Current Affairs October 04th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

4th October: World Animal Welfare Day:

• Every year on October 4th, World Animal Welfare Day is honored.
• This day is observed worldwide to commemorate the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.
• The goal of observing this day as World Animal Welfare Day is to elevate the status of animals and improve their well-being.

History:

• The day was first marked in 1925 by animal rights campaigner Heinrich Zimmermann, but now, the annual global celebration of animals is coordinated by the UK-based animal welfare organization, Naturewatch Foundation.
• To raise awareness, the Naturewatch Foundation developed the inaugural World Animal Day website in 2003, which offers a directory of global World Animal Day events that take place on and around World Animal Day and encourages supporters to add their events.
• The event was originally set for October 4 to coincide with the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Supreme Court declared that single women with pregnancies are entitled to access the same safe and legal abortion care as married women:

• The Supreme Court declared that single women with pregnancies between 20 and 24 weeks are entitled to access the same safe and legal abortion care as married women.
• The judgment came in an appeal by a person who wanted to terminate her pregnancy before her term was completed 24 weeks.
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 prohibits unmarried women who are between 20 and 24 weeks pregnant to abort with the help of registered doctors.
• The Supreme Court held that the rights of reproductive autonomy, dignity, and privacy give an unmarried woman the right of choice as to whether or not to bear a child on a similar footing as that of a married woman.

PM has inaugurated the third vande Bharat train from Gandhinagar to Mumbai:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train, the third in the Vande Bharat series that was launched in 2019.
• PM Modi also inaugurated the Vande Bharat when it was first launched in Delhi in 2019.
• The name may be the same, but this train, the third in the Vande Bharat series, is being dubbed ‘Vande Bharat 2.0’, because of certain upgrades it has received over its predecessors, the two existing trains running from Delhi to Varanasi and Katra.
• For starters, this train reaches a top speed of 160 km per hour in 129 seconds, around 16 seconds faster than its predecessor.
• This is because this train weighs around 392 tonnes, 38 tonnes lighter than the last one, and needs to run almost a km less to attain its top speed.
• The new design of Vande Bharat express has a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) for air purification.
• PM Modi also flagged off the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project.
• The entire Phase 1 project is built at a cost of more than ₹12,900 crores.
• Ahmedabad Metro train set is equipped with an energy-efficient propulsion system that can save about 30-35% of energy consumption.
• The Vande Bharat 2.0 is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.
• Connecting the two state capitals of Maharashtra and Gujarat, this will be the third Vande Bharat train in India.
• The other two are currently operable on New Delhi – Varanasi route and New Delhi – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra route.
• The government aims to replace them with indigenous materials in the upcoming Vande Bharat trains.
• Indian Coach Factory has aimed to manufacture around 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023.

National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved 14 projects:

• The executive committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved 14 projects at an estimated cost of ₹1,145 crore rupee.
• The decision was taken at the 45th meeting of the executive committee under the chairmanship of director general Ashok Kumar, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said in a statement.
• These include eight projects of sewerage management in five main stem Ganga basin states – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
• The EC also approved indicative funds of ₹45 crores for the installation of decentralized wastewater treatment systems in the main stem Ganga basin States.
• The fund bifurcation is ₹10 crore each for Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and Rs. 5 crores to Jharkhand.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga – It is a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, is the implementing wing and its General Body is chaired by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Center extends AFSPA in 9 districts of Nagaland till March 30, 2023

• According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Central government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in 9 districts of Nagaland including Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto from October 1, 2022, to March 30, 2023.
• In addition, the GoI has also extended AFSPA in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of 16 police stations in 4 districts of Nagaland including 5 police stations in Kohima district; 6 police stations in Mokokchung district; Yanglok police station in Longleng district; & 4 police stations in Wokha district.
• Earlier, the Central Government in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared 9 districts and 16 Police Stations in 4 other districts of Nagaland as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of 6 months with effect from April 1 to September 30, 2022.
• The AFSPA empowers security forces to arrest a person without a warrant, enter or search premises without a warrant, and perform other actions.

