Current Affairs October 28th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India lost 5.4% of its GDP as a result of the 2021 heatwave:

• According to a new Climate Transparency analysis, India will lose 5.4% of its GDP in 2021, the most of any G20 country.
• According to the research, India experienced a record heatwave that impacted employees, labor migrants, low-income households, and the homeless, as well as reduced wheat crop yields.
• Even though India is responsible for 3% of global emissions, the analysis stated that 142 million people (10% of the population) in India may be subjected to summer heatwaves of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• When it comes to worldwide emissions, the United States ranks first with 25%, followed by the European Union with 22%.
• “G20 members account for around 85% of worldwide GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the global population, as well as almost three-quarters of global emissions.”
• The ‘Climate Transparency Report 2022’ was created in collaboration with experts from 16 partner organizations representing the majority of the G20 (Group of 20) countries.
• According to the Climate Transparency Report 2022, the G20 nations are still unable to take the requisite level of accountability of action.

Centre to use technology for crop insurance scheme from 2023:

• The Agriculture Ministry has set up two committees — one for nationwide implementation of technology-based crop yield estimation and the other for standardization and improvement of weather data infrastructure.
• The move will reduce the delay in crop loss/damage estimation and ensure timely settlement of claims by farmers.
• The panels will be headed by the director of Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC).
• Apart from experts drawn from different departments and agencies of the Centre, the committees will have representation from Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan governments.
• After paddy and wheat in 2020-21, the Agriculture Ministry has decided to carry out more pilot studies, this time on non-cereal crops for gram Panchayat level yield estimation of current Kharif crops and rabi harvest (March-April) next year.
• These studies will help analyze the issues to be dealt with when the pan-India rollout of technology-based yield estimation begins from 2023-24.
• The panel on yield estimation has been asked to submit its report within 45 days.
• It will prepare standard operating procedure (SOP) as well as enroll technology implementation partners (TIPs) from which States have to select anyone.
• The committee, also to be headed by the director of MNCFC, has been tasked to help the Ministry in the creation of the proposed Weather Information Network Data System (WINDS), under which a system of automatic weather stations (AWS) and automatic rain gauges (ARG) will be implemented throughout the country.
• Weather data like rainfall, temperature, and humidity are key to calculating the yield of crops under the weather-based crop insurance scheme as well as Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WHO releases first-ever fungal priority pathogen list

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the first-ever priority pathogen list, the WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List (WHO FPPL) which includes 19 fungi to identify fungi that pose the greatest threat to public health.
• This report is based on research led by the University of Sydney in Australia.

About WHO FPPL :

• The WHO FPPL is the first global effort to systematically prioritize fungal pathogens, considering the unmet research and development (R&D) needs and the perceived public health importance.
• The classification is based on the pathogen’s public health impact or emerging antifungal resistance risk.
• The list has been divided into three categories

1. Critical
2. High
3. Medium priority.

• The critical group includes Candida Auris, which is highly drug-resistant and has caused several outbreaks in hospitals worldwide, as well as Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans.
• The high group includes several other fungi from the Candida family as well as others such as Mucorales, a group containing the fungi that cause mucormycosis or “black fungus”, an infection that rose rapidly in seriously ill people – particularly in India – during COVID-19.
• The medium group lists several other fungi, including Coccidioides spp and Cryptococcus gattii.

About Fungal infection treatment :

• Fungal pathogens are a major threat to public health as they are becoming increasingly common and resistant to treatment.
• Currently, only four classes of antifungal medicines are available, and few candidates are in the clinical pipeline.
• A three-layered approach emerged in the strategies suggested by policymakers, governments, and public health professionals.

The strategy includes:

• Strengthening laboratory capacity and surveillance.
• Sustaining investments in research, development, and innovation
• Enhancing public health interventions for prevention and control.

About WHO :

• Established: 7 April 1948
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General : Tedros Adhanom
• The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

DGCA grants aerodrome license to Odisha’s Jeypore airport

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted the aerodrome license to Odisha’s Jeypore airport.

