Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I September 2020

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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 9thto 15th September 2020 September 2018

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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 9thto 15th September 2020 September 2018

Table of Contents

Awards and Honors ...... 3 Mergers and Events ...... 10 Days and Events ...... 12 MoU and Agreements ...... 17 Appointment ...... 28 Obituaries ...... 37 International Affairs ...... 43 Person in News ...... 50 Govt. Policies and Schemes ...... 52 Science and Tech ...... 58 Business and Economy ...... 62 Sports...... 73 Defence...... 80 Books and Authors ...... 83 National Affairs ...... 86 Committees and Recommendations...... 124

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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 23rdto 29th Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 16thto 22nd Current Affairs Weekly Capsule I 19th to 25th September 2020 September 2018 September 2018 August 2018

Awards and Honors

UP govt bags 8 awards  Uttar Pradesh government has bagged 8 awards in Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan launched by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.  The State has also got overall second rank in implementation of Gandagi Mukt Bharat scheme.  The awards will be distributed at a virtual ceremony by the Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti on October 2, 2020. Gan Samragni Lata Mangeshkar award for 2020-21  The Maharashtra government announced the Gan Samragni Lata Mangeshkar award for the year 2020-21 to veteran female playback singer Usha Mangeshkar.  The award is given by the cultural department of the state government.  Making the announcement, state culture minister, Amit Vilasrao Deshmukh said the award include cash prize of five lakh rupees, a certificate and a memento. ICC gets recognition for digital initiatives  The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been recognised for its twin digital initiatives at the prestigious Leaders in Sports Awards 2019.  The coverage of the women’s T20 World Cup in Australia and the bold collaboration with Wimbledon for the One Day in July, both were recognised as they took home the awards.  The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup had 1.1 billion video views on ICC platforms. Sonu Sood honoured by the UNDP  Sonu Sood has been conferred the prestigious SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  He has been awarded for selflessly extending a helping hand and sending home lakhs of migrants, helping thousands of stranded students across geographies abroad, providing free education and medical facilities to young children in the COVID-19 pandemic. I.S. Chahal gets 'COVID Crusader Award-2020'  Iqbal Singh Chahal, IAS, Municipal Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, has become the first Indian bureaucrat to get 'COVID Crusader Award-2020'.  The award is given for his contribution in controlling the novel coronavirus infection in Mumbai.  The 1989-batch Maharashtra cadre officer has been conferred the Award by the Indo American Chamber of Commerce. Researchers win Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize  Twelve scientists were given the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, 2020, on the foundation day of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).  Dr Satyendra Datta of IIT-Bombay was awarded the prize under the ‘Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences’ category.  U K Anandvardhanan, also from IIT-Bombay, was felicitated under the ‘Mathematical Sciences’ category. Surat bags UNESCO award

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 Diamond City Surat has bagged the Netexplo Smart Cities Award with UNESCO in the resilience category.  Surat’s mayor will receive the award at the UNESCO House in Paris, France in March 2021.  Globally, 10 cities were awarded under the UNESCO - Netexplo Smart Cities Accelerator Programme.  Surat is the only city from India to have bagged the award in the resilience category. 15 inspiring school kids received CSIR Award  The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research celebrated its 79th Foundation Day on 26 Sep.  The CSIR Innovation Awards for School Children were announced for 15 incredible children of India who have developed apps, devices or products, or come up with scientific ideas that can help the country.  The children come from a wide range of backgrounds, from both government and private schools. Noted literary critic G. S. Amur passes away  Noted literary critic G. S. Amur, passed away.  One week before his demise, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) announced this year’s Nrupatunga award for lifetime’s work in literary criticism to G S Amur.  He was awarded the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award in 1996 and the highest literary award of Kannada, the Pampa award in 2006. Manipur college receives two awards  The National Service Scheme Award 2018-19 was conferred by the President of India on 24 Sept 2020.  In Manipur, a college located in a remote hill area has received two awards including Best Program Officer Award.  Sister Sweta William Parmar, Program Officer NSS Unit of Don Bosco College Maram Centre of Senapati District Manipur has been conferred the Award in the category of Program Officer. Kerala Tourism bags PATA Grand Award  Kerala Tourism’s internationally acclaimed ‘Human by Nature’ campaign has bagged the prestigious PATA Grand Award 2020 for marketing.  The award, one of the three PATA grand awards, will give a stimulus to the tourism industry in the State that is in a crisis for over six months due to the pandemic.  The awards were announced at a virtual presentation ceremony in Beijing. Gurpreet and Sanju declared winners of AIFF  Indian men’s team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and women’s squad’s mid-fielder Sanju were declared the winners of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Footballer of the Year awards for the 2019- 20 season.  This is the first time Gurpreet has received the award, and in the process he became the second goalkeeper after Subrata Paul in 2009 to be named the AIFF Player of the Year. Indian-American-led team wins NIH prize  The Cornell researchers' team led by Saurabh Mehta was awarded the National Institutes of Health Technology Accelerator Challenge prize.  It has been awarded for developing a quick, non-invasive, mobile phone-based system.  It detects infectious diseases, inflammation and nutritional deficiencies in saliva.  The prize encourages the development of new, non-invasive diagnostic technologies.

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Akkitham conferred with Jnanpith Award  Renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri was conferred with the Jnanpith award at Kumaranellur on 24 Sept 2020.  Akkitham is the 6th Malayalam writer to receive the award.  The award includes a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh and a bronze sculpture of Goddess Saraswati.  He was also honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of the Government of India in 2017. Nobel Prize winners to get $110,000 more  Winners of the prestigious Nobel Prize for 2020 will receive an extra 1 million crowns ($110,000).  The prize amount has varied over time, starting at 150,000 crowns and reaching 1 million crowns in 1981.  The value rose sharply in the 1980s and 1990s, jumping to 9 million crowns in 2000 and 10 million a year later. GAIL wins Leader Award  GAIL India Ltd has won the leader award in mega large business process sector category in the 11th edition of Frost & Sullivan and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Sustainability 4.0 Awards 2020.  The award recognises corporates in sustainable development practices that provide a measurable and verifiable framework for sustainability. Odisha CM dedicates AZ Award to farmers  Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has dedicated the prestigious AZ Awards-2020 for Odisha's architectural marvel Krushi Bhavan, to farmers and artisans of the state.  Bhubaneswar based Krushi Bhawan building was adjudged as the 'People's Choice Winner' at the AZ Awards 2020 in Social Good Category.  The Krushi Bhawan was the only project from India at the globally recognized prestigious award. President Ram Nath Kovind to confer NSS Awards  President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the National Service Scheme, NSS Awards for the year 2018-19 on 24 Sept 2020 from Rashtrapati Bhawan through virtual mode.  The NSS Award for the year 2018-19 will be given to 42 awardees.  They will be awarded in 3 different categories- University or 2 Council, NSS Units and their Programme Officers and NSS Volunteers. Raaj Sah honors Father Camille Bulcke  Father Camille Bulcke, a Belgium-born Jesuit, and a pre-eminent Hindi scholar, was honored by Professor Raaj Sah.  He gifted a plaque to Father Bulcke's birthplace of Ramskapelle, a village in Knokke-Heist.  After arriving in India, Father Bulcke spent most of his life at St Xavier's College, Ranchi.  His contributions include the epics of Lord Rama, and the peerlessness of Goswami Tulsidas. Kalasagar awards 2020 announced  The 11th Kalasagar awards for exemplary contribution in the field of traditional performing arts for 2020 have been announced.

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 Kalasagar awards are given in honour of artists in the field of Kathakali, Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, Ottanthullal, Chakyarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Thayambaka and Panchavadyam.  The awards will be presented on October 14 at Kunnamkulam Badhani School Palace. ‘Schitt’s Creek’ sets an Emmy Record  In its sixth and final season, the Canadian comedy ‘Schitt’s Creek’ set Emmy Record.  It got seven primetime awards and nine Emmys during the ceremony.  “Schitt’s Creek,” created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, swept the comedy category at the Emmy Awards.  It was 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards. Emmys 2020: 24-Year-Old Zendaya Makes History  American actor and singer Zendaya has won an Emmy 2020 for ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series’ at the age of 24.  She has created a history by becoming the youngest female actor to win the prestigious award in the leading role in drama series.  Zendaya has won the accolade for her portrayal of Rue Bennett in HBO’s drama series Euphoria. PM Narendra Modi awarded Ig Nobel Prize 2020  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded the Ig Nobel Prize 2020 for Medical Education.  Modi was awarded the prize for "using the COVID-19 pandemic to teach the world that politicians can have a more immediate effect on life and death than scientists and doctors can".  The Ig Nobel Prize is a satirical and parody award given out by a magazine Improbable Research every year since 1991. Margaret Atwood awarded  Margaret Atwood has won the 2020 Dayton Literary Peace Prize's lifetime achievement award.  The award celebrates literature's power to foster peace, social justice and global understanding.  Atwood is a prolific writer of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, essays, comic books.  Atwood published her first book of poetry, Double Persephone, in 1961. Chef Vikas Khanna to be honoured  Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna will be honoured with the prestigious 2020 Asia Game Changer Award.  He will be awarded for feeding millions across India amid the COVID-19 pandemic through a massive food distribution drive that he coordinated from thousands of miles away in his Manhattan home.  Khanna is the only Indian among the six honourees named by the leading organisation. Second Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award  Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually conferred Second Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award to 34 institutions in 14 categories.  It was awarded to the Institutions under AICTE on Vishwakarma Divas Celebration.  AICTE under its Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award (USVA) 2020 has proposed the theme of the year as “INDIA FIGHTS CORONA”. Rome's Fiumicino Airport awarded  Rome's Fiumicino Airport has become the first airport in the world to earn "the COVID-19 5-Star Airport Rating" from Skytrax, an international airport industry rating body. 6 | P a g e

 Fiumicino Airport (FCO), also known as Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport, is the busiest airport in Italy.  On September 1, 2020, the airport opened a 7,000-square-foot COVID testing centre. Mira Nair honoured with TIFF Tribute Award  Mira Nair received the Jeff Skoll Award for Impact Media at a remotely conducted TIFF Tribute Awards ceremony.  The presentation of the award to Nair was initiated by Tabu, star of "A Suitable Boy" as well as the director's critically acclaimed 2006 drama "The Namesake".  Two episodes of her six-part television series "A Suitable Boy" will close the 45th Toronto International Film Festival. Aditya Puri conferred an Award  Aditya Puri, MD, HDFC Bank has been conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020.  He has been recognised for his skills in building a world-class Indian bank at a time where there were no similar institutions in existence.  Euromoney's Awards for Excellence were established in 1992 and were the first of their kind in the global banking industry. AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Awards 2020  Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank presented the 1st-ever AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Awards 2020 to 12 faculty members of AICTE approved institutes.  They were awarded on Engineers Day on 15 Sept 2020.  Visvesvaraya was one of the most eminent Engineers and Statesmen of India who was awarded the highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1955 for his indispensable contribution. Chaitanya Tamhane bags Best Screenplay award  Filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane’s The Disciple won the Best Screenplay award at Venice International Film Festival during the closing ceremony held on 12 Sept 2020.  This is the second award the film got at the festival.  Earlier, it was honoured with the International Critics’ Prize awarded by FIPRESCI.  Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland won the prestigious Golden Lion award at the festival. Bengal bags WSIS award for a scheme  After Kanyashree scheme, another West Bengal government project has received a global prize.  The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) has handed over the winner prize 2020 to the state government for Sabuj Sathi project through a virtual ceremony.  Sabuj Sathi had contested with 800 projects from across the globe to become the “winner” under the e- government category. Mathematician wins richest prize in academia  A mathematician who tamed a nightmarish family of equations that behave so badly they make no sense has won the most lucrative prize in academia.  Martin Hairer, an Austrian-British researcher at Imperial College London, is the winner of the 2021 Breakthrough prize for mathematics. 7 | P a g e

 It is an annual $3m (£2.3m) award that has come to rival the Nobels in terms of kudos and prestige. CM KCR presents Kaloji literary award  Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao presented the Kaloji Narayan Rao Literary award to noted writer and poet Rama Chandramouli at Pragathi Bhavan.  Terming Chandramouli as the right choice for the award, the Chief Minister handed over a cash award for Rs 1,01,116 and honoured him by offering a shawl.  Government's advisor KV Ramanachary and chief secretary Somesh were also present Ramesh Pokhriyal confers CBSE Teachers Award  Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank felicitated and conferred CBSE Teachers Award to 38 teachers and principals of CBSE affiliated schools during an online ceremony in New Delhi.  These awards were presented for the year 2019-20 in honour of the teachers and principals for their valuable contribution towards improving school education, innovation and dedication. Doorstep Banking Services launched  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated Doorstep Banking Services by Public Sector Banks on 9 Sept 2020.  She also participated in the awards ceremony to felicitate best performing banks on EASE Banking Reforms Index.  Bank of Baroda, SBI, and Oriental Bank of Commerce were felicitated for being the top 3 in the ‘Top Performing Banks’ category according to the EASE 2.0 Index Results. Kevin, Beth win PFA Player of the Year awards  Kevin De Bruyne was named men’s Player of the Year while Chelsea forward Bethany England won the women’s award.  De Bruyne scored 13 Premier League goals last season and also equalled the league record with 20 assists which helped him become the first Manchester City player to win the award.  Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold was named the Young Player of the Year. David awarded with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize  Manmohan Singh conferred the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize on British broadcaster David Attenborough.  David is well known for his prodigious creativity in educating the humankind with brilliant films and books about the natural world.  The award was instituted in the memory of Indira Gandhi by a trust in her name in 1986 and consists of a monetary award of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation. TN CM presents Dr. Radhakrishnan Awards  Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami on 7 Sept 2020 handed over the Dr Radhakrishnan Award to 15 best teachers selected from Chennai district.  This was a part of the National Teachers’ Day celebrations organised by the School Education Dept.  The award carries a medal and a cash prize of ₹10,000.  A total of 375 teachers were selected for the award from across Tamil Nadu for the year 2020. National Teachers' Awards conferred

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 President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Teachers' Awards to 47 teachers from across the country on 5 Sept 2020.  They were awarded for their contribution in developing innovative methods of teaching.  The awards are given on Teachers' Day to honor those who through their commitment have not only improved the quality of school education but also enriched the lives of their students. NTPC wins National Management Games 2020  NTPC has won AIMA-Chanakya National Management Games 2020.  The victory was also significant since NTPC won the prestigious National Management Games for the first time in five years.  The team from NTPC Vallur, Tamil Nadu achieved the feat of being crowned the national champion after competing against teams from 112 organisations from different parts of the country. ABB India's Factory to be awarded by IGBC  ABB India has won a gold certification by the Indian Green Building Council for its environmentally-friendly smart factory.  By this, it became the first to be certified as a green building within the Nashik industrial area which houses about 10,000 factories across various industries.  The IGBC green factory buildings is the first rating programme developed in India for the industrial sector. President honours 3 RPF personnel  3 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind with Jeevan Raksha Medals.  Late Jaghir Singh, constable, Northern Railway, was posthumously awarded the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak.  Shiv Charan Singh, constable, Western Railway was awarded the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak.  Mukesh Kumar Meena was also awarded the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak. Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra awarded  In a first-of-its-kind virtual summit, World Digital Awards announced its first edition awardees in India on 1st September 2020.  Ratan Tata, Anand Mahindra, Mukesh Ambani and NR Narayana Murthy were conferred the Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Special Recognition Awards were conferred to Psychologist Dr Jawahar Surisetti; Debjani Ghosh; Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna; Actor Sonu Sood, etc. AFSCB conferred with an award  Air Force Sports Control Board has been conferred with ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020’.  It was awarded for the outstanding contribution in helping sportsperson to excel in their respective disciplines and implement robust sports welfare measures.  The award is for sustained efforts towards encouragement and promotion of sports in the country and IAF in particular. Hyderabad International Airport wins an award  The Hyderabad International Airport has won the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC) 'National Energy Leader' and 'Excellent Energy Efficient Unit' award. 9 | P a g e

 The Hyderabad Airport was awarded at the 21st National Awards for 'Excellence in Energy Management', during the 19th edition of 'Energy Efficiency Summit', held from August 6 - 28, 2020.