About Nagaland :

• Governor : Jagdish Mukhi
• Chief Minister : Neiphiu Rio
• Capital : Kohima
• Festival: Naga Mircha (King Chili) Festival, Mim Kut, Bushu Festival
• Dance: Chang Lo

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launches portal for marriage schemes

• Andhra Pradesh (AP) Chief Minister Shri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Kalyanamasthu’ and ‘YSR Shadi Tofa’ marriage schemes & also launched the website about these schemes.

Aim :

• To provide financial assistance for a daughter’s wedding in poor families.
• The schemes would help in preventing child marriages and school dropouts as the eligibility for the schemes were 18 years for the bride and 21 years for the bridegroom.

Key Highlights :

• The beneficiaries must pass at least Class X to avail of the scheme.
• Applications can be submitted at the village and ward secretariats for availing of the scheme within 60 days of the marriage.
• The amount will be credited once a quarter.
• The scheme would help Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Backward Community (BC), Minorities, and construction workers.

Financial Assistance :

• For SCs and STs – ₹1 lakh
• Inter-caste marriages – ₹2 lakh
• BCs – ₹50,000
• Minorities –  ₹1 lakh
• Differently-abled persons – ₹5 lakh
• Construction workers – ₹20,000

Other Education Promoting Schemes :

• Amma Vodi, Sampoorna Poshana, Goru Muddha, Vidyakanuka, English medium, CBSE syllabus, Byjus pact, Nadu-Nedu, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, and job-oriented curriculum

About Andhra Pradesh :

• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
• Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
• Capital: Amaravati
• Dance : Kuchipudi, Kottam
• Zoological Park: Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI extends two-factor authentication for mutual fund subscription transactions

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) decided to extend the two-factor authentication (2FA) for subscription transactions in units of mutual funds to further safeguard the interest of investors.
• The new framework will come into effect from April 1, 2023.
• In the case of subscription and redemption of units, two-factor authentication (for online transactions) and signature method (for offline transactions) will be used for authentication.
• In the case of demat transactions, the process of two-factor authentication as laid down by the depositories will be followed.
• SEBI has clarified that in the case of systematic transactions, the requirement of such authentication will be applicable only at the time of registration.
• The Association of Mutual Funds in India shall furnish the activity-wise schedule for implementation of two-factor authentication by October 14 and will furnish progress reports on the implementation of the authentication provisions on a bi-monthly basis, starting from December 1, 2022.

About SEBI :

• Established: on 12 April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman : Madhabi Puri Buch
• SEBI  is the regulatory body for securities and commodity markets in India under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, GoI.

Karnataka Bank opens Analytical Center of Excellence

• Karnataka Bank has opened an Analytical Center of Excellence (ACoE) at Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka to harness the power of data.
• The center, which is developed in association with Ernst and Young (EY) as a project partner, will help in the accelerated incubation of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) models along with their integration into business, on a scalable analytical data platform.
• Shri P Pradeep Kumar, Chairman, and Sri Mahabaleshwara M.S, MD & CEO, along with Shri Mahesh Makhija from EY jointly inaugurated the Centre.
• ACoE will be a key differentiator in accelerating Karnataka Bank’s transformation journey to emerge as a relevant, progressive ‘Digital Bank of Future’ as envisaged as part of KBL NxT initiative of the Bank”.

About Karnataka Bank :

• Founded: 18 February 1924
• Headquarters: Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
• MD & CEO: Mahabaleshwara M. S
• Tagline: Your Family Bank Across India

SEBI lays guidelines on preferential issues for listed REIT, InvIT

• Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued guidelines on preferential issues and institutional placement of units in emerging investment vehicles – real estate investment trust (REIT) and infrastructure investment trust (InvIT).
• However, the allotment of units can be made to the sponsor for unsubscribed portions in the institutional placement where at least 90% of the issue size has been subscribed.
• A listed InvIT and REIT may make a preferential issue of units or institutional placement of units in case units of the same class, which are proposed to be allotted, have been listed on a stock exchange for at least 6 months before the date of issuance of notice to its unit holders.
• While a REIT comprises a portfolio of commercial real assets, & InvITs comprise a portfolio of infrastructure assets, such as highways and power transmission assets.