Key Highlights :

• Jeypore became the “first” state-owned airport to get the
• The airport will now be able to handle scheduled commercial flights under the government’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN, or Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik.
• The airport, 33 km northwest of Koraput town and around 500 km southwest of Bhubaneswar would boost tourism and development of the region.
• Under UDAN, 68 underserved/unserved destinations which include 58 Airports, 8 heliports, and 2 water aerodromes have been connected.
• The license would be liable to suspension, modification, or withdrawal if the provisions of the Aircraft Act and the Aircraft Rules were violated.

About DGCA :

• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Director General: Arun Kumar
• The DGCA is a statutory body of the Government of India to regulate civil aviation in India

Jakson Green to invest Rs 22,400 cr in green hydrogen project in Rajasthan

• Jakson Green Pvt Limited (JGPL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government to invest about Rs 22,400 crore (US$ 2.71 billion) to set up green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in
• The MoU was signed by Vish Iyer, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Jakson Green, and Bhaskar S Sawant, Principal Secretary of Energy to the government of Rajasthan.

About the MoU :

• Jakson Green is expected to set up a 365,000-tonne per annum green hydrogen and ammonia plant together with a phased-in integrated hybrid renewable power complex.
• The project is expected to generate over 32,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities across various phases of the scale-up, planned between 2023 and 2028.
• The Rajasthan government would facilitate Jakson Green in obtaining necessary registrations, approvals, and clearances, and provide incentives, among others.

About Jakson Green :

• Managing Director & CEO: Bikesh Ogra
• It is actively developing a pipeline of renewable energy, green hydrogen, and green ammonia projects, both in India and abroad.

About Rajasthan :

• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
• Capital: Jaipur
• National Park: Ranthambore National Park, Darrah National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Meghalaya govt signs MoA with power firm for hydroelectric projects

• The Government of Meghalaya, Power Department has signed an agreement with North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd  (NEEPCO) for the development of two hydel projects in Meghalaya at a program held at Pinewood Hotel, Shillong.
• The agreement for the development of 50-megawatt Wah Umiam Hydro Electric Project Stage-I and 100-MW Wah Umiam Hydro Electric Project Stage-II was signed between the two parties.

Signatories :

• The MOA was signed by the Joint Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Power Department D D Shira, and Anil Kumar Director Personnel, NEEPCO.
• Presently the government of Meghalaya can generate only 350 MW and the requirement in the state is 650 MW.

About Meghalaya :

• Governor: Satya Pal Malik
• Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
• Capital: Shillong
• National Park: Nokrek National Park, Balpakram National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Siju Bird Sanctuary, Nongkhyllem Sanctuary

About NEEPCO :

• Founded: 2 April 1976
• Headquarters: Shillong, Meghalaya, India
• Chairman & Managing Director: R.K Vishnoi
• NEEPCO is a central public sector undertaking.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
• NEEPCO is conferred with the Schedule A- Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) status.

Railway minister inaugurates India’s first all-aluminum freight rake

• Union Minister for Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake – 61 BOBRNALHSM1 at Bhubaneswar Railway Station in
• It had been fully designed and developed indigenously in collaboration with Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), HINDALCO, and Besco Wagon.
• Notably, its first-time aluminum rake has been manufactured in India with the feature of fully lock-bolted construction with no welding on the superstructure.
• Aluminum is the preferred choice for metro trains worldwide for its durability and most importantly – passenger safety, as it has improved crashworthiness or superior crash absorption capability.

Features of Aluminium Rake:

• The tare is 3.25 tons lower than normal steel rakes, with 180 tons extra carrying capacity resulting in higher throughput per wagon.
• Higher payload to tare ratio 85
• The reduced rate will reduce carbon footprint as lower consumption of fuel in empty directions and more transport of freight in a loaded condition.
• A single rake can save over 14,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime.
• 80% is the resale value of the rakes.
• The cost is 35% higher as the superstructure is all aluminum.
• Lower maintenance cost due to higher corrosion and abrasion resistance.
• The freight sector in India is expected to grow at more than 7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) to 15 billion tonnes by 2050, with the energy-efficient and eco-friendly railways expected to notably increase its volume share from the current 18%.