Mergers and Events

CCI approves acquisition of Medlife  The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed combination of Medlife and API Holdings.  The deal pertains to the proposed acquisition of 100% equity shares of Medlife by API Holdings.  Medlife shareholders are to get up to 19.59 per cent equity share capital of API Holdings.  Medlife is a healthcare company primarily engaged in the wholesale and distribution of drugs. KKR picks up 1.28 pc stake in Reliance Retail  US private equity firm KKR & Co will invest Rs 5,550 crore to buy a 1.28% stake in Reliance Industries Ltd's retail arm.  The Mukesh Ambani-run conglomerate extends fundraising spree that has already netted more than USD 20 billion.  The investment values Reliance Retail, which runs grocery stores and fashion chains, at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.21 lakh crore. Microsoft acquires ZeniMax  Microsoft has announced the $7.5 billion acquisition of a video game company ZeniMax.  By buying the game maker ZeniMax Media, the parent company of gaming studios like Bethesda, Microsoft gained control of major gaming titles like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein.  The deal represents a shift in focus for Microsoft, which is mainly a business technology company. ShareChat acquires HPF Films  Twitter backed social media platform, ShareChat, has acquired video production company Hera Pheri Films (HPF Films).  The acquisition will help the company to strengthen its content ecosystem, improve creator network and help provide better advertising solutions for brands.  HPF Films currently produces content, including web series, digital advertisements, short films and documentaries. Nvidia to buy Arm Holdings from SoftBank  Chipmaker Nvidia has agreed to buy Arm Holdings, a designer of chips for mobile phones, from SoftBank in a deal worth $40 billion.  The deal will include $21.5 billion in Nvidia stock and $12 billion in cash, including $2 billion payable at signing.  SoftBank acquired Arm in 2016 for $31.4 billion in 2016 in one of its largest acquisitions ever. Infosys to acquire Europe-based GuideVision  Infosys Ltd has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Europe-based GuideVision for up to $35 million.

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 It will augment its Cobalt portfolio of cloud services and further strengthen near-shore delivery presence in the European region.  Infosys launched Cobalt in August 2020.  The acquisition of GuideVision is expected to close during the third quarter of fiscal 2021. Norway’s Orkla buys spice maker Eastern  Norway’s packaged consumer goods firm Orkla will purchase a 67.8% stake in Kerala-based spice maker Eastern Condiments Pvt. Ltd.  It will merge it with its existing MTR Foods business to create a larger enterprise comprising ready-to-eat mixes and spices.  Orkla, which forayed into the Indian market through the 2007 takeover of MTR, said the deal will double its sales from India. IL&FS gets NCLT approval  The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the sale of education assets of debt-ridden IL&FS to Lexington Equity Holdings Ltd (LEHL).  A two-member Mumbai bench of the NCLT approved the sale of IL&FS's 73.69 per cent stake in Schoolnet India to Falafal Technology Pvt Ltd.  Falafal Technology is a step-down subsidiary of LEHL, which already owns 26.13 per cent stake in Schoolnet. IndiGrid acquires GPTL Transmission project  India Grid Trust (IndiGrid) has completed the acquisition of another transmission asset Gurgaon Palwal Transmission Ltd (GPTL) from Sterlite Power at an enterprise value of Rs 1,080 crore.  With this acquisition, IndiGrid's assets under management have increased by 9 per cent to Rs 13,300 crore.  Its asset portfolio will now consist of 10 power transmission projects. Cognizant to acquire 10th Magnitude  Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp has entered an agreement to acquire Chicago-based 10th Magnitude.  10th Magnitude is a cloud specialist firm focused exclusively on the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform.  On the conclusion of the deal, 10th Magnitude’s Azure experts will join Cognizant as part of the Microsoft Business Group.  The transaction is expected to close in the 3rd quarter. Bharti Infratel to merge with Indus Towers  The Bharti Infratel board has approved the long-pending merger with Indus Towers Ltd, first announced in April 2018, to create the world’s largest mobile tower operator outside China.  The deal will allow cash-starved Vodafone Idea Ltd to divest 11.15% stake in Indus Towers for ₹4,000 cr.  With the merger, Vodafone will own 28.2% stake, while Bharti Infratel will hold 68.6% in Indus Towers. Cyient to acquire Australian firm IG Partners  Cyient, an engineering and digital technology solutions firm, will acquire IG Partners, an Australian consulting firm.  The acquisition will help strengthen its digital capabilities in the energy and mining sectors.  Cyient has a growing presence in Australia, providing solutions to the mining, oil and gas, rail, telecom, and utility industries. 11 | P a g e

Days and Events Int. Day of Food Loss and Waste Reduction  29 September 2020 was celebrated as the first-ever observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.  Globally, around 14 per cent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail.  The theme for International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction 2020 was “Stop food loss and waste. For the people. For the planet.” International Translation Day: 30 September  International Translation Day is celebrated every year on 30 September on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators.  St Jerome was the first person to translate the Bible into Latin from the original Hebrew, making it accessible to a far wider audience.  The day was launched in 1953 by the International Federation of Translators. World Heart Day: 29 September  World Heart Day is observed every year on 29 September.  It is aimed at drawing people’s attention to heart ailments and the whole range of associated health issues.  This initiative was launched in 2000 by the World Heart Federation as an annual event.  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death on the planet.  ‘Use Heart to Beat CVD’ is the campaign theme for 2020. World Rabies Day: 28 September  September 28 is observed as World Rabies Day.  It is a global health observance day, started in 2007 to raise awareness about rabies and bring together partners to enhance prevention and control efforts.  Rabies is 100% preventable disease still, more than 59,000 people die from it around the world each year.  The theme for World Rabies Day 2020 is 'End Rabies: Collaborate, Vaccinate'. Int. Day for Universal Access to Information  The International Day for universal access to information is celebrated on 28 September every year.  Universal access to information means that everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information.  This right is an integral part of the right to freedom of expression.  UNESCO will organize an online panel, “Access to Information – Saving lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope!”. World Tourism Day: 27 September  World Tourism Day is commemorated every year on 27 September.  The theme for 2020 is 'Tourism and Rural Development'.  It celebrates the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage.  First time in the 40-year history, the official celebration will not be hosted by a single Member State of the UN specialized agency Bhagat Singh's 113th birth anniversary 12 | P a g e

 Nation pays homage to the revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary on 28th September 2020.  It was on this day in 1907, Bhagat Singh was born in Banga village of Lyallpur district of undivided Punjab province.  He fought against British rule for the country's independence and was hanged in Lahore jail at the age of 23, along with Rajguru and Sukhdev. World Contraceptive Day: 26 September  26th September is observed as World Contraception Day every year.  It seeks to improve awareness of contraceptive methods and enable men and women to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.  It was first observed on 26th September in 2007 by ten international family planning organizations.  It is supported by 15 international NGOs. World Maritime Day: 24 September  World Maritime Day is observed every year on 24 September.  It helps understand the importance of the marine environment, the impact of industries on the oceans and marine life and the well-being of seafarers who spend months away from home.  The theme for 2020 is "sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet" - in line with the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs of the United Nations. World Pharmacist Day: 25 September  World Pharmacist Day is observed every year on 25 September.  It aims at creating awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health.  The day was established by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in Istanbul, Turkey in 2009.  The theme for the year 2020 is “Transforming global health“.  The Pharmacists form the 3rd largest specialist healthcare group in the world. Antyodaya Diwas  Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed India on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary on September 25.  In 2014, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya’s Birth Anniversary - 25 Sept was declared the Antyodaya Diwas.  On this day, the Rural Development Ministry revamped it’s existing skill development program called Aajeevika Skills as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana International Day of Sign Languages  International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated every year on 23 September.  It is an opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of deaf people and other sign language users.  The theme for the 2020 International Day of Sign Languages is ‘Sign Languages are for Everyone!’.  On 19 December 2017, the UN General Assembly declared 23 September as IDSL. World Rose Day 2020  World Rose Day is observed every year on September 22.  It is observed in the memory of Melinda Rose who was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called Askin’s Tumour when she was just 12. 13 | P a g e

 During her fight against the terminal disease, she wrote letters, poems and emails to cancer patients.  World Rose Day is an attempt to spread love, cheer and hope to the patient and families. World Rhino Day 2020  World Rhino Day is observed on September 22 every year.  Of the five rhino species living in Africa and Asia, three are listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered: Javan Rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus), Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), and black rhinos (Diceros bicornis).  The World Rhino Day was first announced by World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-South Africa in 2010. World Alzheimer's Day  World Alzheimer's Day is observed on September 21 across the world.  The day is meant to raise awareness about the neurological condition, its causes, symptoms and management.  Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder which causes problems with memory, thinking skills, and behaviour.  September 2020 is being observed as Alzheimer's Month and its theme is 'Let's talk about dementia'. International Day of Peace 21 September  Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September.  The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly.  Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.  The Theme for 2020 is 'Shaping Peace Together'. International Equal Pay Day: 18 Sept 2020  Under an initiative of the United Nations, 18 Sept 2020 was observed as the first-ever International Equal Pay Day.  The aim was to highlight the importance of ending sexual discrimination in relation to the gender pay gap.  In India, women earn 19 per cent less than men, according to a survey conducted by Monster Salary Index. World Water Monitoring Day: September 18  World Water Monitoring Day is celebrated on September 18 every year.  The Day was established in 2003 by America's Clean Water Foundation as a global educational outreach program.  It aims to build public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by empowering citizens to carry out basic monitoring of their local water bodies. World Bamboo Day: 18 September  World Bamboo Day is observed every year on 18 September.  The day aims at raising awareness of the benefits of bamboo and to promote its use in everyday products.  The day was officially declared by the World Bamboo Organization on September 18 at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009.  The theme for the year 2020 is ‘Bamboo Now'. World Patient Safety Day: 17 September

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 World Patient Safety Day is observed on 17 September every year.  The day was established by the 72nd World Health Assembly, in May 2019.  The objectives of the day are to enhance global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in the safety of health care and promote global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm. Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer  World Ozone Day is observed on September 16, every year.  It is celebrated to spread awareness among people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer.  “Ozone for life” is the slogan for World Ozone Day 2020.  This year, we celebrate 35 years of global ozone layer protection.  It commemorates the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. BJP launches week-long ‘ Seva Saptah’  BJP has launched a week-long campaign namely Seva Saptah to mark the 70th birthday of PM Narendra Modi which falls on 17th September 2020.  Various social initiatives are being undertaken by the party leaders and workers across the country.  Party national president J P Nadda launched the campaign at Chhaprauli village in Uttar Pradesh.  The campaign will continue till 20th September 2020. Engineer's Day 2020  Engineer’s day is celebrated in India on September 15.  It is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of M Visvesvaraya, who is considered as one of the greatest engineers of India.  M Visvesvaraya is known for his outstanding achievements as an engineer like Krishna Raja Sagara dam in the north-west suburb of Mysuru city.  He was also awarded India’s highest honour of Bharat Ratna. International Day of Democracy  The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year.  It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy.  International Day is an opportunity to review the state of democracy around the world. World First Aid Day: 12 September  World First Aid Day is observed on Sept 12, every year.  It was first introduced in 2000, by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.  It is observed to raise public awareness about the first aid and how it can save lives every day.  The theme for 2020 is an annual campaign to promote the importance of first aid training in preventing injuries and saving lives. Hindi Diwas being-observed on 14 September  Hindi Diwas is being celebrated across the country on 14 September.  It was on this day in 1949 that the constituent assembly adopted Hindi written in Devanagari as the official language of the country. 15 | P a g e

 Today, Hindi is one of the widely spoken languages in the world and the first language of more than 520 million people.  Govt has taken several steps to promote it at the international forums. Day to Protect Education from Attack: 9 Sept  Education Above All Foundation (EAA) and its global partners UNICEF and UNESCO marked the first International Day to Protect Education from Attack on 9 September 2020.  The Day is a global platform for decision-makers to focus on safeguarding education in conflict and building peace.  More than 75 million 3-18-year-olds living in 35 crisis-affected countries need urgent educational support. Himalayan Day 2020: 9 September  Himalayan Day is celebrated on 9 September every year.  The Himalayas plays an important role to save and sustain nature and protect the country from adverse weather conditions.  The Himalayan range is also responsible for rain besides being a rich repository of floral and faunal biodiversity.  The theme for the year 2020 was 'Himalayas and Nature'. Day for South-South Cooperation: 12 September  The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is annually observed on September 12.  Originally observed on December 19, the date for the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation was moved to September 12 in 2011.  It commemorates the date when the UN General Assembly adopted a plan of action in 1978 to promote and implement technical cooperation among developing countries. World Suicide Prevention Day: 10 Sept  World Suicide Prevention Day is observed annually on Sept 10 to raise awareness regarding the subject of suicide and the actions that can be taken to prevent it.  In 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) hosted the first-ever World Suicide Prevention Day.  According to the suicide data collection done by the WHO, close to 800,00 people die each year, due to suicide. International Literacy Day: 8 September  International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on 8 September.  International Literacy Day-2020 will focus on the theme 'Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond', with a focus on the role of educators and changing pedagogies.  This day was declared International Literacy Day by UNESCO on 26th October 1966 at the 14th Session of UNESCO's General Conference. International Day of Clean Air for blue skies  The very first International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is being held on September 7th, 2020.  The Day aims to raise public awareness at all levels that clean air is important for health, productivity, the economy and the environment.

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 The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution to hold an International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on December 19, 2019, during its 74th session. National Teachers' Day: 5 September  Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on 5th September.  It is the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan — the former President of India.  Dr Radhakrishnan was a celebrated academic.  He wrote ‘The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’, which was his first book in 1917 and placed Indian philosophy on the world map. International Day of Charity: 5 September  The International Day of Charity is an international day observed annually on 5 September.  It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.  The date of 5 September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. World Coconut Day: 2 September  World Coconut Day is observed every year on 2 September.  It is being celebrated under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Coconut Community since 2009 to focus attention and awareness about this plantation crop.  In India, Kerala tops the production in coconut, but Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are also picking up in this sector.  In Tamil Nadu, the annual production is around 2 crore17 lakh nuts. September to be observed as 'Nutrition Month'  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that September will be observed as "Nutrition Month".  During nutrition month, a food and nutrition quiz will be organized on the MyGov portal and there will be a meme competition.  He also asked schools to introduce 'nutrition monitor' like the class monitor to raise awareness about it.