SEBI rolls out a framework for credit rating agencies

• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) came out with a new framework for credit rating agencies (CRAs), involving ratings of securities having explicit credit enhancement features.
• The new framework, applicable from January 1, 2023

Aim :

• To enhance transparency and improve the rating process.

Key Highlights :

• Under the rule, CRAs can assign the suffix ‘CE’ (Credit Enhancement) to the rating of instruments having explicit credit enhancement.
• CRAs will have to conduct independent due diligence on the nature of specified support consideration and form a definitive internal view and, wherever warranted, obtain an independent external legal opinion for ascertaining the strength of the credit enhancement.
• It will have to verify the documentation related to the specified support considerations to ensure that the support is unconditional and legally enforceable till all the obligations of the rated security have been paid to the investors.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

FIP 42nd Annual Awards have been Released:

• The Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) 42nd Annual Awards ceremony for Excellence in Book Production 2022 was held in New Delhi.
• Directorate of Publications Division won nine awards in various categories for Excellence in Book Production 2022.

DPD won first prizes in the categories of the following:

• General and Trade Books (English) for ‘Balancing the Wisdom Tree
• General and Trade Books (Hindi) for ‘Bharat Vibhajan Ki Kahani’
• Art and Coffee Table Books (Regional Languages) for ‘Courts of India’ (Marathi)
• Reference Books (English) for ‘India 2022’
• Scientific/Technical/Medical Books (Hindi) for ‘Covid-19: Vaishik Mahamari’
• Journals and House Magazines (Hindi) for ‘Kurukshetra’
• In the category of General and Trade Books (Hindi) for ‘Loktantra ke Swar’, DPD won the Second Prize.
• Directorate of Publications Division was awarded two Third Prizes in the categories of – Children Books (General Interest) (0-10 Years) (Hindi) for ‘Pinushi’ and Journals and House Magazines (Regional Languages) for ‘Ajkal’ (Urdu).
• In 2021, the Directorate of Publications Division won ten awards for its various publications.

About Directorate of Publications Division:

• It was established in 1941.
• It is a publishing house of the Government of India.
• It publishes books in different languages with diverse themes.

India’s first green hydrogen fuelling station, being set up at Leh:

• India’s first green hydrogen fuelling station, being set up at Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh, is all set to be commissioned before May 2023.
• The first-of-its-kind project is being set up by state-run NTPC.
• The power generator had awarded the contract for the project to Amara Raja Power Systems, part of the $1.3 billion Amara Raja Group, in June.
• Under the project, green hydrogen will be produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis powered by renewable energy.
• The project is being set up at a height of 3,600 meters above sea level with a temperature variation of minus 14 degrees to plus 20 degrees Celsius.
• The pilot project will produce 80 Kilograms per day of 99.97 percent pure hydrogen that will be compressed, stored, and dispensed.
• NTPC plans to ply five hydrogen fuel cell buses in the region.
• NTPC’s wholly-owned subsidiary NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL) floated the tender for the project in July last year.
• NTPC REL is also setting up a 1.25 Mw solar power plant to make the hydrogen Fuelling Station completely green.

Srishti Bakshi has won the ‘Changemaker’ award at the UN SDG Action Awards:

• Srishti Bakshi from India wins the ‘Changemaker’ award at UN SDG Action Awards.
• Srishti Bakshi, who traveled 3,800km in less than a year, has won prestigious honor at the UN SDG Action Awards.
• She traveled 3800 km to raise awareness of gender-based violence and inequality.
• She has got the award for “confronting gender-based violence and advocating for safe access to public spaces.
• The finalists have been selected from more than 3,000 applications from 150 countries.
• The other award winners are ‘SUPvivors say NO MORE’ in the Mobilise category for empowering sexual abuse survivors in Ecuador and ‘The Masungi Story’ in the Inspire category.
• A documentary titled ‘WOMB: Women Of My Billion’ has showcased her journey.
• The winners have been announced at a ceremony in Bonn, Germany.