About Ministry of Railways :

• Cabinet Minister: Ashwini Vaishnaw
• Minister of State: Raosaheb Danve, Darshana Jardosh
• Chairman & CEO of Railway Board: Vinay Kumar Tripathi

About Odisha :

• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• National Park: Simlipal National Park, Bhitarkanika National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary, Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary, Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, Kotagarh Wildlife Sanctuary
• Airport: Biju Patnaik International Airport

‘Honesty shops’ launched for school students in Kerala’s Ernakulam

• For the first time, “Honesty shops” have been launched in the Ernakulam district of Kerala for students up to Class 12.
• This initiative was launched by the Student police cadet (SPC), a youth-development program.

Aim:

• To cultivate valuable lessons on trust, truth, and integrity for students
• There will be no salesperson in these shops and neither will they have a shopkeeper present.
• Students can choose items they need and drop the money for each item inside the collection box kept on a table.
• SPC, an initiative launched in 2008 was started to inculcate better civic sense among students.

About Kerala :

• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
• National Park: Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park
• Dance: Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Chakyar Koothu

Delhi LG launches one-time property tax amnesty scheme ‘SAMRIDDHI 2022-23’

• Delhi Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena launched a one-time property tax amnesty scheme “SAMRIDDHI 2022-23”, which will provide a major relief to lakhs of residential and commercial property owners in Delhi.

About SAMRIDDHI :

• SAMRIDDHI, an acronym for Strengthening and Augmentation of Municipal Revenue for Infrastructure Development in Delhi, will start on October 26, 2022, & end on March 31, 2023, with no further extensions.
• The tax amnesty program envisages a ‘One Plus Five’ option for residential and a ‘One Plus Six’ option for non-residential properties.

About One Plus Five :

• The taxpayers of residential properties under ‘One Plus Five’ are required to pay the principal amount of property tax for the current year and previous five years (i.e FY 2022-23 + FYs 2017-18 to 2021-22) whereupon 100% interest and penalty on the outstanding tax amount shall be exempted and all the previous dues before 2017-18 will be waived off.

About One Plus Six :

• Under the ‘One Plus Six’ for non-residential properties scheme, property owners have to make payment of the principal amount of property tax for the current year and the previous 6 years (i.e FY 2022-23 + FYs 2016-17 to 2021-22) whereupon 100% interest and penalty on the outstanding tax amount shall be exempted and all the previous dues before 2016-17 will be completely waived off.
• In case a taxpayer fails to settle his tax dues by March 31, 2023, he shall be liable to pay all tax dues along with interest and penalty since 2004 or since whichever year it has been pending and shall not be entitled to any waiver.
• Coercive measures to collect the tax dues shall be launched against such defaulters from April 1, 2023.

About Delhi :

• Governor: Vinai Kumar Saxena
• Chief Minister : Arvind Kejriwal
• Capital: New Delhi
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Sanctuary
• Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Russia’s Gazprombank opens special Re account with UCO Bank

• Russia’s Gazprombank has opened a special Rupee account with UCO Bank for undertaking cross-border trade transactions in the Indian Rupee
• The move to open the special Vostro account clears the deck for settlement of payments in Rupee for trade between India and  Russia, enabling cross-border trade in the Indian currency which the central bank RBI is keen to promote.
• The Kolkata-based lender was among the first banks to receive the regulator’s approval following the RBI’s decision to promote Rupee settlement.
• The RBI has allowed the special Vostro accounts to invest the surplus balance in Indian government securities to help popularize the new arrangement.
• UCO Bank already has a Vostro account-based facility in Iran. 

About Gazprombank :

• Founded: 1990
• Headquarters: Moscow, Russia
• CEO: Andrey Akimov
• Gazprombank, or GPB, is a privately-owned Russian lender and the third-largest bank in the country by assets.