MoU and Agreements Gujarat govt signs MoU with Denmark  Gujarat Government has signed an MoU with Denmark in the water sector.  Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board has signed the MoU with ‘Danish Water Forum’ through an online interactive platform.  It has has been signed for a five-year period in order to set up the Indo-Danish Water Technology Alliance in Gujarat and contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal. PFC signs MoU with Ministry of Power  Power Finance Corporation Limited has signed a performance-based MoU with the Ministry of Power detailing various targets to be achieved by PFC during FY 2020-21.  The MoU was signed by Power Secretary Sanjiv Nandan Sahai and CMD of PFC R.S. Dhillon in presence of senior officials of the Ministry of Power and PFC.  Government of India has set an ambitious revenue target of 36000 crore rupees.

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GOLIL partners with S-Oil Corporation  Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd. (GOLIL), has announced a long-term strategic partnership with S-Oil Corporation, South Korea.  It is signed to exclusively manufacture and market their entire range of lubricants under the brand - 'S-Oil Seven' for the Indian market.  It is the firsttime ever that a S-Oil lubricant product is being manufactured outside of South Korea. BIAL & Virgin Hyperloop sign MoU  Bangalore International Airport Limited and Virgin Hyperloop have signed an MoU to conduct a feasibility study for a proposed Hyperloop corridor from the city's Kempegowda International Airport.  The MoU was exchanged virtually.  A hyperloop-connected airport would dramatically improve the delivery of cargo and create an ultra- efficient supply chain. India inks pact with Denmark  India inked an MoU with Denmark to increase cooperation in the area of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)  Aim: To increase IP cooperation by exchanging best practices and collaborating in training programmes.  The biennial work plan will be drawn to implement MoU which will include detailed planning for carrying out cooperation activities, including the scope of action. Railways extends pact with IIT Kanpur  The Indian Railways has extended the MoU signed with IIT Kanpur.  It has been extended for encouraging a state of the art collaborative research for modernisation of railway infrastructure and efficient utilisation of its scientific assets through the centre for railway research (CRR).  Currently, CRR, which has its administrative unit in the department of electrical engineering in IIT Kanpur. AYUSH Ministry inks MoU with Industry Bodies  The National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH has signed an MoU through virtual meeting with the major AYUSH and Herbal industry bodies covering a set of measures to promote medicinal plant cultivation.  The industry bodies which signed the MoU include ADMA (Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturer’s Association), Mumbai; AMAM (Association for Manufacturers of Ayurvedic Medicines), New Delhi, etc. Forest Essentials partners with Reliance  Forest Essentials has partnered with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).  RIL will undertake the recycling of waste plastic packaging for Forest Essentials products and convert the plastic into high-quality eco-friendly materials.  Forest Essentials will set up a collection facility in each of their stores across the country, starting with a few cities and slowly expanding to a pan India presence. HDFC Life joins hands with Yes Bank  HDFC Life Insurance has joined hands with Yes Bank to offer a comprehensive bouquet of life insurance solutions to the bank's customers across the country.  It has signed a corporate agency agreement with the bank.

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 As part of the agreement, HDFC Life’s diverse range of life insurance products will be offered to the customers of Yes Bank through the bank’s branches spread across the country. Bharat Biotech inks deal with Washington Univ.  Bharat Biotech has announced a licensing agreement with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for a novel chimp-adenovirus, single-dose intranasal vaccine for COVID-19.  The company owns the rights to distribute the vaccine in all markets except USA, Japan and Europe.  The Phase I trials will take place in Saint Louis University's Vaccine & Treatment Evaluation Unit. J&K administration signs MoU with Army  Jammu and Kashmir signed an MoU with Army for development and operationalization of Airstrip in Kishtwar.  Brigadier Vikram Bhan, Commander, 9 Sector Rashtriya Rifles and S. Katoch, Commissioner Civil Aviation signed MoU in the presence of LG, Manoj Sinha and Dr Jitendra Singh.  The Airstrip will provide vital connectivity to Kishtwar District to benefit both Defence personnel and Civilians. Chitkara University and Lenskart join hands  Chitkara University announced the launch of a 4-year BOptom Program in collaboration with Lenskart.  With this partnership with Chitkara University Lenskart hopes to help develop the future workforce of vision care, that will be instrumental in shaping the future of primary eye care need in India.  Peyush Bansal is the Founder & CEO Lenskart. SBI Life inks pact with Yes Bank  SBI Life Insurance said it has signed a bancassurance agreement with Yes Bank.  It will offer a comprehensive bouquet of life insurance solutions to the bank's customers across the country.  As part of the partnership, SBI Life's diverse range of individual and group insurance solutions will be offered to the customers of Yes Bank. MoU signed between India & Israel  Two not-for-profit organisations — Ahmedabad-based Worldwide Centre for Know-how and Entrepreneurship (iCreate) and Israel’s Begin-Up Nation Central signed an MoU.  It aims at making a platform for collaboration between innovation and start-up ecosystems between India and Israel.  The MoU was signed on the iCreate campus. HCL Technologies to acquire DWS  Noida-based IT company HCL Technologies said it would acquire DWS Limited, an Australian IT, business and management consulting group.  The transaction is expected to close in December.  DWS, with over 700 employees and offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Canberra.  The acquisition of DWS will enhance HCL’s contribution to digital initiatives in Australia and New Zealand. AYUSH Ministry and WCD Ministry sign MoU  An MoU was signed between the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi for controlling Malnutrition as a part of POSHAN Abhiyaan.

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 The MoU will see some time-tested and scientifically proven Ayush-based solutions being adopted for controlling malnutrition in the country.  Minister of Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik, joined the ceremony through Video Conference. BCCI, Emirates Cricket Board sign MoU  Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) have signed an MoU and hosting agreement to boost cricketing ties between the two countries.  The 13th edition of the IPL will take place in the UAE across three venues -- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.  For the first time in the history of the tournament, the finals will be played on a weekday i.e. Tuesday. Tamil Nadu inks agreement with ISB  Guidance, the nodal agency of the Tamil Nadu govt for investment promotion, has inked an MoU with the Indian School of Business (ISB).  It will work on a broad objective of economic recovery and growth monitoring, especially in the post- COVID-19 period.  The partnership will bring ISB’s resources to address critical issues of economic recovery as well as investment promotion. Tamil Nadu partners with Coursera  Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) has partnered with Coursera to train 50,000 unemployed youth during the COVID-19 crisis.  The partnership is part of Coursera's global rollout of its workforce recovery initiative under which any state and country can provide unemployed workers with free access to online learning.  TNSDC will make 4,000 courses available on Coursera. SBM bank ties-up with Mastercard  State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) India and Mastercard have announced the launch of a unique debit card customized for the refined needs of high net worth customers.  The SBM World Debit Card represents a blend of niche banking solutions and carefully curated lifestyle privileges.  The card has been exclusively and custom-built to offer meticulously structured wealth creation opportunities. ADB, Suguna signed million deal  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement for $15 million of debt financing through the subscription of nonconvertible debentures for Suguna Foods Private Limited (Suguna), in equivalent Indian rupees.  This will help sustain poultry farming operations, as well as rural livelihoods and food security in India during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Hindalco and Hindustan Copper sign MoU  Hindalco Industries Limited and Hindustan Copper Limited, have signed an MoU for the long-term purchase and sale of copper concentrate produced by Hindustan Copper Ltd.  Under this MoU, around 60% of HCL's current copper concentrate production will be utilised by Hindalco in the manufacture of refined copper.  Hindustan Copper Ltd. is the only producer of copper concentrate in India. 20 | P a g e

BHEL ties up with SwissRapide AG  Bharat Heavy Electronics Limited recently announced its tie-up with SwissRapide AG to bring magnetic levitation trains commonly called Maglev trains to India.  The MoU has been signed in the backdrop of the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives.  Maglev Monorail is a system of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles using magnetic levitation. GoAir partners with Stemz Healthcare  GoAir has partnered with Stemz Healthcare to offer coronavirus testing facility to its domestic and international passengers.  The partnership with ICMR-approved lab aggregator Stemz Healthcare will enable customers travelling on GoAir domestic or international network to undergo COVID-19 RT-PCR testing at affordable rates.  Customers can book their appointment online through GoAir website. Facebook joins hands with Ray-Ban  Facebook is joining hands with one of the most popular eyewear brands Ray-Ban in order to develop new smart glasses.  The new smart glasses are being built to help users connect to near and dear ones.  The partnership was announced by Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook’s annual conference.  The new move seems to be an attempt to popularize smart glasses technology with help from the Ray-Ban brand. WhatsApp partners with Common Services Centers  WhatsApp has partnered with Common Services Centers (CSC) for a WhatsApp chatbot for citizens to receive digital literacy services and resources.  The aim is to bridge the digital divide and spur rural entrepreneurship.  People can send a “Namaste” at CSC Academy’s official WhatsApp account +91 99991 89321, to access course modules of flagship programmes like the Digital Beti initiative, etc. Rajasthan government signs pact with SIDBI  Rajasthan's Dept of Industries and SIDBI will work together to provide financial, technical, marketing and export support to MSMEs in the state.  SIDBI has signed an MoU with the Rajasthan government to develop the MSME ecosystem in the state.  Now, the establishment of large industries will also become easy with the coming of a single-window one- stop-shop. Sportradar partners with BCCI  Sportradar AG has entered into an agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).  It will support the board's anti-corruption unit (ACU) in monitoring and safeguarding the integrity of matches during the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season.  Sportradar AG is a firm that supplies sports integrity solutions and sports data product.  IPL begins from 19 September 2020. Dr Reddy’s ties up for Russian vaccine

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 Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has tied up with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V vaccine in India.  Once the vaccine is approved by Indian regulators, Russia will supply 100 million doses.  The tie-up comes at a time India became only the second country to cross the grim milestone of 5 million coronavirus cases after the US. SBI General Insurance, YES Bank sign agreement  SBI General and YES Bank have signed a Corporate Agency Agreement for the distribution of retail products of the insurance company for the bank's corporate and retail customers.  The products of SBI General Insurance Company will be offered to YES Bank's customers across 28 states and 8 UTs.  This partnership will offer customers a range of non-life insurance products and services. Facebook partners with Coursera  Facebook has partnered with learning platform Coursera to offer a social media marketing professional certificate.  The certificate is designed for learners with no prior experience to become ready for social media marketing jobs within a few months.  In the programme, learners will explore social media marketing basics for various social platforms, in and outside of the Facebook ecosystem. Airtel partners with STL  Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL) has announced a partnership with Bharti Airtel to build a modern optical fibre network across 10 telecom circles.  The modern optical network will enable Airtel to deliver world-class customer experience through enhanced scalability, reduced latency and improved bandwidth.  The future-ready network will also form the foundation for many next-gen services. CSIR and Aurobindo Pharma to collaborate  The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Aurobindo Pharma Limited have announced a collaboration to develop vaccines to protect against COVID-19.  Three CSIR labs namely CCMB Hyderabad, Institute of Medical Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh and Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata are developing vaccine candidates using different technology platforms. India, US sign statement of intent  India and the US have signed a statement of intent to strengthen the bilateral dialogue on defence technology co-operation and create opportunities for co-production and co-development of military equipment.  It was signed during the 10th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) Group Meeting that was held virtually on 15 September 2020. France-based EDF Group, VJTI, I2EN ink MoU  France-based EDF Group has signed an MoU with Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Mumbai and International Institute of Nuclear Energy (I2EN).

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 It will conduct a pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in the civil nuclear sector in Maharashtra.  I2EN is the umbrella organization of French stakeholders involved in nuclear education and training. HCL joins chipmaker NPN  HCL Technologies is joining chipmaker Nvidia's partner network (NPN) to pursue expanded opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) space.  HCL has also launched an AI lab to enhance capabilities in the space.  Called NEXT.ai, the AI lab will focus on upskilling engineers and architects utilising AI solutions across hardware and software technology stacks. ICICI Lombard ties up with Yes Bank  ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Yes Bank for selling its insurance products.  The partnership will provide the bank's diverse customer base access to the insurer's portfolio and make insurance more accessible to its customers.  Bancassurance is an agreement between a bank and an insurer to sell its offerings to the lender's customers. IFSCA inks Mou With IGPC of IIM Ahmedabad  International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) and India Gold Policy Centre - IIMA signed an MoU at the IFSCA, GIFT City Gandhinagar, Gujarat.  It was signed for providing consulting to facilitate the establishment of International Bullion Exchange.  At the Union Budget 2020, Nirmala Sitharaman announced that India will have an International Bullion Exchange at the IFSC in GIFT City ADB, ENGIE sign ₹466-crore loan agreement  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and France’s ENGIE group have signed a long-term loan of up to ₹ 466 crore for setting up a 200-MW solar power project in Gujarat.  The project will be developed in the Raghanesda Solar Park.  Electro Solaire Private Limited (ESPL), a special purpose vehicle owned by the ENGIE group, will implement the project. UiPath ties up with APSSDC to train youth  Andhra Pradesh govt has tied-up with UiPath, a leading enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software company, for skill development colleges in the state.  The programme is designed to bridge the growing skill requirements and build RPA resiliency in more than 50,000 students in 2021.  The UiPath will partner with the AP Skill Development Corporation. India and Japan sign agreement  India and Japan signed an Agreement between the two countries concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Armed Forces of India and The Self-Defense Forces of Japan.  The agreement was signed by Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Ambassador of Japan Mr Suzuki Satoshi.  The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the Armed Force of India and Japan. 23 | P a g e

ICICI Prudential Life partners with NSDL Bank  ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company rose 2.53% to Rs 445.40 after the company partnered with NSDL Payments Bank to offer insurance products.  Under the agreement, ICICI Prudential Life will provide its protection and savings products to customers of NSDL Payments Bank.  The partnership will help ICICI Prudential Life Insurance to increase presence on new-age distribution touch-points. ISA signs MoUs with NTPC, MNRE and World Bank  The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed an MoU with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the World Bank to design a plan for implementing ‘One Solar One World and One Grid’ (OSOWOG).  The ISA also signed an MoU with India’s largest power generator, NTPC Limited, for implementing solar energy projects in 47 member countries of ISA. GM, Nikola to build electric pickup trucks  General Motors Co (GM.N) and electric truck startup Nikola Corp will join forces to build electric pickup trucks and fuel cell commercial trucks to take on Tesla Inc.  As part of a multi-part, multibillion-dollar deal, GM received an 11% stake in Nikola, valued at about $2 billion.  GM will supply Nikola with batteries, fuel cell systems and a factory to build the Nikola Badger pickup. Telangana and UKIBC renew their MoU  The UK India Business Council renewed its' MoU with the Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Telangana.  This collaborative partnership is well-established and has already led to two UK business delegations to the State and a further delegation of leading UK universities.  These interactions boost business investment and accelerate improvements in the ease of doing business. ADB and India sign $500 million loan  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Govt of India have signed a $500 million loan.  The loan will be used to build a modern, high-speed 82 km Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor that will improve regional connectivity and mobility in India’s national capital region (NCR).  The corridor is expected to reduce the journey time to about 1 hour from the present 3–4 hrs. Infosys to acquire Kaleidoscope Innovation  Infosys has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Kaleidoscope Innovation.  It is a full-spectrum product design, development and insights firm innovating across medical, consumer and industrial markets, bolstering capabilities in the design of smart products.  Kaleidoscope Innovation brings to Infosys a diverse talent pool with extensive knowledge of design and engineering. NSDC partners with Linkedin  National Skill Development Corporation and LinkedIn have announced a partnership.  Both will provide access to free learning resources for digital skills that are in demand in today's economy.