President has presented the Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2020 to actress Asha Parekh:

• President Droupadi Murmu presented the Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2020 to actress Asha Parekh.
• In the 68th National Film Awards ceremony, the Hindi film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’ has been selected for ‘Best Popular Film.
• The award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema, who is popularly known as and often regarded as “the father of Indian cinema”.
• It was first presented in 1969.
• The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, “the first lady of Indian cinema”.
• The award for the most film-friendly state was given to two states this year – Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Special mention was given to Uttarakhand.
• Ajay Devgn for the film, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Suriya for the film Soorarai Pottru received the best actor award.
• Aparna Balamurali received the Best Actress Award for Soorarai Pottru.
• Sachidanandan KR got the Best Director Award for Malayalam Film AK Ayyappanum Koshiyum.
• Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur invited winners to guide the future filmmakers selected through 75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow.
• It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organization set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• The award prize consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, and a shawl.

Madhav Hada will be awarded the 32nd Bihari Puraskar:

• Writer Dr. Madhav Hada will be awarded the 32nd Bihari Puraskar for his 2015 literary criticism book ‘Pachrang Chola Pahar Sakhi Ri’, the KK Birla Foundation announced.
• The book explores Meera’s life and society from a new perspective and is a new starting point for identifying her place in the field of Hindi literary criticism.
• The Bihari Puraskar is one of the three literary awards instituted by the foundation in 1991.
• Named after famous Hindi poet Bihari, the award is given every year for an outstanding work published in the last 10 years by a Rajasthani author in Hindi or Rajasthani.
• It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a plaque, and a citation.
• The recipient is chosen by a selection committee headed by chairman Hemant Shesh.
• A literary critic and academic, Hada has written extensively on literature, media, culture, and history.
• He has also been a member of the general council of the Sahitya Akademi and the Hindi Advisory Board.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

The combined index of eight core industries increased by 3.3%

• The combined index of eight core industries increased by 3.3% (provisional) compared to the Index of August 2021.
• Index of Eight Core Industries measures combined and individual performance of production in 8 core industries- Coal, Crude Oil, Cement, Fertilisers, Refinery Products, Electricity, Natural Gas, and Steel.
• The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• The final growth rate of the Index of Eight Core Industries for May 2022 has been revised to 19.3% from its provisional level of 18.1%.

Airtel has become the first company to launch 5G services in the country:

• Telecom operator Bharti Airtel’s 5G services will be available in eight cities announced chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal at India Mobile Congress.
• Airtel and Nokia have partnered to bring India’s first 5G-enabled immersive experience to visitors at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022.
• Airtel and Nokia will bring to life the cultural splendour of Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Statue of Unity through holographic images demonstrating the benefits of ultra-fast and low latency 5G networks.
• Bharti Airtel has become the first company to launch 5G services in the country.
• The services will be available in eight cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Bangalore, and others.
• Airtel will roll out 5G services in several cities across the country by March 2023 and across India by March 2024.
• According to the telecom department, 5G technology is expected to deliver ten times better download speed than that of 4G and up to three times greater spectrum efficiency.
• Bharti Airtel had placed the order for 5G gears with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung immediately after the auctions were over.
• Bharti Airtel acquired spectrum worth ₹43,084 crores in the just-concluded auction.

IOCL has set up a subsidiary to pool the funds of its overseas units:

• India’s top refiner Indian Oil Corp has set up a subsidiary to pool the funds of its overseas units to meet capital and trade finance needs.
• The new unit – Finance Company – will help IOC benefit from interest arbitrage as the company’s borrowings increase after selling fuel locally at below-market rates.
• Finance Company will be based in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in western India.
• Companies based in GIFT City get a 100% income tax exemption for 10 years.
• Finance Company will “carry out finance activities such as fund pooling of foreign companies and utilise the same for carrying out trade financing of IOC and group companies”.
• The Finance Company will also handle IOC’s global treasury operation and utilise IFSC to raise capital and debt from overseas markets.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

The central government’s 7th edition of the annual cleanliness survey has announced:

• For the sixth consecutive time, Indore has been adjudged as India’s cleanest city, followed by Surat and Navi Mumbai on the next two positions in the Central government’s annual cleanliness survey.
• President Droupadi Murmu gave away the awards to the winners at an event here which was also attended by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and others.
• Madhya Pradesh has secured the first position, followed by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra in the category of best performing states in ‘Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022’.
• Among the state having fewer than 100 urban local bodies, Tripura has bagged the top rank, according to the survey results.
• Among the cities with a population of fewer than one lakh, Maharashtra’s Panchgani was ranked number one, followed by Chhattisgarh’s Patan (NP) and Maharashtra’s Karhad, as per PTI reports.
• Haridwar was adjudged the cleanest Ganga town in the category of more than 1 lakh population, followed by Varanasi and Rishikesh.
• Bijnor was ranked first among Ganga towns with fewer than one lakh population, followed by Kannauj and Garhmukhteshwar respectively.
• According to the survey, Maharashtra’s Deolali was adjudged the country’s cleanest Cantonment Board.
• The 7th edition of Swachh Survekshan was conducted to study the progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) and rank the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) based on various cleanliness and sanitation parameters.
• The Survekshan has evolved from being an assessment of 73 cities in 2016 to covering 4,354 cities this year.
• In November 2021, Indore retained its position for the fifth time in a row, followed by Surat (2), Vijaywada (3), Navi Mumbai (4), and New Delhi, NDMC (5).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Paralympic Committee of India and the Indian Army have signed an MoU to provide opportunities for wounded soldiers to participate in Para sport:

• The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and the Indian Army have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a bid to provide opportunities for wounded soldiers to participate in Para sport.
• Lieutenant General Ravin Khosla, deputy chief of army staff of the Indian Army, joined PCI President Deepa Malik and were both present for the signing of the document.
• It is hoped that the MoU will help to rehabilitate soldiers who have sustained severe injuries in the line of duty.

About PCI:

• The Paralympic Committee of India is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Paralympic Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at the events.
• The organization was founded in 1992 as the Physically Handicapped Sports Federation of India.
• President: Deepa Malik

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Mr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen & Mr. Anish Dayal Singh were Appointed as New DGs of CRPF & ITBP

• Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers Mr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen and Anish Dayal Singh have been appointed as the new director generals of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) respectively.
• The order for their appointment was issued by the Personnel Ministry after sanction from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the prime minister.
• Thaosen is scheduled to retire in November 2023, while Singh will superannuate in December 2024.
• The CRPF DG post fell vacant after IPS officer Kuldiep Singh (1986-batch West Bengal cadre) retired from service.
• The post of ITBP chief was also vacated with the transfer of 1988 batch IPS Mr. Sanjay Arora as Police Commissioner of Delhi.

About Mr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen :

• Thaosen, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre
• He served in the Border Security Force (BSF) and United Nations as part of the International Police Task Force (IPTF)
• He is currently working as the director general (DG) of the border guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and holding the additional charge of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.

About Mr. Anish Dayal Singh :

• Anish Dayal Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Manipur cadre.
• He is currently serving as a special director in the Intelligence Bureau.

About CRPF :

• Founded: 27 July 1939
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Motto: Service and Loyalty
• The CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force.
• It functions under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. 

Primary Role :

• To assist the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and counter-insurgency. 

About ITBP :

• Established: 1962
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• The ITBP is India’s primary border patrol organization for its border with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

Shri Sunil Barthwal assumes charge as Secretary, Department of Commerce

• Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Shri Sunil Barthwal was appointed as the Secretary, Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in New Delhi, Delhi, India.
• He replaced Shri Subrahmanyam, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre.
• Shri Subrahmanyam was appointed as chairman and managing director of, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) on a contract basis for two years following his superannuation.

About Shri Sunil Barthwal :

• He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) which is the largest social security organization in India.
• He has held various administrative positions in the areas of Finance, Social Security, Investment, Infrastructure, Mines, Steel, Energy, Transport, etc. in the Government at the Central and State level.
• He has also worked in the Competition Commission of India.
• He has been on the Boards of SAIL, NMDC, MECON, MSTC & NIIF.
• Before this, he was serving as Secretary, Ministry of Labor & Employment. 