About UCO Bank :

• Founded: 6 January 1943
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal, India\
• MD & CEO : Soma Sankara Prasad
• Tagline: Honors Your Trust

DCB Bank Reintroduces Suraksha Fixed Deposit Scheme

• The DCB Bank has relaunched its ‘Suraksha Fixed Deposit (FD)’ scheme.
• It is a 3-year FD scheme that provides a combination of savings and safety for depositors as well as their dependents.
• The DCB NRI Suraksha Fixed Deposit also offers NRIs attractive returns and free life insurance based on the fixed deposit amount.
• DCB NRI Suraksha Fixed Deposits are available in Non-Resident External (NRE), and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) in Indian Rupees. 
• NRIs may use any of the following foreign currencies to make their DCB NRI Suraksha Foreign Currency Non-Resident Account (FCNR) Deposit: Dollars (USD), Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), EURO, or British Pound Sterling (GBP). 

About ‘Suraksha Fixed Deposit (FD)’ :

• The scheme provides a high-interest rate of 7.10% per annum on a 3-year deposit and free life insurance cover either equal to the amount of the Suraksha FD or up to Rs 10 lakh if the Suraksha FD amount is greater than Rs 10 lakh.
• The life insurance cover is available with a term of 36 months and is valid from 18 years of age till the depositor turns 55. 
• On the other hand, the bank offers a 7.10% per annum interest rate on fixed deposits of 700 days or 3 years, which annually yields 7.49% p.a. or 7.84% p.a. respectively.
• Senior citizens can earn 7.60% p.a. for the same duration, and the yields are 8.05% p.a. and 8.45% p.a. Respectively.
• For a longer tenure of 5 years FD, a 7% p.a. rate is available for which the annualized yield is 8.43% p.a. Senior citizens can earn a 7.50% p.a. which translates to a 9.14% p.a. annualized yield. 

About DCB Bank :

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Murali M. Natrajan
• DCB Bank Limited is a private sector scheduled commercial bank in
• The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) is the promoter of the Bank with around 15% stake.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Nomura Singapore sells a 1.52% stake in CSB Bank worth Rs 61 crore

• Nomura Singapore divested a 1.52% stake in private sector lender CSB Bank Limited (erstwhile Catholic Syrian Bank Limited) for over Rs 61.31 crore through an open market transaction.

Key Highlights :

• According to the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Nomura Singapore offloaded 26,39,673 shares, amounting to a 1.52% stake in the company.
• The shares were disposed of at an average price of Rs 232.3 apiece, taking the transaction value to Rs 61.31 crore.
• The shares of CSB Bank closed 2.42% lower at Rs 228.20 apiece on NSE.

About CSB Bank Limited :

• Founded: 26 November 1920
• Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala, India
• MD & CEO: Pralay Mondal

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

NISA receives the Union HM’s award for best police training institution:

• The Union Home Minister’s Trophy for the “Best Police Training Institution for Training of Gazetted Officers for the Year 2020-21” was awarded to the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA) in Hakimpet, Hyderabad.
• This amazing milestone for this Academy was accomplished during the tenure of the present Commissioner of Police (CP) Hyderabad, CV Anand, who was the Academy’s prior Director during the year under consideration.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs screens several central police training institutes at the national level, and BPR&D surveys to determine the top Police Training Institution for the year.
• In several categories, all central and state government police training academies in the country are being considered.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Jakson Green had signed an MoU with the Rajasthan government:

• Jakson Green had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government.
• Jakson Green had signed the MoU to invest about ₹22,400 crores (roughly $2.8 billion) in Rajasthan to establish a Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia project in phases.
• Jakson Green will establish a 3,65,000 tonnes per annum Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia plant in Kota.
• The Rajasthan government would facilitate Jakson Green in getting required registrations, approvals, and clearances, and provide incentives.
• Jakson Green is a part of the Jakson Group, which is a diversified energy and Infrastructure company headquartered in Noida.
• The project, which was developed by Jakson Green and the Rajasthan government, is estimated to generate over 32,000 direct and indirect job opportunities throughout the scale-up.
• Vish Iyer, Global Chief Commercial Officer at Jakson Green, and Bhaskar S Sawant, Principal Secretary of Energy to the Government of Rajasthan, signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
• The Rajasthan government will assist Jakson Green in acquiring the appropriate registrations, approvals, and clearance, as well as provide incentives.

