura
• Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
• Founded: 21 May 1904, Rue Saint Honoré, Paris, France
• Membership : 211 national associations
• It is the highest governing body of association football.

Note :

• All India Football Federation President and Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman : Praful Patel.

Australia beat India by 14 runs in 3rd women’s T20 final by 11-5 points         

• Australia beat India by 14 runs in the third and final T20 Women’s International to seal the multi-format series by 11-5 points.
• All three formats have been clubbed together and India after losing the WODI series by 1-2 margin, lost the WT20I 0-2.
• Opener Beth Monney (61) and Tahlia McGrath (44) top-scored as Australia scored a decent 149 for five.
• For India, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/37), Renuka Singh (1/23), Pooja Vastrakar (1/24) and off-spinner Deepti Sharma (1/24) were the wicket-takers.
• Chasing the total, Smriti Mandhana scored 49-ball 52 but India kept losing wickets to eventually manage only 135 for 6 in their stipulated 20 overs.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

National award-winning Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu passes away 

• On Oct 11, 2021, Versatile National Award-winning Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu Passed away.
• He was 73.

About Nedumudi Venu :

• Kesavan Venugopal born on 22 May 1948 in  Alappuzha, Kerala & he is better known by his stage name Nedumudi Venu.
• Venu began his career in theatre and moved on to acting in films, as well as directing and screenwriting.
• He made his debut in the film industry as an actor in 1978 in the drama film ‘Thampu’, directed by G Aravindan.
• He acted in more than 500 films, primarily in Malayalam and also in Tamil in a career spanning nearly five decades.
• The Tamil projects comprised blockbusters such as Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian’ and Vikram’s ‘Anniyan’ & he also featured in a 2017 English movie titled ‘Chaurahen’.
• He was also a talented Mridangam player and a folk singer & he also directed a movie named Pooram.

Awards & Honours :

• Nedumudi Venu has won three National Film Awards and six Kerala State Film Awards among other notable awards for his various performances.
• He won the Best Actor award for his role in Saira at the Zimbabwe International Film Festival in September 2007.

IFFCO chairman Balvinder Singh Nakai passes away               

• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), chairman Balvinder Singh Nakai passed away.
• He was 87.

About Balvinder Singh Nakai :

• Balvinder Singh Nakai was born on December 5, 1934.
• Nakai was an eminent farmer – cooperator, and was deeply involved in providing strength to the Indian cooperative movement for the last three decades.
• He was appointed as the new Chairman of IFFCO in May 2019.

About IFFCO :

• Chairman : B.S Nakai
• MD & CEO : Dr. U.S Awasthi
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 3 November 1967
• IFFCO is a multi-state cooperative society engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of fertilisers.

Veteran Kannada actor Satyajith passes away

• On Oct 10, 2021, Noted Kannada film actor Sathyajith Passed away.
• He was 72.

About Sathyajith :

• Sathyajith was born as Syed Nizamuddin & Over four decades, he acted in over 600 movies.
• Till the early 2000s, he was a highly in-demand actor for villainous and supporting roles in Kannada cinema.
• His prominent movies were Yuddha Kanda, Mandyada Gandu, Police Story, Shiva Mecchida Kannappa, Nyayakkagi Nanu, Sangharsha, Apthamithra and Padma Vyuha.
• He has worked with iconic actors of the Kannada film industry such as Rajkumar, Ambareesh and Vishnuvardhan.

 Daily CA On Oct 12 :