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 A total of 10 learning paths consisting of 140 courses will be made available for free on e-Skill India digital platform until Mar 31, 2021.  Each learning path includes a series of video content. Himachal Pradesh signs loan agreement  The Government of India, Himachal Pradesh and the World Bank signed $82 million loan agreement.  The loan is taken for the implementation of Himachal Pradesh State Roads Transformation Project which will strengthen transport and road safety institutions of Himachal Pradesh.  It will improve the condition, safety, resilience, and engineering standards of the state road network. CSIR-CMERI Durgapur signs an MoU  CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur and National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gurugram joined hands by signing an online MoU on 7th September 2020.  It is a ‘Strategic Association’ to bolster the Solar Energy sector across the nation.  As a part of the association, they will conduct joint field studies for different solar technologies. Wipro bags multi-year contract from Marelli  Wipro has received a multi-year global contract for automotive engineering services from Marelli.  As part of this agreement, Wipro will use its Engineering NXT framework and strong automotive engineering expertise to establish a software engineering factory for Marelli.  Marelli is a prominent global supplier to the automotive sector with operational headquarters in Saitama, Japan, etc. Atal Innovation partners with Freshworks  Atal Innovation Mission has partnered with Freshworks Inc., a customer-engagement software company.  The collaboration aims to increase the efficacy of the institutions and startups in the AIM portfolio and foster innovation and entrepreneurship among startup innovators.  Under this partnership, Freshworks will provide credits for its suite of products to AIM and its beneficiaries. Jindal Global signs MoU with 10 Institutions  Jindal Global Law School has entered into 10 new MoU with leading institutions from different parts of the world.  These international partnerships have been established as part of the Law School’s COVID-19 Academic Action Plan.  These leading institutions are from 8 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and the United States of America. Sterling And Wilson Solar wins a Project  Shapoorji Pallonji Group company Sterling and Wilson Solar Ltd have won a Rs 1,600 crore project to install two large-scale solar projects in Australia with an installed capacity of over 300 megawatts.  The new projects have been secured from a global independent power producer.  Sterling and Wilson Solar already has three projects of over 800 megawatts under construction in the region. WhatsApp partnered with CPF

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 WhatsApp has announced a strategic partnership with CyberPeace Foundation with the aim to create awareness on cyber safety among students.  With the collaboration, the platforms aim to reach nearly 15,000 students across five states including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra by the end of 2020.  The curriculum has been created by WhatsApp and CPF together. IIT Roorkee inks MoU with NIUA  The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has signed an MoU with IIT Roorkee for collaboration in areas of universal design principles and inclusive development.  The MoU is signed in the backdrop of 'Building Accessible Safe Inclusive Indian Cities' (BASIIC) program.  It facilitates cooperation in the field of policy research, technical support, knowledge creation, and dissemination. Andhra Pradesh signs MoUs with Netherland  Andhra Pradesh government signed MoUs with the Netherlands government and seven companies in food processing, marketing, and technologies.  The MoUs will benefit the horticulture and aquaculture farmers across the State.  An MoU with Tiruchirappalli-based ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana was signed for banana cultivation and processing. C-CAMP signs pact with ISIC  Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms or C-CAMP has signed a pact with the India Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre (ISIC).  Both will to jointly identify and nurture frugal innovations and make quality healthcare affordable and accessible for all.  It is aimed at building a strong crop of world-class biopharmaceuticals and Medtech interventions in India, for India, and beyond. Agreement signed between MoTA and IIPA  An agreement has been signed between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA).  It has been signed for setting up of National Institute of Tribal Research at the IIPA Campus, New Delhi.  The Institute will be functional in a few months and will be engaged in quality tribal research in collaboration with reputed NGOs spread over the country. Tata Power signed PPA with Tata Motors  Tata Power has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tata Motors to commission India's largest solar carport at Chikhali near Pune in Maharashtra.  The grid-connected carport plant requires high-level engineering and customised designing to assemble the massive carport structures.  The project, with a 6.2-megawatt capacity, is expected to reduce 1.6 lakhs tonnes of carbon emission. SIDBI, Maharashtra sign MoU  The Small Industries Development Bank of India has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra government to develop the MSME ecosystem in the state.

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 Under the agreement, a Project Management Unit will be deployed by SIDBI with the Government of Maharashtra.  The PMU will study the existing framework of schemes, interventions, initiatives, projects etc. Haryana Govt inks MoU with M3M Foundation  Govt of Haryana has inked an MoU with M3M Foundation to facilitate online preparation, training and mentoring of students preparing for government jobs.  The objective of the MoU is to build and strengthen the partnership between both institutions to enable students to access quality preparation for entrance examinations of government jobs. Rajasthan Govt inks MoUs in various sectors  The Rajasthan govt has entered into an MoU with a private company for the development of facilities related to the aviation, defence and textile sectors.  The MoU is estimated to bring in an investment of Rs 4,000 crores and generate employment in the state.  The company, SVP International Group, has proposed to develop a project for defence and aerospace including aircraft maintenance. Google partners with Bangladesh  Google has partnered with the Bangladesh Water Development Board to bring the flood warning services to the country.  Google currently covers more than 40 million people in Bangladesh and it is working to expand its coverage to the whole of the country.  More than 65 per cent of people who receive advance flood warnings take action to protect themselves and their assets. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Japan  Cabinet has approved the signing of an MoU between India and Japan.  It will improve the quality and testing of Indian textiles and clothing for the Japanese market.  The MoU would enable M/s Nissenken Quality Evaluation Centre, Japan in assigning Textile Committee as their cooperative Testing and Inspection service providers in India for Textiles and Apparel products. Vistara, Japan Airlines enter a partnership  Vistara and Japan Airlines have inked a partnership that allows members of their frequent flyer programmes to earn and spend points on each other.  A frequent flyer program (FFP) is a loyalty programme wherein a passenger earns points for travelling on an airline's flights.  It can then be used to get rewards on the same airline or partner companies. DeepTek forms partnership with Doctor-NET Inc  DeepTek has entered a strategic equity partnership with Japanese teleradiology company Doctor-NET Inc, a subsidiary of JMDC Inc, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.  DeepTek's mission is to make quality radiology services more affordable and accessible by leveraging the power of AI.  It is amongst very few Radiology AI companies which have successfully adopted its technology in a commercial mode.

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Reliance Jio-Brookfield Tower deal approved  Reliance Industries has said that all approvals have been obtained for a Rs 25,215 cr Brookfield tower deal a year after it was announced.  Brookfield and its partners will become sponsors of the trust holding all the units while the Reliance subsidiary will become a co-sponsor without holding units.  The trust currently owns 51% of Reliance Jio lnfratel. Vedanta ties up with SBI  Vedanta Ltd has tied up with State Bank of India for a long-term syndicated loan facility worth Rs 10,000 crore.  A syndicated loan is offered by a group of lenders who work together to provide credit to a large borrower.  Vedanta Ltd has tied up with SBI as facility agent and with SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as the security trustee with door to door tenor of seven years. Defence Ministry signs Rs 2580 cr deal  The Defence Ministry has sealed a deal with two leading domestic defence majors to procure Pinaka rocket launchers for six Army regiments at a cost of Rs 2,580 crore.  The Pinaka regiments will be deployed along India's border with China and Pakistan to further enhance operational preparedness of the armed forces.  The contract has been signed with Tata Power Company Ltd and Larsen & Toubro.

Appointment Moctar Ouane named transitional PM of Mali  Mali’s interim President Bah Ndaw has named former Malian Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane as the Prime Minister.  A veteran diplomat, Ouane, served as Mali’s ambassador to the United Nations from 1995-2002, and as Foreign Minister from 2004-2009 during Amadou Toumani Toure’s presidency.  Ndaw himself is a former colonel and defence minister. ITBP chief given additional charge of NSG DG  ITBP Director General S S Deswal has been given the additional charge of counter-terrorism force National Security Guard (NSG)  Its incumbent chief Anup Kumar Singh retired on September 30, 2020.  Anup Kumar Singh was appointed the NSG Director General in October 2019.  This is the 2nd time that Deswal has been directed to lead the NSG in an additional capacity. Shekhar Kapur: President of FTII Society  Noted Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has been named as the President of Film and Television Institute of India, FTII Society and Chairman of Governing Council of FTII.  The critically acclaimed director and actor is known for films like Elizabeth (1998), Bandit Queen (1994) and The Four Feathers (2002).  His tenure will be till March 3, 2023. P D Vaghela appointed TRAI chairman

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 Senior bureaucrat P D Vaghela has been appointed as chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).  Vaghela, a 1986-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, is currently Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.  He has been appointed as the TRAI chief for three years or till he attains the age of 65.  He will succeed R S Sharma. RBI ropes in Amitabh Bachchan for awareness  RBI roped in Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan for the customer awareness campaign to prevent gullible account holders from being duped by fraudsters.  As part of the public awareness initiative of RBI, the regulator keeps informing about dos and don'ts that have to be followed by customers to transact safely and securely.  RBI has been running the campaign for more than a year. New WB Chief Secretary: Alapan Bandopadhyay  Alapan Bandopadhyay was named as the new chief secretary of West Bengal.  Bandopadhyay, who is at present the state home secretary, will join his new posting on October 1, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.  He will take over the new role from Rajiva Sinha who retires on September 30.  Bandopadhyay is a 1987-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre. Ceat signs Aamir Khan as brand ambassador  Leading tyre manufacturer, Ceat announced Bollywood actor Amir Khan as its brand ambassador for two years.  The campaign based on the theme ‘don’t be a dummy’ emphasises on the usage of high-quality tyres that provide complete safety in any kind of driving conditions.  Aamir Khan’s character is that of a dummy. Disha Patani becomes ‘beauty’ brand ambassador  Disha Patani has been roped in as the beauty brand ambassador of Myntra.  Disha will be featuring in a brand campaign that will bring to the table a holistic representation of a tech- savvy, modern-day celebrity.  It will appeal to connect and engage with enthusiasts for beauty and personal care products across various age-groups. Brand ambassador of Entri: Robin Uthappa  Entri, a local language learning app for jobs, has signed up Robin Uthappa as its brand ambassador.  It has also partnered with Hotstar to run ad campaigns in five different languages throughout the ongoing IPL season.  Entri expects this move to accelerate its user adoption in India, especially in the Hindi belt.  Mohammed Hisamuddin is the founder and chief executive officer of Entri. KVIC appoints Sunil Sethi, as Advisor  The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has appointed Sunil Sethi, a leading personality in the Indian fashion industry, as its advisor.  Sethi will advise the Commission on latest design interventions in the readymade garments segment as well as the promotion of Khadi in India and abroad. 29 | P a g e

 Earlier, fashion designer Ritu Beri served as an advisor to KVIC whose term expired recently. Gandhi appointed as new life trustee of IIC  Former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi has been appointed as a new life trustee of the India International Centre (IIC).  Gandhi was appointed a life trustee of the centre following the vacancy caused by the passing away of scholar Kapila Vatsyayan.  Gandhi is a retired Indian diplomat and also served as West Bengal governor from 2004 till 2009. Bah Ndaw named Mali’s interim President  Mali’s former defence minister, Bah Ndaw, has been named as President of the country’s new transition government.  Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) which overthrew Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was appointed Vice President.  The transitional government is to be inaugurated on September 25, 2020. 17-year-old girl appointed Ambassador for UNEP  A 17-year-old girl from Surat has been appointed as Regional Ambassador for India by the United Nations Environment Programme - Tunza Eco-Generation.  Khushi Chindaliya will spread awareness about the safeguard of environmental treasures and discuss India’s contribution to environmental conservation.  She will also discuss the subject with other ambassadors around the world. Fraud-hit PMC Bank gets new administrator  The Reserve Bank of India appointed former Union Bank of India executive A K Dixit as the new administrator of PMC Bank.  He will replace J.B. Bhoria, who stepped down on September 22 due to health reasons.  On 24 September 2019, RBI put severe curbs on PMC Bank, including on cash withdrawals, amid a probe into accounting lapses. New director, business development of DMRC  Pramit Kumar Garg took over the charge of director, business development of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.  Garg is an officer of the 1992 batch of Indian Railway Service of Engineers and has been associated with DMRC since 2002.  He is a Civil Engineer from the University of Roorkee (now IIT) and has a post-graduate from IIT-Delhi. Simanchala Dash appointed as advisor to IMF  The government has approved the proposal to appoint Simanchala Dash as an advisor to Executive Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.  He has been appointed for a period of three years.  The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions passed the order in this regard. 9stacks signs Suresh Raina as brand ambassador  Online poker platform 9stacks has signed Suresh Raina as its brand ambassador.  Raina, who announced retirement from the international cricket in Aug 2020, will be a part of 9stacks’ upcoming campaigns and engagement activities.

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 Raina will anchor the brand and help in creating a higher brand recall amongst the key target audience. Brand ambassador for Urban Cruiser: Ayushmann  Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced the appointment of actor Ayushmann Khurrana as the brand ambassador for the soon-to-be-launched SUV model Urban Cruiser.  The one-year-long partnership will see the actor appearing in an advertising campaign for Urban Cruiser across media platforms.  The core messaging of the campaign will be around respect and how it must be earned. Morningstar India: Jiju Vidyadharan as head  Morningstar India, a subsidiary of independent investment research provider Morningstar Inc. has announced, Jiju Vidyadharan as their new Head of India Business.  He will be responsible for driving Morningstar’s business and enhancing the brand in India.  He will report jointly to Brian Cullen, head of international sales, and to Aditya Agarwal, managing director of Morningstar India. Paytm: Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador  Paytm's subsidiary Paytm First Games (PFG) has roped in cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador.  The company has also earmarked Rs 300 crore to invest in growing the market for fantasy sports and other online gaming events this fiscal.  The partnership with Sachin will help increase the company’s reach in smaller cities and towns. ADB appoints Takeo Konishi as Country Director  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Takeo Konishi as its new Country Director for India.  Konishi succeeds Kenichi Yokoyama who has taken over as Director-General of ADB's South Asia Department and will be based at ADB headquarter in Manila.  As head of the country office in New Delhi, Konishi will lead ADB operations and policy dialogue with the government. New cultural representative at ICCR  Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri was appointed the new cultural representative of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.  Agnihotri is also a member of India’s Central Board of Film Certification.  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Independent India’s first education minister, founded the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in 1950. New executive directors to World Bank, ADB  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointments of new executive directors for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB).  Rajesh Khullar has been appointed to the World Bank as executive director,  Sameer Kumar Khare will be the new executive director at Asian Development Bank.  Both the appointments are for a period of three years. Harivansh re-elected RS deputy chairman

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 NDA candidate and JD(U) MP Harivansh Narayan Singh has been re-elected as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman.  This is the second time that he has been elected as the deputy chairman of the House.  Harivansh beat Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD, who was the joint Opposition candidate.  His name was proposed by BJP chief J P Nadda, and seconded by Leader of the House Thawarchand Gehlot. Yoshihide Suga elects as PM successor  Japan's ruling party has elected chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga as its new leader.  Suga easily won the ballot, taking 377 of a total of 534 valid votes from Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and regional representatives.  He will replace current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is resigning because of health reasons. Arun Srinivas: FB head for global business  Facebook has announced the appointment of Arun Srinivas as director of the global business group.  He will lead the strategy and delivery of India marketing solutions focused on advertisers and agencies.  He joins Facebook from cab-hailing service provider Ola, where he was the chief operating officer (COO), and global chief marketing officer (CMO) at Ola Mobility. UNICEF: Ayushmann as celebrity advocate  UNICEF India has announced Ayushmann Khurrana as its celebrity advocate for children’s rights campaign, For Every Child.  Khurrana will support UNICEF towards ending violence against children.  He will work towards this initiative in India and joins the likes of former football star David Beckham, who works on this campaign globally. Subhash Kamath elected ASCI chairman  Subhash Kamath, CEO at advertising agency BBH & Publicis Worldwide, India, has been elected chairman of the board of governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).  Kamath, who was serving as ASCI vice-chairman, will replace Rohit Gupta, president, Sony Pictures Networks.  NS Rajan, managing director at public relations firm Ketchum Sampark P. Ltd. was elected vice-chairman. Citigroup names Jane Fraser as first woman CEO  Citigroup has named Jane Fraser as its next chief executive, the first woman to lead a giant Wall Street bank for the first time.  She will take over the top job in February 2021, replacing Michael Corbat who will retire.  Fraser, who has served as president and CEO of global consumer banking since 2019, will join the board of directors immediately. Smriti Mandhana: Playerzpot's Brand Ambassador  Fantasy sports gaming platform Playerzpot has signed Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Smriti Mandhana as its brand ambassadors.  The partnership will see the cricketers in the brand's upcoming campaigns and promote Playerzpot through engagement activities.  Playerzpot was founded by Yogesh Doiphode and Mitesh Gangar in 2015.