Greenko Group and Keppel Infrastructure have signed an MoU to export green energy to Singapore:

• India’s Greenko group and Singapore’s Keppel Infrastructure have signed an MoU.
• India will export green energy to Singapore from 2025.
• Under the MoU to explore opportunities in green hydrogen potential in India, both will work together towards a 250,000 tonnes per annum contract.
• Under the MoU, the first shipment will be supplied to Keppel’s new 600MW power plant in Singapore.
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong virtually witnessed the signing of the Greenko-Keppel MoU.
• This also comes in the backdrop of Greenko Group and Belgium’s John Cockerill plan to set up a 2 GW electrolyzer factory in India, one of the world’s largest, through their joint venture.
• The factory will require an investment of $500 million.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

NSO published India’s Employment Outlook:

• The National Statistical Office (NSO), which is part of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has issued a news release on the country’s employment outlook for the period from September 2017 to June 2022.
• This data is based on administrative records made accessible by chosen government agencies to assess progress in specific dimensions.
• Since April 2018, this ministry has been publishing employment-related statistics in the formal sector for the period September 2017 onwards, based on data from three major schemes: the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme, and the National Pension Scheme (NPS).
• In terms of NPS, the data also includes gender information on existing and new subscribers who contributed over the period.
• During the period from September 2017 to June 2022, a total of 36,53,544 new subscribers joined and contributed to the NPS schemes of the central government, state governments, and corporations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Mr. Rishi Sunak appointed as Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister 

• Rishi Sunak (42) was appointed by King Charles III as United Kingdom’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister.
• He is the 57th Prime Minister of the
• He replaced former PM Ms. Liz Truss, who had resigned from the post just after 44 days.
• He is the fifth Conservative party leader elected to the top post in the past 6 years.
• Rishi Sunak has become Britain’s first nonwhite leader to take the top job.
• At the age of 42, he’ll also be the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years.
• Before him, William Pitt had been the youngest Prime Minister of the UK at the age of 24.
• He is also the first Hindu Prime Minister of Indian heritage in the

Other Appointments :

• British lawmaker John Glen was appointed as Chief Secretary to the United Kingdom (UK) Treasury, replacing Mr. Edward Argar.

About Mr. Rishi Sunak :

• Sunak was born on 12 May 1980 in Southampton, Hampshire, England.
• He became a member of Parliament in 2015 after he got elected from Richmond, Yorkshire.
• Sunak supported Boris Johnson’s campaign to become Conservative leader.
• He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022 and Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2019 to 2020.

About the UK :

• Capital: London
• Currency: Pound sterling

Govt appoints Ms. Sangeeta Verma as acting chairperson of CCI

• The Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) has appointed Sangeeta Verma, as an Acting Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for three months or till any further orders.
• She has replaced Ashok Kumar Gupta, who relinquished office after a four-year tenure.
• Verma is from the 1981 batch of the Indian Economic Service (IES).
• She has earlier served as the Principal Adviser with the Dept of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Govt of India from January 2017 to September 2018
• Currently, she is a member of the Competition Commission of India.

About CCI :

• Established: 14 October 2003
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Secretary : P K Singh
• The CCI is the chief national competition regulator in
• It is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

About MCA :

• Union Minister : Nirmala Sitharaman
• Minister of State: Rao Inderjit Singh

Dr. Shefali Juneja elected as chairperson of the UN’s Air Transport Committee

• Shefali Juneja, India’s representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has been elected as the chairperson of the United Nations specialized aviation agency’s Air Transport Committee (ATC).
• She becomes the first Indian to hold the position in 28 years & she is the first woman to represent India in the ICAO.
• ATC is a standing committee of ICAO created by the Chicago Convention in 1944.
• According to Article 54 d) of the Chicago Convention, the Council appoints and defines the duties of an ATC, which is chosen from among the representatives of the members of the Council.

About Dr Shefali Juneja :

• Juneja, a 1992 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre).
• She served as the joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) before joining the ICAO.