Mr. S Bharathan appointed as the new director at HPCL

• S Bharathan took over as Director-Refineries of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), a Maharatna Company.
• He replaced Vinod S Shenoy.

About Mr. S Bharathan :

• He has worked in the Operations and Technical Departments of Mumbai and Visakh Refinery for over 25 years.
• He has worked in the Corporate Office on Margin Management and Refinery Project Process for over 4 years. 
• He is also leading HPCL’s Green R&D Centre (HPGRDC) in Bengaluru for the last 3 years.
• Before taking over as Director – Refineries, Bharathan was serving as Executive Director – Refineries Coordination with Additional Charge of Research and Development (R&D).

About HPCL :

• Founded: 1974
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman & Managing Director: Pushp Kumar Joshi
• HPCL is an Indian oil and gas refining company
• HPCL is the country’s 3rd -largest oil refining and fuel marketing company.

ISRO scientist Dr. AK Anil Kumar elected as vice-president of the International Astronautical Federation

• senior scientist in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr. A K Anil Kumar, was elected as the Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) during its Annual Conference International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2022 held in Paris during 18-22 September 2022. 
• Currently, he is Associate Director of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, Karnataka has been leading the ISRO activities for safe and sustainable space operations Management.

About IAF :

• Founded: 1951
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• President: Clay Mowry
• The IAF is the world’s leading space advocacy body with 433 members in 72 countries, including all leading space agencies, companies, research institutions, universities, societies, associations, institutes, and museums worldwide.
• IAF actively encourages the development of astronautics for peaceful purposes and supports the dissemination of scientific and technical information related to space.

ASCI appoints Mr. N S Rajan as the next chairman; Mr. Saugata Gupta new Vice Chairman 

• N S Rajan (Director of August One Partners LLP) has been unanimously elected as the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
• He has replaced Subhash Kamath.
• Saugata Gupta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Marico Limited, was elected Vice Chairman of ASCI.
• While Shashidhar Sinha, CEO of IPG Mediabrands India, was appointed Honorary Treasurer at the board meeting after the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) from ASCI.
• The board meeting also saw the induction of Virat Tandon, Group CEO of Lintas India, and Mr. Arun Srinivas, Director, GMS India (Meta), onto the board.

About ASCI :

• Established: 1985
• Headquarters:  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• ASCI is a voluntary self-regulatory organization of the advertising industry in India.

Eminent Lawyer Dr. Lalit Bhasin elected as the new National President of IACC

• Noted lawyer Dr. Lalit Bhasin has been appointed as the national president of Indian American Chambers of Commerce (IACC).

About Dr. Lalit Bhasin :

• Bhasin is a well-known name in business and social circles.
• He is closely associated with India’s apex business organizations like CII, and PHD CCI and served as chairman of its legal committees.
• He is the 54th National President of IACC, which was set up in October 1968 and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra having 14 offices all over India, with a large membership from large, medium, and small business entities.
• Before being elected as the National President of the IACC, Bhasin was the Executive Vice President of IACC.

About IACC :

• Founded: 1968
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

IAF retires Srinagar-based MiG-21 ‘Swordarm’ Squadron

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) retired the 51 ‘sword arms’ MiG-21 fighter Squadron based in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which had stopped its flying operations on June 30, 2022.
• With this, the IAF has 3 MiG-21 Bison squadrons, which will be phased out in the next three years.
• 51 Squadron, widely known as “Swordarms,” was established in Chandigarh on February 1st, 1985 under the command of Wg Cdr VK Chawla. 
• The Squadron moved to its present location at Srinagar on May 1, 1986.
• It was initially equipped with MiG-21 Type 75 aircraft and converted to the upgraded MiG-21 Bison in January 2004.
• The 51 Squadron is the same Squadron of which Group Captain (then Wing Commander) Abhinandan Varthaman was part of and saw action in February 2019.