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Netflix promotes Bela Bajaria  Netflix has promoted Indian American media leader Bela Bajaria to head its international TV operations as vice president for Global Television.  Earlier as the vice president in charge of local language originals.  In her new position, she will be taking over all the Netflix TV programming, including in English. Paresh Rawal appointed chairperson of NSD  Paresh Rawal has been appointed Chairperson of the National School of Drama, the country’s premier institute for theatre students, in Delhi.  Rawal is one of the few actors who have stayed active in the theatre even after becoming a prominent name in films.  His productions such as Krishan vs Kanhaiyaa and the Gujarati play Dear Father have been performed before housefull audiences. Telangana gets new Election Commissioner  Retired IAS officer, C Partha Sarathi has been appointed as the Election Commissioner for Telangana.  Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan appointed the ex-bureaucrat as the Telangana Election Commissioner, for 3 years from the date of assumption of office.  The order comes months after the State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy demitted office in April 2020 after completion of his 5-year term. R F Nariman appointed as chairperson SCLSC  Supreme Court judge Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman has been appointed as the chairperson of its legal services committee.  The Central Authority nominated him as the chairperson of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) in the wake of the retirement of Justice Arun Mishra.  SCLSC is constituted for implementing legal services programme as it relates to the Supreme Court of India. FADA appoints Vinkesh Gulati as new President  The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has announced the appointment of Vinkesh Gulati as its 35th President for the year 2020-22.  He is also the first President from Uttar Pradesh.  Gulati succeeds Ashish Harsharaj Kale as the new FADA President.  Gulati is the Director of United Automobiles, based out of Allahabad and Faridabad. R Masakui: Next High Commissioner to Jamaica  Diplomat R Masakui has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Jamaica.  He is presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Zimbabwe.  He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.  He served in the Reserve Bank of India from 1999 to 2001.  He has also served as Director in the Ministry of External Affairs. Anil Jain set to be AITA's new president  BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Anil Jain is set to be elected as the new president of All India Tennis Association (AITA).

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 Meanwhile, Anil Dhupar will take over as the secretary-general at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the national federation.  Jain, who is also the ruling party’s national general secretary, will replace Praveen Mahajan as AITA president. Principal Secretary to J&K LG: Nitishwar Kumar  IAS Nitishwar Kumar has been appointed as the Principal Secretary to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.  Nitishwar Kumar an IAS of 1996 batch is on deputation from Uttar Pradesh cadre to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for a period of one year.  He will replace Jammu and Kashmir (1992 batch) cadre IAS officer Bipul Pathak. Preeti on a panel for pandemic preparedness  Former health secretary, Preeti Sudan has been appointed as a member of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.  The global panel will evaluate international response to the COVID-19 pandemic and submit a report by May 2021 to the World Health Assembly.  Sudan, a 1983-batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, had retired as the Union health secretary in July. SIAM appoints Ayukawa as its new president  The executive committee of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has elected Kenichi Ayukawa as its new President.  He has been the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd since 2013.  Ayukawa who was earlier the Vice President of SIAM succeeds Rajan Wadhera, Senior Advisor at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Bajaj Allianz: Ayushmann new brand ambassador  Bajaj Allianz Life has announced the appointment of Ayushmann Khurrana as its brand ambassador.  He will promote its products and digital services across offline and online mediums.  Khurrana will feature in the brand’s next campaign ‘Smart Living’ that encompasses its term plan – Smart Protect Goal and the new digital service – Smart Assist. SBOTOP: Dwayne Bravo new brand ambassador  SBOTOP has roped in Dwayne Bravo as its brand ambassador.  Just a few days back, the brand inked a multi-year sponsorship deal with English Premier League club Leeds United as their principal club sponsor.  SBOTOP is a global online betting platform that strives to give its customers the best e-gaming experience with its suite of products ranging from sports, live casino, etc. Raj Kumar Srivastava: Ambassador to Croatia  Raj Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Croatia.  He is an Indian Foreign Services officer of the 1997 batch.  Raj Kumar is presently serving as the Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India, Tokyo.  He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

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India's Next Envoy To Italy: Dr Neena Malhotra  Diplomat Dr Neena Malhotra has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Italy.  Malhotra is a 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and is presently Additional Secretary in the ministry.  She is expected to take up the assignment shortly, according to the MEA. S Krishnan: MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank  Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of S Krishnan as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Punjab & Sind Bank.  He will replace S Harishankar.  ACC has given permission to S Harishankar to voluntarily retire with effect from the date of notification of the acceptance.  Prior to this, S Krishnan was the Executive Director at Canara Bank. Shivaji takes up India's top statistical post  The Govt has appointed Kshatrapati Shivaji as a secretary in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation from Sept 1, 2020.  He is a 1986-batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officer.  The secretary at this ministry is, by design, known as the chief statistician of India.  But he has only been given additional charge and the government has not appointed a full-time chief statistician yet. Government appoints first CEO in rail history  The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the restructuring of Railway Board.  It has appointed Vinod Kumar Yadav as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board.  Yadav is currently the chairman of Railway Board.  There will be four other members, who will be in charge of — infrastructure, rolling stock, finance and operations and business development. Murali Ramakrishnan: MD, CEO South Indian Bank  South Indian Bank said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Murali Ramakrishnan as its MD and CEO with effect from October 1, 2020.  Ramakrishnan had retired from ICICI Bank as Senior General Manager at Strategic Project Group on May 30, 2020.  He joined the South Indian Bank as an advisor on July 1, 2020. Shailendra: Chief Postmaster General in Jammu  Shailendra Dashora has joined as the new Chief Postmaster General, Jammu and Kashmir Circle in Jammu.  He is an Indian Postal Service (IPoS) Officer of 1989 batch.  Soon after taking over as Chief Post Master General, J&K Circle, Dashora reviewed the functioning of Postal Department in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Kiara Advani: Myntra’s new brand ambassador  Flipkart-owned fashion marketplace Myntra has appointed Bollywood actor Kiara Advani as its brand ambassador.

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 With her appointment, the brand aims to increase its young customer base across tiers.  Advani’s social media presence will benefit the marketplace by strengthening its position as a fashion platform in the ecosystem. Gary Stead reappointed as New Zealand Coach  Gary Stead was reappointed as the head coach of the New Zealand men's cricket team for another three years.  Stead was initially appointed as the coach of the side in 2018 following the resignation of Mike Hesson.  He will now continue as head coach in all three formats of the game up until the conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, slated to be held in India. Aveek Sarkar: Chairman of Press Trust of India  Aveek Sarkar, the Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of the Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, has been elected Chairman of Press Trust of India.  Sarkar's election was ratified by PTI's Board of Directors.  He succeeds Vijay Kumar Chopra, Chief Editor of the Punjab Kesari Group of newspapers.  He was the founding Managing Director of Penguin India, the Indian counterpart of Penguin Books. CBDT Chairman gets 6-month extension  Pramod Chandra Mody has been given a six-month extension till February 2021 as the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).  PC Mody, a 1982 batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre) officer, was appointed the CBDT chief in February 2019.  He was, in August 2019, re-appointed on the post for one year, till August 31, 2020. Hemant Khatri: CMD of Hindustan Shipyard  Hemant Khatri has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of 2defence shipbuilder, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd.  Khatri was until recently the Director (Strategic Projects) in Hindustan Shipyard and was in-charge of the normal refit of INS Sindhuvir.  Prior to taking over as Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, he was also Project Director of fleet solid support (FSS) programme. Rajeev Kumar: New Election Commissioner  Rajeev Kumar has assumed charge as the new Election Commissioner (EC) of India.  He joins the Election Commission of India with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra.  Rajeev Kumar is a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service Officer.  EC Rajiv Kumar has also been Establishment Officer, Department of Personnel and Training from 2015-17. Vice Admiral S R Sarma: Chief of Materiel  Vice Admiral S R Sarma has assumed charge as the Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy.  Admiral Sarma during his illustrious career spanning over three and a half decades has served onboard Indian Naval ships Vindhyagiri, Rana, Krishna and Mysore in various capacities.  In recognition of his distinguished services, the Admiral was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. 36 | P a g e

Charu Sinha to head Srinagar Sector For CRPF  For the first time, a female IPS officer, Charu Sinha has been appointed as Inspector General of Central Reserve Police Force Srinagar sector, one of the terrorist-affected areas in Jammu and Kashmir.  Charu Sinha is an IPS officer of the 1996-batch Telangana cadre.  Srinagar sector is located at Brein Nishat, Srinagar (J-K) and started functioning in 2005. M V Rajasekhar appointed Director - R&D of BEL  The Bharat Electronics Ltd's (BEL) Board of Directors has approved the appointment of M V Rajasekhar as Additional Director - Director (R&D).  Rajasekhar took charge as Director – R&D on September 1, 2020.  Before this, he was working as Chief Scientist of BEL’s Central Research Laboratory (CRL)-Bengaluru and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at BEL’s Corporate Office. Matthew Hayden: Trade envoy to India  The Australian govt has appointed former cricketer Matthew Hayden and Indian-origin politician Lisa Singh as trade envoys for advancing business ties with India.  Three new appointments to the board of the Australia-India Council were announced on 31 August 2020.  Ashok Jacob has been reappointed as chair and will be joined by three new board members. Hyderabad FC appoints Manuel Marquez as coach  Hyderabad FC (HFC) has appointed Manuel 'Manolo' Marquez as the new head coach for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season.  Manuel is signed up for one year and will be with HFC till the end of 2020-21 season.  He took charge of La Liga side UD Las Palmas in 2017 before working with Croatian top-flight side NK Istra 1961 in 2018. Shambhu S Kumaran: Envoy to Micronesia, Palau  Shambhu S Kumaran has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.  Kumaran, a 1995 batch IFS officer, is presently serving as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Philippines.  Previously, Kumaran also served as the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Morocco. Chennaiyin FC appoints Csaba as head coach  Chennaiyin FC has appointed Csaba Laszlo as its head coach for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League.  Laszlo, who has been the in-charge of the Ugandan and Lithuanian national teams, succeeds Owen Coyle, who has moved to Jamshedpur FC for the season.  He had led Dundee United to the third spot in the Scottish Championship in the 2017-18 season.

Obituaries Veteran songwriter Abhilash passes away  Veteran songwriter Abhilash passed away in Sept 2020.  He is best known for the song ‘Itni Shakti Hame Dena Daata’ from the film Ankush. 37 | P a g e

 His real name was Om Prakash and he even had a few ghazals and stories published under this name before starting his career in the music industry.  Abhilash wrote songs for films such as Raftaar and Awara Ladki and worked for composers such as Bappi Lahiri. Syeda Anwara Taimur passes away  Assam’s first and only woman chief minister Syeda Anwara Taimur passed away in Australia due to cardiac arrest.  She passed at the age of 84.  A four-time Congress MLA held portfolios like education before becoming chief minister.  Taimur was in the news in 2018 when her name didn’t appear in the Assam National Register of Citizens. Former UM Jaswant Singh dies  Former Union minister Jaswant Singh passed away due to cardiac arrest.  He died at the age of 82.  He was being treated for Sepsis with Multiorgan Dysfunction Syndrome.  He was an officer in Indian Army but later served as external affair minister, defence minister and finance minister.  He was external affairs minister when India undertook the nuclear tests in May 1998. Singer-actor SP Balasubrahmanyam passes away  Singer-actor SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away in September 2020 due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia.  He held Guinness World Record for highest number of songs by a singer.  He won six National Awards - in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1995, and in 1996.  He also won two civilian awards Padhma Shri in 2001, Padma Bhushan in 2011. Dean Jones passed away  Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman, has died in Mumbai.  Jones had been working on the TV coverage of the Indian Premier League and suffered a cardiac arrest around midday at the Trident hotel.  Jones enjoyed a 10-year international career.  He made his debut for Australia in 1984.  The right-hander enjoyed good success in Test cricket, averaging 46.5 and compiling 11 centuries. Nuclear scientist Sekhar Basu dies of COVID-19  Sekhar Basu, veteran atomic scientist and former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, succumbed to COVID-19.  The late scientist, who was a mechanical engineer, is revered for his contributions to the country’s atomic energy programme.  He was awarded Padma Shri in 2014.  Sekhar Basu had also pioneered the highly complex reactor for India’s first nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant. Ang Rita Sherpa: Everest record-breaker dies  Ang Rita Sherpa, popularly known as the Snow Leopard, passed away in Sept 2020.