About ICAO :

• Founded: 4 April 1947
• Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
• Secretary General : Juan Carlos Salazar Gómez
• The ICAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Navy & Drone Federation join hands to promote indigenous drone technology

• The Technology Development and Acceleration Cell  (TDAC) of the Naval Innovation Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) under the Indian Navy and Drone Federation of India (DFI) have joined hands to collaboratively work towards promoting indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of a drone, counter-drone, and associated technologies for the

Key Highlights :

• As a part of this collaboration, the Navy and the drone industry body will increase the Navy-industry-academia synergy, and source technology development challenges toward component indigenization.
• The maritime testing site being developed under this initiative will accelerate the development of versatile and reliable drone platforms for advanced maritime use cases like maritime patrol, drone landings on moving ships, ship-to-ship deliveries, and ship-to-shore deliveries.
• A special maritime drone testing site shall also be earmarked for the Indian drone industry to facilitate faster development and testing of drones, especially in maritime environments.

About the Indian Navy :

• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Chief of Defence Staff:  General Anil Chauhan
• Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral R. Hari Kumar

About Drone Federation of India :

• Founded: 2017
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• President: Smit Shah
• The DFI is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led body that promotes and strives towards building a safer and scalable unmanned aviation industry in

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIT Madras launches ‘Punch the Plastic’ campaign to spread awareness about sustainable development

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu has launched a ‘Punch the Plastic’ campaign, on the event of World Sustainability Day, being observed on October 26, 2022.

Aim of the campaign :

• To deploy a new method to collect clean and dry plastic packaging for recycling options such as pyrolysis.

About the campaign :

• As a part of the campaign students, faculty members, and staff at IIT Madras have formed a ‘Sustainable Campus Collective’.
• The drive is to raise awareness among the campus residents on waste segregation and minimizing water and energy usage.
• The three major events launched on the occasion include

1. Punch the Plastic Drive
2. Monkey Proof Food waste Dustbin Hackathon – The Carbon Zero Challenge 2022 is set to sponsor the winner of a
3. Sustainability Champions Contest.

Cognizant collaborates with Qualcomm to launch 5G Experience Center for Digital Transformation

• IT services firm Cognizant is expanding its collaboration with chipmaker Qualcomm Technologies Inc to open a 5G experience center in Atlanta, North America.
• The center is designed to help clients imagine, test and deploy next-generation solutions by pairing private 5G networks and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) technologies to deliver unique advantages
• The partnership is expected to combine Cognizant’s deep experience in 5G, IoT, cloud, and data analytics with Qualcomm’s intelligent edge devices, AI, and 5G connectivity solutions.

About Cognizant :

• Founded: 26 January 1994
• Headquarters: Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S
• CEO: Brian Humphries
• Cognizant is an American multinational information technology services and consulting company. 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Air Force Lawn Tennis Championship was won by Western Air Command:

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) Western Air Command won the Air Force Lawn Tennis Championship 2022-23, which was held at Head Quarter MC, Vayu Sena Nagar, Nagpur.
• The final team Championship match was played between Western Air Command and Training Command, and Western Air Command won.
• Corporal Pradeep of Training Command and Sergeant Manolin of Western Air Command competed in the open singles final, and Corporal Pradeep won.
• Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, HQ MC, officially launched the Championship.
• The Championship included eight teams comprised of 48 players from the Indian Air Force’s seven commands.
• The Championship consisted of two events:
• Team Championship and Open Singles.
• The matches not only displayed players’ talents and considerable potential but also sparked a lot of interest among the air fighters in picking up Lawn Tennis as a sport.

Bing Jiao has won the Women’s singles title at the Denmark Open:

• China’s He Bing Jiao & Shi Yu Qi have ended as CHAMPIONS in Denmark OPEN 2022.
• Bing Jiao won the Women’s SINGLES Title.
• She defeated compatriot Chen Yufei in 3 sets to win the BWF title after a long gap.
• In the Men’s Singles FINAL, Shi Yu Qi registered 3 set victory over Lee Zil Jia of Malaysia
• Meanwhile, the Indian challenge ended in the Quarterfinals of the Denmark Open 2022.
• Lakshya Sen bowed out after losing to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka.