Key Highlights :

• The Primary role of the Squadron was the air defense of the Kashmir Valley and being the only fighter Squadron in the Valley, the ‘sword arms’ earned the title ‘guardians of the valley’.
• The Squadron was tested in the 1987 Operation Brasstacks when it carried out intensive valley flying and manned operational readiness platforms from both Srinagar and Awantipur over 3 months
• The crest of the squadron portrays a pair of muscular arms firmly clasping a sword, depicting the motto “Vijaya Prakrama” which means ‘Valour for Victory’
• The ‘sword arms’ also participated in Operation Safed Sagar in the 1999 Kargil conflict.
• The sword arms flew 194 sorties and were conferred 1 Vayu Sena medal and 3 Mention-in Dispatches. 
• For their role during Operation Parakram, the mobilization carried out post the Parliament attack, the Squadron was awarded the President’s Standard on March 22, 2018.

Daily CA on October 4:

• Every year on October 4th, World Animal Welfare Day is honored.
• The Supreme Court declared that single women with pregnancies between 20 and 24 weeks are entitled to access the same safe and legal abortion care as married women.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train, the third in the Vande Bharat series that was launched in 2019.
• The executive committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved 14 projects at an estimated cost of ₹1,145 crore rupee.
• The Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) 42nd Annual Awards ceremony for Excellence in Book Production 2022 was held in New Delhi.
• India’s first green hydrogen fuelling station, being set up at Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh, is all set to be commissioned before May 2023.
• Srishti Bakshi from India wins the ‘Changemaker’ award at UN SDG Action Awards.
• President Droupadi Murmu presented the Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2020 to actress Asha Parekh.
• Writer Dr. Madhav Hada will be awarded the 32nd Bihari Puraskar for his 2015 literary criticism book ‘Pachrang Chola Pahar Sakhi Ri’, the KK Birla Foundation announced.
• The combined index of eight core industries increased by 3.3% (provisional) compared to the Index of August 2021.
• Telecom operator Bharti Airtel’s 5G services will be available in eight cities announced chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal at India Mobile Congress.
• India’s top refiner Indian Oil Corp has set up a subsidiary to pool the funds of its overseas units to meet capital and trade finance needs.
• For the sixth consecutive time, Indore has been adjudged as India’s cleanest city, followed by Surat and Navi Mumbai on the next two positions in the Central government’s annual cleanliness survey.
• The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and the Indian Army have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a bid to provide opportunities for wounded soldiers to participate in Para sport.
• According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Central government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in 9 districts of Nagaland including Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto from October 1, 2022, to March 30, 2023.
• Andhra Pradesh (AP) Chief Minister Shri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the ‘YSR Kalyanamasthu’ and ‘YSR Shadi Tofa’ marriage schemes & also launched the website about these schemes.
• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) decided to extend the two-factor authentication (2FA) for subscription transactions in units of mutual funds to further safeguard the interest of investors.
• Karnataka Bank has opened an Analytical Center of Excellence (ACoE) at Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka to harness the power of data.
• Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued guidelines on preferential issues and institutional placement of units in emerging investment vehicles – real estate investment trust (REIT) and infrastructure investment trust (InvIT).
• Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) came out with a new framework for credit rating agencies (CRAs), involving ratings of securities having explicit credit enhancement features.
• Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers Mr. Sujoy Lal Thaosen and Anish Dayal Singh have been appointed as the new director generals of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) respectively.
• Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Shri Sunil Barthwal was appointed as the Secretary, Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in New Delhi, Delhi, India.
• S Bharathan took over as Director-Refineries of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), a Maharatna Company.
• senior scientist in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr. A K Anil Kumar, was elected as the Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) during its Annual Conference International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2022 held in Paris during 18-22 September 2022. 
• N S Rajan (Director of August One Partners LLP) has been unanimously elected as the chairman of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
• Noted lawyer Dr. Lalit Bhasin has been appointed as the national president of Indian American Chambers of Commerce (IACC).
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) retired the 51 ‘sword arms’ MiG-21 fighter Squadron based in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which had stopped its flying operations on June 30, 2022.