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 In 2017, the Guinness World Records recognised Ang Rita as the only person in the world to have climbed Mount Everest 10 times without bottled oxygen, between 1983 and 1996.  He first reached the summit of the world's tallest mountain in 1983. Bhupesh Kumar Pandya passes away  Theatre personality and actor Bhupesh Kumar Pandya passed away after a battle with lung cancer.  He has starred in films like Vicky Donor and Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi.  The official Twitter account of the National School of Drama shared the news of Pandya’s demise and paid tribute to the alumnus of the institute.  Many celebrities including Manoj Bajpayee expressed their condolences. Union Minister Suresh Angadi passes away  Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi passed away on 23 September 2020.  He was admitted to AIIMS in Delhi after he contracted coronavirus disease.  He was the leader of Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka and a member of the 16th Lok Sabha and 17th Lok Sabha from Belagavi. Noted Marathi actress Ashalata Wabgaonkar dies  Noted Marathi actress and Bollywood’s veteran character artist Ashalata Wabgaonkar passed away due to COVID-19 in Sept 2020.  The actress had worked in many Bollywood hits including 'Apne Paraye', 'Zanjeer, 'Namak Halal', 'Sharaabi', 'Shaukeen'.  She had also worked in Marathi movies like 'Maherchi Sadi', 'Vahinichi Maya', 'Umbartha', 'Sutradhar', 'Navari Mile Navryala'. Abbas Melinamani passes away  Writer Abbas Melinamani from Bagalkot, a recipient of various literary awards including the Dr Gorur Literary Award, died of a cardiac arrest in Chitradurga.  He has nine collections of stories, three collections of poems, three-story volumes, one novel and three collections of articles to his credit.  He was awarded famous Kannada Sahitya Datti Prashasti with other literary awards. Elizabeth Kerkar passes away  An iconic interior designer best known for her fine work with The Taj Mahal Hotel and other Taj properties, Elizabeth Kerkar passes away at the age of 80.  At the time Elizabeth -the wife of then General Manager of The Taj Mahal Hotel (from 1989 to 1998) Ajit Kerkar- was in charge of the decor of the hotel.  Between the early sixties and the late eighties, she curated 4,000 pieces of art. Babu Sivan passes away  Tamil director Babu Sivan passed away in Sept 2020.  He began his career by assisting director Dharani, who helmed films like Ghilli and Kurvi with Vijay.  Later, he made his directorial debut with Vettaikaaran in 2009.  However, the success of the film did not help Sivan’s career.  He struggled to find work.  And later, he took over the responsibility of directing daily soap opera Rasaathi. 39 | P a g e

TV actor Sabari Nath passes away  Malayalam TV actor Sabari Nath passed away due to cardiac arrest in September 2020.  The actor was shot to fame with shows like 'Minnukettu','Amala' and 'Swami Ayyappan'.  Recently, the actor was seen playing a meaty role in the newly launched serial, 'Padatha Painkili'. Mali’s former President passes away  Mali’s former President Moussa Traore, who ruled the West Africa nation for more than 22 years, passed away in Sept 2020.  Traore seized power in a military coup in 1968, eight years after Mali gained independence from France.  He ruled the country as its military leader until 1979 when he installed himself as civilian president of a one- party state. Ashok Gasti passes away  The Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Karnataka Ashok Gasti passed away in Sept 2020.  He was diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.  Ashok Gasti was the first time MP who had taken oath as a member of Rajya Sabha on July 22nd.  A lawyer by profession and former General Secretary of BJP, he had also served as Chairperson of the Backward Class Development Corporation in Karnataka. Sadashiv Patil passes away  Former Maharashtra cricketer Sadashiv Patil passed away in September 2020.  He represented India in one Test and played 36 first-class matches over 11 seasons.  Patil was a medium-pacer who had made his first-class debut for Maharashtra during the 1952-53 season.  He earned the India Test cap (No. 79) when he made his debut against New Zealand at the Brabourne Stadium in 1955. PR Krishnakumar passes away  Prominent Ayurveda physician and Managing Director of Coimbatore Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, PR Krishnakumar passed away in Sept 2020.  Krishnakumar, who had done yeomen service for the popularisation of the Ayurvedic system of medicine had been conferred the Padma Sri award in 2009.  He had also been the recipient of the National Ayurveda Award instituted by the Government of India. Lok Sabha MP Balli Durga Prasad Rao dies  Tirupati MP and YSRCP leader Balli Durga Prasad Rao passed away in Sept 2020.  He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chennai after testing positive for novel coronavirus.  Rao had been a three-term MLA in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and a minister in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Amitabha Ghosh passes away at 90  Reserve Bank of India's Governor for 21 days, Amitabha Ghosh, passed away in September 2020.  Ghosh had the shortest stint as RBI governor, from January 15, 1985 to February 4, 1985.  Ghosh was the deputy governor between January 21, 1982 to January 20, 1987, and again got an extension till January 20, 1992.  Prior to joining the RBI, Ghosh was the chairman of Allahabad Bank.

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Kapila Vatsyayan passes away  Kapila Vatsyayan, Member of Parliament, a major scholar of art, architecture, Indian classical dance and Founding Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, passed away in September 2020.  She is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan honour (2011).  She also authored around 20 books on various art forms and their histories.  She earned her PhD from the Banaras Hindu University. Chanesh Ram Rathiya dies of COVID-19  Veteran Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh minister Chanesh Ram Rathiya died due to COVID-19 in Sept 2020.  Chanesh Rathiya, a prominent tribal leader from north Chhattisgarh, was elected as an MLA for the first time in 1977 from Dharamjaigarh constituency in the then undivided MP.  He served as animal husbandry minister in the Digvijay Singh led-Congress government in erstwhile MP. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh passes away  Former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh passed away.  He was admitted at AIIMS, Delhi, for about a week after developing post-COVID-19 complications.  He was known as the architect of the MNREGA scheme.  Singh had been in the political wilderness for some time. Diana Rigg passes away  Diana Rigg, a British actress whose career stretched from iconic 1960s spy series “The Avengers” to “Game of Thrones,” passed away in Sept'20.  She also starred in 1969 James Bond thriller “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as Tracy di Vicenzo.  She won a Tony Award for “Medea” on Broadway, and was nominated on 3 other occasions, most recently in 2018 for playing Mrs. Higgins in “My Fair Lady.” Social activist Swami Agnivesh passes away  Social activist Swami Agnivesh died after a cardiac arrest in Delhi.  He was 80 years old.  Admitted to the hospital, Swami Agnivesh was being treated for liver cirrhosis and had been on ventilator support following multi-organ failure.  He was a social activist and a religious leader who fought against bonded and child labour, for women's rights and for religious tolerance. Telugu actor Jaya Prakash Reddy passes away  Veteran Telugu stage and film actor Jayaprakash Reddy passed away in Sept 2020.  Jayaprakash Reddy, popularly known as JP, began his career as a school teacher.  His passion for acting drove him towards the stage and he played varied roles in countless dramas.  He acted in more than 100 films alongside the top heroes of Telugu films like Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Babu. Jiri Menzel passes away  Oscar-winning Czech director Jiri Menzel passed away in September 2020.

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 Menzel won an Academy Award in 1968 for best foreign-language film for World War Two drama Closely Watched Trains.  In the year 2013, he was also conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award at the International film festival held in India.  He was also a part of the Czech New Wave of filmmakers of the 1960s. Govind Swarup passes away  Father of India's Radio Astronomy, Dr Govind Swarup passed away in September 2020.  The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) established at Narayangaon near Pune was established under Dr Swarup's able guidance.  He was awarded Padmashree, Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, H. K. Firodia award and many international awards for his contributions in several areas of astronomy and astrophysics. Ziauddin Tariq Ali passes away  Liberation warfighter and a prominent public figure of Bangladesh Ziauddin Tariq Ali passed away in Dhaka in Sept 2020.  He was a member of the cultural group ‘Muktir Gaan’, that inspired the freedom fighters through their songs during the Liberation War in 1971.  He was instrumental in setting up the Liberation War Museum in Dhaka in 1996 with contributions from the common people. Veteran producer Johnny Bakshi passes away  Veteran producer-director Johnny Bakshi passed away in Sept 2020.  In his career spanning over four decades, Bakshi mostly worked as a producer, backing films such as 'Manzilein Aur Bhi Hain', (1974), 'Raavan', (1984) and 'Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee' (1993).  He has also directed two films 'Daku Aur Police' (1992) and 'Khudai' (1994) starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead. Swami Kesavananda Bharati passes away  The head of the Edneer Mutt in Kasargod Swami Kesavananda Bharati passed away in September 2020.  He was a patron of education, culture and arts.  He was the petitioner in the Supreme Court`s noted judgement that parliament cannot alter the basic structure of the Constitution.  He had challenged the Kerala government`s move to take over mutt property. Scooby-Doo co-creator Joe Ruby died  Joe Ruby, the co-creator of the cartoon series Scooby-Doo, passed away in August 2020.  After serving in the US navy, Ruby began his television career at Walt Disney Productions, before meeting Spears while working at Hanna-Barbera Productions.  Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? was launched in 1969 and ran on CBS until 1976, spawning several reboots and films. Former cricketer David Capel passes away  David Capel, the former cricket all-rounder who played 15 Tests and 23 one-day internationals for England from 1987-1990, passed away in Sept 2020.  Capel made 270 first-class appearances for Northamptonshire from 1981-1998. 42 | P a g e

 He became the first cricketer born in the county to play a Test for England in 77 years when he made his debut against Pakistan in July 1987. Pranab Mukherjee passes away  Former President of India Pranab Mukherjee passed away in August 2020.  He had tested positive for coronavirus and had been in a coma after brain surgery.  Mr Mukherjee served as the President of India from 2012 to 2017.  He received the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in August 2019.  He had developed a lung infection and renal dysfunction.

International Affairs China gets "confirmed" case of Bubonic plague  China’s Yunnan province has got a "confirmed" case of Bubonic plague after Inner Mongolia recorded two deaths due to deadly disease.  Local Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed a case in a 3-year-old child.  The local authority has reminded residents to quickly report if they had any contact with the dead rats and seek medical advice if they show fever-like symptoms. WHO to roll out 120 mn rapid-diagnostic tests  WHO and it's leading partners have agreed to a plan to roll out 120 million rapid-diagnostic tests for Coronavirus.  The programme aims to help lower and middle-income countries make up ground in a testing gap with richer countries.  The rapid tests look for antigens or proteins found on the surface of the virus.  They are generally considered less accurate but much faster than PCR tests. ICC gets recognition for digital initiatives  The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been recognised for its twin digital initiatives at the prestigious Leaders in Sports Awards 2019.  The coverage of the women’s T20 World Cup in Australia and the bold collaboration with Wimbledon for the One Day in July, both were recognised as they took home the awards.  The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup had 1.1 billion video views on ICC platforms. World Bank approves loan for Bangladesh  The World Bank (WB) has approved a 200 million dollar loan for Bangladesh.  It is to improve access to safe water and sanitation services in the rural areas of the country.  This project will also provide sanitation services to over 3.6 million rural people.  The 30-year concessional credit has a five year grace period.  It comes from the World Bank’s International Development Association. Nepal's yarn industry gets a boost  Lockdown in India has led to a rise in demand for Nepal made yarns.  This surge helped the local producers of Nepal.  They are now operating at 60% of their capacity.

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 India imports about 60% of the total yarns made by Nepal. Bangladesh to make film on Pritilata Waddedar  The government of Bangladesh is financing a film on the life of revolutionary freedom fighter Pritilata Waddedar.  The film ‘Bhalobasha Pritilata’ will be based on the first woman Bengali revolutionary nationalist of the Indian subcontinent against the British regime.  The film is based on the novel by Selina Hossain.  It will be screened in India and other countries also. Hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft: Airbusgh  Airbus has announced its aim to put the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft into service by 2035.  Airbus' hydrogen technology will be demonstrated in three concept aircrafts called Zeroe: a turboprop (up to 100 passengers), a turbo fan (100 to 200 passengers) and a blended wing body (up to 200 passengers).  Hydrogen is chosen as it produces zero emissions. Bah Ndaw named Mali’s interim President  Mali’s former defence minister, Bah Ndaw, has been named as President of the country’s new transition government.  Colonel Assimi Goita, the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) which overthrew Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was appointed Vice President.  The transitional government is to be inaugurated on September 25, 2020. Ishmael Toroama elected Bougainville president  Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea.  Toroama is set to lead talks seeking independence.  Toroama was a commander in the secessionist Bougainville Revolutionary Army, and later worked on the peace and disarmament process. 120,000 years old footprints traced  Around 120,000 years ago in what is now northern Saudi Arabia, a small band of homo sapiens stopped to drink and forage at a shallow lake that was also frequented by camels, buffalo, and elephants.  This detailed scene was reconstructed by researchers in a new study published in Science Advances.  They have discovered ancient human and animal footprints in the Nefud Desert. NASA unveils plan to land first woman to moon  NASA has unveiled its latest plan to return astronauts to the Moon in 2024 at an estimated cost $28 billion, of which $16 billion would be spent on the lunar landing module.  NASA also shared updates on its Artemis program, including the latest Phase 1 plan to land the first woman and the next man on the surface of the Moon in 2024. US Force deploys troops to Arabian Peninsula  US Space Force deploys its first troops to Arabian Peninsula.

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 Space Force now has a squadron of 20 airmen stationed at Qatar's Al-Udeid Air Base in its first foreign deployment.  The force, pushed by President Donald Trump, represents the sixth branch of the US military and the first new military service since the creation of the Air Force in 1947. US imposes sanctions and restrictions on Iran  United States imposed a range of sanctions and restrictions on Iranian and Iranian-linked officials and entities after an effort over the weekend to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran was largely rejected.  US imposed sanctions on Iranians for violating a UN arms embargo.  The Trump Administration said it imposed sanctions on 27 individuals and entities under a UN resolution. U.S. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87  US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an iconic champion of women's rights, has died of cancer at the age of 87.  A prominent feminist, she became a figurehead for liberals in the US.  Ginsburg was the oldest justice and the second-ever woman to sit on the Supreme Court, where she served for 27 years. US to ban Chinese apps Tik Tok and WeChat  The United States has banned download of Chinese app TikTok and use of messaging and payment platform WeChat, saying they threaten national security.  The ban will come into effect from 20 Sept 2020.  Existing TikTok users will be able to continue using the app until November 12, 2020- when it will also face a full ban on its US operations. Mexico issues 'world's first' sovereign bond  Mexico has issued what it described as the world's first sovereign bond linked to the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, raising 750 million euros.  The bond is part of an emerging trend of debt issuance aimed at raising funds that attempt to tackle social, environmental and other issues.  The SDG bond will give a 1.350 per cent coupon rate. Queen Elizabeth II to be removed by Barbados  Queen Elizabeth II, who is the head of state in the UK and 15 Commonwealth realms, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, will be dropped as monarch by Barbados in 2021.  Before it celebrates its 55th independence anniversary from British in November 2021, Barbados will sever ties.  It will become the first country in almost three decades to sever ties with the British royal family. Israel, UAE and Bahrain sign historic pacts  Declaring “ the dawn of a new Middle East,” President Donald Trump presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.  The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of the Jewish state’s already thawing relations with the two Arab nations in line with their common opposition to Iran and its aggression in the region. China successfully launches nine satellites