• World Arthritis Day is celebrated every year on October 12 to spread awareness about the existence and impact of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
• The Ministry of Power, Government of India, has set a revised policy to use biomass pellets in coal-burning thermal power plants. 
• Tata Sons Private Ltd subsidiary Talace Pvt Ltd has won the final bid for acquiring the national carrier Air India by submitting Rs 18,000 crore bid. 
• The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 6-members Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had met on 6th, 7th and 8th October 2021 and released its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy statement for FY22 (April 2021 – March 2022).
• Federal Bank has upgraded its mobile banking app ‘FedMobile ‘with an investment platform equipped with superior wealth management capability for the convenience of its users.
• The Federal Bank has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), based on the recommendation of Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, for collection of Direct and Indirect Taxes, on behalf of CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) and CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs).
• The Adani Finserv, a financial services arm of Adani group has acquired 10% equity stake in the government’s rural e commerce venture CSC Grameen eStore. 
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Addresses the 28th National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Foundation Day programme through video conferencing.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has participated in the G20 Extraordinary Leaders’ Summit on Afghanistan in virtual format. 
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty upon two firms for bid-rigging in tender floated by Gas Authority of India Limited, GAIL.
• External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar has agreed on 200 million US Dollar Line of Credit to support development projects.
• Haryana has banned government employees from participating in politics and elections. A notification has been issued from the office of the chief secretary in this regard.
• The Finance Ministry has released the 7th monthly installment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of  9,871 crore rupees to the states.
• Axis Bank has launched open APIs (Application Programming Interface) to facilitate its retail and corporate customers/ partners to use banking services integrated across partner platforms.
• Aveek Sarkar, the Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of the Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, has been re-elected as the Chairman of Press Trust of India (PTI) for a period of 2 years.
• Crypto platform CoinSwitch Kuber has roped in Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as its first-ever brand ambassador. 
• Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has acquired 100% shareholding of REC Solar Holdings AS (REC Group) from China National Bluestar (Group) Co Ltd., for an Enterprise Value of $771 million. 
• The 16th meeting of the India-US Defence Policy Group (DPG) was held in Washington.
• On the occasion of World Teacher’s Day, ( Oct 05 ) the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its 2021 State of the Education Report (SOER) for India: “No Teacher, No Class”.  
• A new analysis on global multidimensional poverty namely ‘Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)’ 2021 was released which is produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
• For the first time, the Indian table tennis contingent has won 3 Bronze medals in the 2021 Asian Table Tennis Championship organised by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) at Doha, Qatar between 28th September and 5th October 2021.
• A New Book Titled Quest for a Stable Afghanistan: A View from Ground Zero authored by Sujeet Sarkar.
• The oldest living former diplomat of India, Vallilath Madhathil Madhavan Nair, Passed away.
• Pulitzer-Winning Scholar and Navy Veteran Martin J. Sherwin Passed away.

Daily CA On Oct 13 :

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy Rates for Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers (P&K) for the year 2021-22.
• The Union Cabinet has approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) till 2025-26 & it has providing reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services to urban households is a national priority.
• Coal Crisis in India: Govt Enabled Imported Coal Power Plants to Sell Un-requisitioned Power; Allowed 50% Sale of Coal from Captive Mines
• OneWeb (a venture backed by Bharti Airtel), has entered into an arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, to use Indian-built PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and the heavier GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) – MkIII as potential platforms to launch OneWeb’s satellites in India from 2022.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA), a private industry body to help boost space technology in India.
• India and Nepal have signed two agreements aimed at boosting cross-border train services and reviewed ongoing railway projects as part of efforts by the two countries to improve regional connectivity and trade.
• High Commissioner for United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Michelle Bachelet addresses the Human Rights Council and recognised access to a clean and healthy environment as a fundamental right.
• The Karnataka State Higher Education Council has entered into an MoU with the National Association of Software and Service Companies, NASSCOM to provide industry-suited skill training to the youth. 
• The 2nd edition of ‘Ecological Threat Report (ETR) 2021: Understanding ecological threats, resilience and peace’ was released by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP).
• Shivalik Small Finance Bank announced a strategic partnership with Bengaluru-based insurtech company, Go Digit General Insurance, to provide an array of instant, easy-to-understand insurance products through the bank’s network of branches across India.
• Assets under management (AUM) of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), which primarily offer loans against gold, are expected to rise 18–20 per cent to ₹3 lakh crore this fiscal against ₹1.1 lakh crore in FY21, according to Crisil Ratings.
• The Reserve Bank of India has granted a banking licence to Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd (USFBL), which was established jointly by the Centrum Financial Services Ltd (CFSL) and Resilient Innovations Private Limited (BharatPe), to carry on a SFB business in India.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has retained India’s GDP at 9.5 per cent for the current fiscal i.e 2021-22 while cutting forecasts for the global economy by 5.9 per cent for the year 2021.
• Former IAS officer Amit Khare has been appointed as advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
• Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, has approved the appointment of the chief justices (CJ) to 8 high courts (HC) across India. 
• Indian Navy hosts its largest naval train, Ex Milan in February 2022 for which 46 countries have been invited.
• On Oct 12, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 28th National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) foundation day programme through video conferencing in New Delhi.
• Indian Technology Congress Association in Bengaluru focuses on constructing synergies between academia, trade and analysis organisations.
• The 2021 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun was held at Lima in Peru from September 27 to October 10, 2021 in that India has won 43 medals, including 17 Gold, 16 Silver and 10 Bronze medals to stand atop in the medal table.
• On Oct 11, 2021, The World football governing body, FIFA unveiled the official mascot named “IBHA” of the U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022.
• Australia beat India by 14 runs in the third and final T20 Women’s International to seal the multi-format series by 11-5 points.
• On Oct 11, 2021, Versatile National Award-winning Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu Passed away.
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), chairman Balvinder Singh Nakai passed away.
• On Oct 10, 2021, Noted Kannada film actor Sathyajith Passed away.