Aman Sehrawat becomes the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Spain:

• In wrestling, teenager Aman Sehrawat made history as he became the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
• The 16-year-old Aman Sehrawat beat junior European silver-medallist Ahmet Duman of Turkey 12-4 in the final to win the gold.
• Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar Dahiya had made the final in their categories in previous editions but could only win the silver medal.
• Aman Sehrawat won gold at the U23 Asian championship and silver at the U20 Asian championship earlier this year.
• India finished with six medals – one gold, one silver, and four bronze at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships 2022.
• Sajan Bhanwala became the first Greco-Roman wrestler from India to win a medal bronze at the U23 world wrestling championships before Vikas and Nitesh followed suit.

Daily CA on October 28:

• According to a new Climate Transparency analysis, India will lose 5.4% of its GDP in 2021, the most of any G20 country.
• The Agriculture Ministry has set up two committees — one for nationwide implementation of technology-based crop yield estimation and the other for standardization and improvement of weather data infrastructure.
• The Union Home Minister’s Trophy for the “Best Police Training Institution for Training of Gazetted Officers for the Year 2020-21” was awarded to the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA) in Hakimpet, Hyderabad.
• Jakson Green had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government.
• India’s Greenko group and Singapore’s Keppel Infrastructure have signed an MoU.
• The National Statistical Office (NSO), which is part of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has issued a news release on the country’s employment outlook for the period from September 2017 to June 2022.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) Western Air Command won the Air Force Lawn Tennis Championship 2022-23, which was held at Head Quarter MC, Vayu Sena Nagar, Nagpur.
• China’s He Bing Jiao & Shi Yu Qi have ended as CHAMPIONS in Denmark OPEN 2022.
• In wrestling, teenager Aman Sehrawat made history as he became the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the first-ever priority pathogen list, the WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List (WHO FPPL) which includes 19 fungi to identify fungi that pose the greatest threat to public health.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted the aerodrome license to Odisha’s Jeypore airport.
• Jakson Green Pvt Limited (JGPL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government to invest about Rs 22,400 crore (US$ 2.71 billion) to set up green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in Rajasthan.
• The Government of Meghalaya, Power Department has signed an agreement with North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd  (NEEPCO) for the development of two hydel projects in Meghalaya at a program held at Pinewood Hotel, Shillong.
• Union Minister for Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s First Aluminum Freight Rake – 61 BOBRNALHSM1 at Bhubaneswar Railway Station in Odisha.
• For the first time, “Honesty shops” have been launched in the Ernakulam district of Kerala for students up to Class 12.
• Delhi Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena launched a one-time property tax amnesty scheme “SAMRIDDHI 2022-23”, which will provide a major relief to lakhs of residential and commercial property owners in Delhi.
• Russia’s Gazprombank has opened a special Rupee account with UCO Bank for undertaking cross-border trade transactions in the Indian Rupee
• The DCB Bank has relaunched its ‘Suraksha Fixed Deposit (FD)’ scheme.
• Nomura Singapore divested a 1.52% stake in private sector lender CSB Bank Limited (erstwhile Catholic Syrian Bank Limited) for over Rs 61.31 crore through an open market transaction.
• Mr. Rishi Sunak (42) was appointed by King Charles III as United Kingdom’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister.
• The Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) has appointed Ms. Sangeeta Verma, as an Acting Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for three months or till any further orders.
• Dr. Shefali Juneja, India’s representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), has been elected as the chairperson of the United Nations specialized aviation agency’s Air Transport Committee (ATC).
• The Technology Development and Acceleration Cell  (TDAC) of the Naval Innovation Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) under the Indian Navy and Drone Federation of India (DFI) have joined hands to collaboratively work towards promoting indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of a drone, counter-drone, and associated technologies for the Navy.
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu has launched a ‘Punch the Plastic’ campaign, on the event of World Sustainability Day, being observed on October 26, 2022.
• IT services firm Cognizant is expanding its collaboration with chipmaker Qualcomm Technologies Inc to open a 5G experience center in Atlanta, North America.