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 China successfully launched a solid-propellant carrier rocket from a ship in the Yellow Sea, sending nine satellites into orbit, on 15 September 2020.  The Long March 11-HY2, the 10th member of the Long March 11 family blasted off from the Debo 3, a self- propelled deck barge that was modified for the mission.  The nine satellites belong to the Jilin-1 Gaofen 03-1 group. US blocks imports from four companies of China  Four companies and a manufacturing facility in northwestern China have been blocked from shipping their products to the US.  The US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) issued orders freezing imports from companies that produce cotton, clothing and computer parts in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China.  The US issues the orders under the 1930 Tariff Act. Bangladesh economy shows signs of recovery  The Bangladesh economy is showing early signs of recovery with the GDP expected to grow at 6.8% in the fiscal year 2021.  Inflation is expected to moderate to 5.5% and current account deficit is likely to narrow to 1.1% of GDP in FY 2021.  Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its latest report Asian Development Outlook 2020 has said Bangladesh's economy has started recovering from the pandemic. US signs cooperation deal with Maldives  The US has signed a framework for defence cooperation with the Maldives.  It has been signed to deepen engagement in support of maintaining peace and security in the strategic Indian Ocean.  The framework for defence and security relationship was signed in Philadelphia on September 10, 2020.  The Indo-Pacific comprises tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean. Israel imposes second lockdown  Israel’s cabinet voted to impose a second nationwide lockdown.  It is an attempt to tamp down a raging coronavirus outbreak that has seen the infection rate exceed 4,000 cases a day.  The second lockdown order comes despite appeals from both a business world warning of economic strangulation and the powerful ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trials resume  Clinical trials for the AstraZeneca Oxford coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, have resumed.  The clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the UK after the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority's confirmed that the trials were safe.  The human trials resumed days after a pause had been announced in the trials after an adverse reaction in one of the participants. Bahrain agrees to normalise ties with Israel  Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation to agree to normalise ties with Israel.  This is a part of a broader diplomatic push by US President Donald Trump and his administration to fully integrate the Jewish State into the Middle East. 46 | P a g e

 He announced the agreement following a 3-way phone call he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. UK signs post-Brexit trade deal with Japan  The UK has struck its first major post-Brexit trade pact after signing a deal with Japan that aims to boost trade between the countries by about £15bn.  Tt would bring "new wins" for British businesses in manufacturing, food and drink, and tech industries.  However, it would boost UK GDP by only 0.07%, a fraction of the trade that could be lost with the EU. UK Announces new student Visa Route  UK tabled points-based Student Route for visas in Parliament, for international students applying to study in Britain.  Students require a total of 70 points to be granted a visa.  They will achieve the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and are able to support themselves during their studies. ADB provides 50 mn dollar loan to Bangladesh  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Bangladesh signed a 50 million dollar loan agreement on 10 Sept 2020.  The agreement has been signed to promote, fund and implement public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects in the country.  The project will help Bangladesh to mobilise private investment, develop infrastructure projects and create jobs. US spacecraft named after Kalpana Chawla  Northrop Grumman, an American global aerospace and defence technology company, announced that its next Cygnus capsule will be named the “S.S. Kalpana Chawla”.  It is done in memory of the mission specialist who died with her six crewmates aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003.  She was the first India-born woman to enter space, for her key contributions to human spaceflight. Apple develops special face masks  Apple Inc. has developed masks that the company is beginning to distribute to corporate and retail employees to limit the spread of COVID-19.  The Apple Face Mask is the first created in-house by the company for its staff.  The mask looks unique with large coverings on the top and bottom for the wearer’s nose and chin.  It also has adjustable strings to fit around a person’s ears. Bangladesh launches a campaign  The Bangladesh govt has launched a campaign ‘Asol Chini’ or ‘real-sugar’ to fight fake information and rumour spreading on social media.  The Digital Security Agency of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department and the LICT project of the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) will jointly run the campaign.  A digital platform Durbar21.org has been created for this purpose. DBS: World's Best Bank for 3rd year in a row

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 DBS has been recognised as the World's Best Bank for the third year in a row.  DBS was also Global Finance's pick for 'Best Bank in the World' in 2018 and was named 'Global Bank of the Year' by The Banker.  In 2019, DBS was named 'World's Best Bank' by Euromoney.  The 2020 Global Finance title makes it the third consecutive year that DBS has been honoured with a Global Best Bank accolade. China lands its first reusable spacecraft  China has successfully launched and landed an experimental reusable spacecraft.  The spacecraft was launched on a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan launch centre in Mongolia.  Xinhua called the event an 'important breakthrough' in research of reusable spacecraft technology in China which can provide a more convenient and cheap way to travel back and forth from space for peaceful purposes. First batch of Sputnik V vaccine released  The first batch of the 'Gam-COVID-Vac' [Sputnik V] vaccine against COVID-19 has been released into civil circulation.  It is developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).  The Russian health ministry registered the first vaccine against COVID-19, named Sputnik V, on August 11, 2020. Third annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum  The third annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum will be held in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on 28 and 29 October 2020.  The United States government, in partnership with the Government of Vietnam, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the US-ASEAN Business Council, will sponsor the forum.  It will be conducted via a secure online conferencing platform. Serbia, Kosovo normalise economic ties  President Donald Trump has announced that Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to normalize economic ties as part of U.S.-brokered talks.  It includes Belgrade moving its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, and mutual recognition between Israel and Kosovo.  Kosovo will be the first majority-Muslim country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. WB cancels loan for Lebanon’s Bisri dam  The World Bank has canceled $244 million for the Bisri Dam project in Lebanon.  Initially approved by Lebanon’s government in 2015 at a total cost of $617 million, the dam had long sparked criticism from environmental activists.  Concerns about large infrastructure projects have spiked since the massive port explosion in Beirut on 4 August 2020 that killed more than 190 people. Wilmington: First World War II Heritage City

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 US President Donald Trump has announced Wilmington in southern US state North Carolina as the first World War II Heritage City.  It was announced at a ceremony held to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.  During the war, Wilmington was the site of the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, which built 243 ships in five years. World's 1st jump from solar-powered plane  A parachutist completed the world’s first jump from a solar-powered aircraft after the plane soared to a height of 1,520 metres (nearly 5,000 ft) over western Switzerland.  Parachutist Raphael Domjan reached a speed of 150 kilometres per hour during his jump, landing near the project base in Payerne.  Domjan, the instigator of the SolarStratos project, co-piloted the plane. Qatar to compete in 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup  World Cup host Qatar is set to play in the Gold Cup 2021 in the US after accepting an invitation from soccer’s governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean.  It will participate in the 2021 and 2023 tournaments as a guest under an MoU signed in Bahrain in 2017.  Qatar is the 2nd team from Asia to play in the Gold Cup after South Korea, which participated in 2000 and 2002. Japan to offer incentives to companies  Japanese manufacturers will now be eligible for subsidies if they shift production out of China to India or Bangladesh.  This is an expansion of a government program aimed at diversifying the country's supply chains.  The government has allocated 23.5 billion yen in 2020 supplemental budget for the subsidy to encourage companies to disperse their manufacturing sites across ASEAN region. Sanofi, GSK launch trial for a COVID vaccine  French drugmaker Sanofi and its British peer GSK have started a clinical trial for a protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate.  This vaccine candidate uses the same recombinant protein-based technology as one of Sanofi's seasonal influenza vaccines with GSK's established pandemic adjuvant technology.  The companies expect the first results on the vaccine by early Dec 2020. Google partners with Bangladesh  Google has partnered with the Bangladesh Water Development Board to bring the flood warning services to the country.  Google currently covers more than 40 million people in Bangladesh and it is working to expand its coverage to the whole of the country.  More than 65 per cent of people who receive advance flood warnings take action to protect themselves and their assets. WHO issues new treatment guidance  International clinical trials published have confirmed the hope that cheap, widely available steroid drugs can help seriously ill patients survive COVID-19.  Based on the new evidence, WHO has issued new treatment guidance. 49 | P a g e

 It has strongly recommended steroids to treat severely and critically ill patients, but not to those with mild disease. Maldives re-joins as member of CGF  Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced that the Maldives Commonwealth Games Association has been re-admitted as one of its members.  The Maldives had missed the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.  The resolution for the readmission of the Maldives was approved in a vote of the 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) in August 2020. China to unveil statue of Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis  China is set to unveil a bronze statue of Indian doctor Dwarkanath Kotnis.  He was one of 5 Indian physicians dispatched to China for medical assistance during the second Sino- Japanese war in 1938.  His memorials were also set in some of the Chinese cities in recognition of his services.  Late Chinese leader Mao Zedong had also praised his medical assistance. SpaceX launches Earth-observation satellite  SpaceX successfully launched an Earth-observation satellite for Argentina along with two small piggyback satellites on 30 Aug 2020.  The trio blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.  A used two-stage Falcon 9 rocket carried the SAOCOM-1B satellite aloft, marking the company’s 15th launch of 2020. Noor Inayat Khan to get memorial plaque  The house in Taviton Street, London, where Noor Inayat Khan once lived, got a blue plaque to commemorate the Indian-origin woman who worked as a spy for Britain during World War II.  She was the first woman radio operator to be infiltrated into occupied France in 1943 and worked under the code name ‘Madeleine'.  London’s famous Blue Plaques link historical figures with buildings in the city. Sleeping sickness eliminated by Togo  WHO has announced that the West African nation of Togo has eliminated human African trypanosomiasis or “sleeping sickness” as a public health problem.  It has become the first country in Africa to reach this milestone.  There are two forms of sleeping sickness.  The first, due to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, is found in 24 countries.  The second form, due to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

Person in News Ishmael Toroama elected Bougainville president  Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea.  Toroama is set to lead talks seeking independence.

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 Toroama was a commander in the secessionist Bougainville Revolutionary Army, and later worked on the peace and disarmament process. Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey takes retirement  In Bihar, the Director-General of Police (DGP) Gupteshwar Pandey has taken voluntary retirement with immediate effect.  The state government has granted his request, five months before the completion of his service tenure on February 28, 2021.  Additional Charge of DGP has been given to DG( Homeguard) S K Singhal. Udit Singhal in 2020 Class of Young Leaders  Udit Singhal has been named by the United Nations to the 2020 Class of 17 Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals.  It is highest-profile recognition opportunity at the world body for youngsters who are leading efforts to combat the world's most pressing issues.  He is the founder of Glass2Sand, a zero-waste ecosystem that addresses the growing menace of glass waste in Delhi. Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigns  Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Badal has resigned.  This is in protest of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.  Narendra Singh Tomar has taken the additional charge of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Nandana makes record for mirror-writing  A student hailing from Varkala has obtained a national record for fastest mirror-writing skills.  Devi Nandana (16), owned the record by writing 165 letters of the National Pledge in English in one minute.  She wrote 25 more letters than the current record which is 140 letters in one minute.  The video of the performance was sent to the India Book of Records authorities. US spacecraft named after Kalpana Chawla  Northrop Grumman, an American global aerospace and defence technology company, announced that its next Cygnus capsule will be named the “S.S. Kalpana Chawla”.  It is done in memory of the mission specialist who died with her six crewmates aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 2003.  She was the first India-born woman to enter space, for her key contributions to human spaceflight. Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize  United States President Donald Trump has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2021 for his role in brokering a deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.  The nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a Norwegian parliamentarian to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.  Earlier, Tybring-Gjedde nominated Trump for the award for his diplomatic efforts with North Korea. India's first-ever woman ambulance driver  A woman has been appointed as an ambulance driver in Tamil Nadu, claimed to be the first in the country. 51 | P a g e

 M Veeralakshmi was appointed driver of one of the newly launched '108' ambulances.  90 ambulances equipped with life-saving medical equipment and 10 high tech vehicles for use by 10 government blood banks for transporting blood collected in camps had been flagged off recently. 148th Birth Anniversary of 'Indian Helmsman'  5 Sept 2020 is the 148th Birth Anniversary of V O Chidambaranathan Pillai (VOC), also known as the "Indian Helmsman".  He started the first-ever indigenous shipping service between Tuticorin and Columbo.  He started the Swadeshi Navigation Company in 1906.  The Tuticorin port in Tamilnadu is named as VOC Port Trust in his memory.

Govt. Policies and Schemes Andhra Pradesh launches YSR Jala Kala scheme  In a bid to a roll out a green carpet on the uplands and arid terrain, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the 'YSR Jala Kala' scheme.  Under this, bore wells will be drilled to benefit small and medium farmers who have no open source of water for irrigation.  As per the official release, under the newly launched scheme bore wells will be drilled free of cost. Initiative to make Odisha slum free in 3 years  Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a slum up-gradation programme to make the state slum- free in 3 years.  The chief minister told this while launching the initiative through video conferencing from Balasore town.  The process will start immediately in 1,000 slums and then it will be scaled up to cover each and every slum. Vadodara sets up Rainwater Harvesting Projects  In a bid to conserve water, Vadodara has successfully set up rainwater harvesting projects in 1,000 government schools in the district.  The project named 'Varsha Jal Nidhi' which is completed at a total cost of Rs 6 crores has received grants from the public as well as private enterprises.  This made Vadodara, the first district in the country to have such facility in schools. Odisha launched ‘Odisha By Road’ campaign  Odisha tourism minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi launched the ‘Odisha By Road’ campaign in a bid to woo tourists back to Odisha amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Tourists can explore the state’s tourist circuit through its network of quality roads.  The minister also announced a campaign for promotion of Odia cuisine through a chain of authentic Odia cuisine restaurants named “Nimantran”. Assam govt to provide loan to entrepreneurs  Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has announced a new scheme under which loan up to ₹20 lakh with interest subsidy would be provided to entrepreneurs to revive the tourism industry.  Under the 'Paryatan Sanjeevani Scheme', loan between ₹1 lakh and ₹20 lakh will be extended to interested local youths to take up new initiatives.

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 As part of the scheme, the advances will be provided for five years. WB Cabinet clears scheme for Brahmin priests  West Bengal Cabinet gave its nod to the 'Rajya Purohit Kalyan Prokolpo' scheme.  In this scheme, a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 and free housing would be allotted to each of around 8,000 Sanatan Brahmin priests.  The Cabinet also approved a plan to form a development authority for converting Birsingha - the birthplace of polymath Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar - into an "educational tourist hub". 'Saubhagya' scheme completes three years  Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -“Saubhagya” has completed three years since its inception.  PM Narendra Modi had launched this scheme on the 25th of September, 2017 to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas.  The scheme was launched with an aim to achieve universal household electrification. Interest-free loan to rural street vendors  MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has deposited an interest-free loan amount of Rs 10,000 each in the accounts of around 10,000 rural street vendors.  The Mukhyamantri Street Vendor Scheme has been made for the street vendors residing in the villages and towns of MP.  Under this, working capital of up to Rs10,000 will be provided by the bank for small businessmen between 18 and 55 years of age. Poor women to get Rs 16,000: MP CM  MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that women from an economically weak background would get Rs 4,000 during pregnancy and Rs 12,000 after childbirth under Sambal Yojana.  The state govt has so far transferred Rs 80 crore to bank accounts of poor beneficiaries across 22 districts.  The govt would pay the school fees of children from economically weak sections under the yojana. Assam's scheme to boost rural connectivity  Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a rural transport scheme – “Mukhyamantrir Grammya Paribahan Achoni”.  He distributed vehicles under the scheme to numerous beneficiaries during a programme organised by the state transport department.  The scheme aims to improve rural connectivity and generate employment in the villages. ‘Mukhymantri Kisan Kalyan Yojana’ in MP  Mukhymantri Kisan Kalyan Yojana will be started in Madhya Pradesh on the lines of Pradhanmantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.  Under this scheme, additional financial assistance of Rs. 4,000 will be given to the eligible beneficiaries of Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi.  Apart from this, farmer-friendly schemes will be integrated into the state and implemented as a package. Haryana govt approves a new policy  The Haryana government has approved the ‘State Teacher Award Policy 2020'.  This policy will be deemed applicable from 29 August 2020 in place of the policy formulated in 2016. 53 | P a g e

 The teachers will be given awards under two categories.  First includes principal, headmaster, and PGT teachers.  While the second one includes primary teachers, head teacher and TGT teacher. Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkarsh Yojana  Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkarsh Yojana has been launched in Gujarat for all women in the state who want to get a loan for up to Rs 1,00,000 on a zero per cent interest rate.  This opportunity is available for all of the women who are employed under self-help groups.  For this, joint liability and earning group (JLEG) of women will be formed in the state.  Each JLEG group will have 10 members. 'Arthika Spandana’ loan disbursal scheme  Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa has launched the “Arthika Spandana” programme of disbursing loans to the tune of ₹ 39,300 cr through various cooperative institutions.  Under this, ₹15,300 cr would be disbursed to the agriculture sector while a sum of ₹24,000 cr would be earmarked for the non-agricultural sector.  The primary agricultural cooperatives would be upgraded as multi-service centres. Gujarat CM announces subsidy schemes  Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani has announced an assistance scheme to encourage the use of battery-operated two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the state.  The announcement was made to check air pollution in the state.  Gujarat Government will provide a subsidy of 12,000 rupees to school students studying in Standard-9th to colleges for battery-operated two-wheelers. Road accident insurance scheme launched  Maharastra government launched a new road accident insurance scheme named after late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray.  It will provide timely treatment to victims that could help to reduce the fatality rate.  Under the Balasaheb Thackeray Accidental Insurance Scheme, an accident victim will be provided treatment in nearby hospitals in the first 72 hours of the incident. 37 lakh families to get ration in MP: Chouhan  Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated 'Anna Utsav' under Annapurna Yojana which will benefit 37 lakh families who were without ration cards.  Under the scheme, the beneficiaries will get rice, wheat and salt at Rs 1 per kg.  Every beneficiary will get 5 kg of food grains per month.  The government is going to start the Sambhal scheme for paying education fee of poor students. Odisha to implement E-Muster Roll  The Odisha Government launched the e-muster roll so that the payment of wages to workers will be done without any delay.  It will also restrict manipulation.  The e-muster roll will help to control the minimum wages and appropriate deposit of ESI and EPF dues from 2nd October 2020.  The wages will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the labourers. 54 | P a g e

NABARD to implement new loan scheme  The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development - NABARD - will be implementing a new loan scheme.  This will be for women's self-help groups to start production of value-added food products like chips, pickles, jams etc starting from October 2, 2020.  This was announced by NABARD Chairman G R Chinthala in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu. PMGKP Insurance Scheme extended for 6 months  The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19 has been extended for another six months.  It was announced on 30th March 2020 for a period of 90 days and it was extended for a further period of 90 days up to 25th September 2020.  This Central Sector Scheme provides an insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakh to healthcare providers. E-learning project to start in Goa anganwadis  Goa's development department said it would introduce e-learning in anganwadis in the state.  Minister Vishwajit Rane said a pilot project will be launched in anganwadis in Sattari and Ponda with the support of private firms Siemens and ConveGenius.  The educational software is in Konkani and English and the digital set up will have smart TVs and tablets. Odisha government launches “GARIMA” scheme  Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched “GARIMA” a new Scheme to ensure Safety and Dignity of Core Sanitation Workers of the State.  Under this scheme, about 20,000 core sanitation workers and their families covering one lakh population are likely to be benefitted.  The scheme will be implemented in all the 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Odisha. Punjab CM rolls out smart ration card scheme  Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced a separate state-funded scheme to provide subsidised ration to nine lakh beneficiaries not covered under the National Food Security Act.  With this, the total number of beneficiaries in the state will go up to 1.5 crores.  He said the scheme would help curb corruption and give freedom to the beneficiaries to buy ration from any depot. My family-My responsibility campaign  In a bid to fight against the novel Coronavirus, the state government of Maharashtra has come up with a new campaign 'My family-My responsibility'.  Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced the campaign stating that people living in the state will have to take responsibility on their own to combat COVID-19 infection.  The CM asked people to wear masks. Andhra Pradesh CM launches ‘YSR Asara’  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the ‘YSR Asara’ scheme.  It will benefit 87 lakh women belonging to 8.71 lakh self-help groups (SHGs).

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 The scheme promises to deposit money in the bank accounts of eligible women, amounting to Rs 27,168 crore in total, in four instalments.  He released the first instalment of Rs 6,792 crore on 11 Sept 2020. India Post launches Five Star Villages Scheme  The Department of Posts has launched a scheme called Five Star Villages, to ensure universal coverage of flagship postal schemes in rural areas of the country.  The scheme seeks to bridge the gaps in public awareness and reach of postal products and services, especially in interior villages.  All postal products and services will be made available and marketed and publicized at village level. Health insurance scheme for residents of J-K  Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced a universal health insurance scheme, on the lines of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat, to cover the entire population of the Union territory.  It will cost Rs 123 crore.  The scheme will provide health insurance cover free of cost to all residents and shall include the serving and retired employees and their families as well. Rupani launches Welfare Scheme For Farmers  Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched a welfare scheme for farmers with seven components designed for their overall development.  The scheme covers seven welfare components such as cow-based organic farming, economic upliftment of farmers, adoption of new crop varieties and distribution of Agri equipment to small and marginalised farmers. Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-ANIC Initiative  Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog launched the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-Atal New India Challenges' programme.  It will spur applied research and innovation in Indian MSMEs and startups.  The programme will be driven by ISRO, four ministries—Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Food Processing Industries; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. PM Modi digitally launches PMMSY  PM Narendra Modi digitally launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) on 10 Sept 2020.  He also inaugurated the e-Gopala App, a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers.  The PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of fisheries sector in the country with an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crore. MP govt to expand Deendayal Rasoi scheme  The MP cabinet has approved setting up 44 more centres in different towns to provide nutritious and quality food for the poor at Rs 10 per plate under the Deendayal Antyoday Rasoi Scheme (DARS).  Overall, 100 centres will be operated under the scheme.  Departments of Food and Civil Supplies and Urban Development will implement this scheme.

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Assam CM inaugurates 329 schemes  Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal on 8 Sept 2020 took part in the fifth foundation day programme of river island Majuli district at Dariapar in Majuli.  It was on this day in 2016, the present state govt had declared Majuli as a district only after 3 months of assuming power.  The CM also inaugurated a total of 329 schemes under various departments worth 121 crore rupees. Andhra Pradesh launches Nutrition Schemes  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched two nutrition schemes 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana' and 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus'.  Schemes aim at providing nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children.  About 30.16 lakh mothers and children will benefit from the two schemes.  Over 52.9% of pregnant women across the state are suffering from acute anaemia. Tamil Nadu government releases a policy  Tamil Nadu govt has announced a new electronics & hardware manufacturing policy.  It will increase the State's electronics industry output to $100 billion by 2025.  The state hopes to contribute 25% of India’s total electronic exports to the world by 2025.  The policy also undertakes skill training for more than 1,00,000 people by 2024 to meet the incremental human resource requirement. Maharashtra government approves a policy  The Maharashtra cabinet has approved an agro-tourism policy aimed at empowering farmers.  The highlight of the policy would be rural development through tourism, making available market for agriculture produce, encouraging agriculture allied business, providing employment opportunities to women and youth in rural areas.  It would also provide a platform to showcase folk art and culture. Assam govt re-launches SVAYEM scheme  The Assam govt re-launched a scheme to provide self-employment to around 2 lakh youths of the state.  Known as Swami Vivekananda Assam Youth Empowerment (SVAYEM), it would provide Rs 50,000 each as seed money to selected youths to start business ventures.  Those seeking to avail benefits of the scheme will be able to register themselves at a new portal which will be launched on Sept 16, 2020. Ladakh, Lakshadweep join ONORC scheme  Ladakh and Lakshadweep have joined the Centre's ration card portability scheme 'One Nation-One Ration Card'.  This has taken the total number of states and Union territories linked with the scheme to 26.  Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will be able to avail their entitled foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS). Cabinet gives nod to 'Mission Karmayogi'  Cabinet gave its nod to Mission Karmayogi - National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building.

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 The scheme will lay the foundation for capacity building for Civil Servants so they remain entrenched in Indian culture while they learn from best practices across the world.  It aims to prepare the Indian Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative and innovative.

Science and Tech Android App that can analyse COVID-19 Genome  A new genome sequencing app has been developed by scientists that can analyse the genome of SARS-CoV- 2 within minutes.  The app named Genopo is available for download on Google Play Store.  According to a study published in the journal Communications Biology, Genopo app took less than 30 minutes to determine the complete genome sequence of the human coronavirus. NASA to Launch toilet to ISS  NASA is set to launch a $23 million advanced bathroom to the International Space Station.  The toilet is scheduled to launch, along with other cargo, on Northrop Grumman's contract resupply mission to ISS from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on September 29.  The new space toilet called the Universal Waste Management System will be smaller, more comfortable and support a larger crew 5 amphibians added to MP's fauna list  A study conducted by researchers from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, on amphibians in the central Indian Panna Tiger Reserve has come up with a list of five species hitherto undocumented in this region.  The researchers, apart from compiling an amphibian inventory of this region, have recorded a call library of 11 species.  They also obtained molecular confirmation of cryptic species. NEHU innovators develop a machine  A team of innovators of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has developed a book sanitisation machine to deal with COVID-19 infections through books.  It functions in an auto-controlled mode to sanitise all kinds of reading materials without causing any kind of damage to the material.  The machine can sanitise up to 150 books in one cycle of about 45 mins at a cost of 20 paise per book. World's First Bionic Eye  Scientists at Monash University, Australia claims that they have built a system through which blind people would be able to see again.  According to them, this is the world's first bionic eye.  The bionic eye dubbed 'Gennaris bionic vision system' has been under development for nearly a decade now.  It works by bypassing damaged optic nerves to allow signals to be transmitted from the retina. First giant exoplanet discovered  Astronomers have discovered the first giant planet of the size of Jupiter orbiting around a dead star.

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 It is the first time ever that a still intact exoplanet has been discovered orbiting around a white dwarf as the gravity from a white dwarf breaks apart any nearby planets.  This giant planet is called WD 1586 b. Astronomers discovered Phosphine in Venus  An international team of astronomers discovered phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus.  This leads to the possibility of the presence of lifeforms on the planet.  Apart from being produced in industrial processes, phosphine, a colourless but smelly gas, is known to be made only by some species of bacteria that survive in the absence of oxygen.  It was published in Nature Astronomy. IIM Kozhikode launches wearable gadget  IIM Kozhikode based incubated start-up has come up with a unique user-friendly wearable device.  The device alarms proximity for helping implement social distancing norms.  Known as the Veli Band, this wearable device has been developed by Qual5 India Pvt. Ltd, a startup co- founded by woman entrepreneur Kiranmayee.  Veli band is omnidirectional and comes with a rechargeable battery. AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trials resume  Clinical trials for the AstraZeneca Oxford coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, have resumed.  The clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the UK after the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority's confirmed that the trials were safe.  The human trials resumed days after a pause had been announced in the trials after an adverse reaction in one of the participants. Unique Supernova explosion discovered  One-hundred million light-years away from Earth, an unusual supernova is exploding.  That exploding star -- which is known as "Supernova LSQ14fmg" -- was the faraway object discovered by a 37-member international research team led by Florida State University (FSU) Assistant Professor of Physics Eric Hsiao.  Their research was published in The Astrophysical Journal. KG basin, an excellent source of fuel methane  A study conducted by researchers at the Agharkar Research Institute has found that the methane hydrate deposits located in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin are of biogenic origin.  The methane hydrate deposit is a rich source that will ensure adequate supplies of methane.  Methane hydrate is formed when hydrogen-bonded water and methane gas comes into contact at high pressures and low temp. Indigenous device for preventing blood clot  Scientists have come up with a device that can facilitate the flow of blood from the veins in the legs thus preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).  The device can bring relief to patients affected by prolonged immobility, bedridden state, post-operative immobilization, etc.  A team from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum (SCTIMST) has developed it. 59 | P a g e

First batch of Sputnik V vaccine released  The first batch of the 'Gam-COVID-Vac' [Sputnik V] vaccine against COVID-19 has been released into civil circulation.  It is developed by Russia's Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).  The Russian health ministry registered the first vaccine against COVID-19, named Sputnik V, on August 11, 2020. Indian scientists develop an approach  Scientists have developed a machine learning-based solution that can help in automatic interpretation of data.  Scientists from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology(WIHG) have developed a neural-based (machine learning-based) practical approach for automatic interpretation of 3D seismic data.  This 1st of its kind approach has been developed by computing a new attribute called meta-attribute. Mammoth collision of black holes detected  The most massive black hole collision ever detected has been directly observed by the LIGO and VIRGO Scientific Collaboration.  It includes scientists from the Australian National University (ANU).  The short gravitational-wave signal, GW190521 came from two highly spinning, mammoth black holes weighing in at a massive 85 times and 66 times the mass of the Sun, respectively. Method for disposal of respiratory secretion  The researchers at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), have come up with a method for safe handling and disposal of respiratory secretions in hospitals for ICU patients.  They have developed canister bags lined with super-absorbent material containing an effective disinfectant, named AcryloSorb.  Secretions are sucked into canisters using vacuum line. Low ozone over Brahmaputra River Valley  Researchers have found that the concentration of near-surface ozone in Brahmaputra river valley in the North-East corner of India is low compared to the other urban locations in India.  Scientists at the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital conducted the research.  The present work has been published recently in the journal ‘Atmospheric Pollution Research’. Portable Sterilization unit developed  Scientists have developed a portable sterilisation unit using a new technology called the hybrid sterilization system that can decontaminate PPE.  It can be used by health professionals and other COVID warriors and can prevent the generation of hazardous solid waste from PPEs.  IIT Tirupati (IITT) and IISER Tirupati have jointly developed the Portable Optical Cavity Sterilization Unit (POSCU). IIT Delhi startup launches ‘‘Chakr DeCoV’’

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 IIT Delhi incubated startup Chakr Innovation has launched ‘Chakr DeCoV’ to decontaminate N95 masks.  Designed in the shape of a cabinet, Chakr DeCoV is built with an innovative decontamination mechanism, which utilises the high penetrability of Ozone gas for cleaning the pores of the N95 mask.  Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent that destroys viruses by diffusing through the protein coat. SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites  SpaceX launched its 12th Starlink satellite mission.  Falcon 9 took off from Kennedy Space Center at 8:46 am.  The payload included 60 new satellites, bringing the total in orbit to 713.  The launch is the second in five days for the California-based rocket builder.  The satellites have shown 'super-low latency and download speeds greater than 100 Mbps. IISc researchers develop a printing technique  The researchers at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering in the Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Science have developed a low cost, on-demand printing technique.  It replaces the nozzles of an inkjet printer with a mesh-covered chemically treated nanowires that repel water.  This is useful for 3D printing of living cells, ceramic materials, electronic circuits and machine components. JNCASR researchers develop diagnostic therapy  Researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research have developed a theranostics (diagnostic therapy) drug candidate for lung cancer.  The research work funded jointly by DST, BRICS Multilateral R&D Projects grant, and SwarnaJayanti Fellowship Grant was published in the journal Theranostics.  Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Indian astronomers discover a galaxy  Indian astronomers have discovered one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe in a landmark achievement.  India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory 'AstroSat' has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth.  The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of Astronomers led by Dr Kanak Saha. CSIR-CMERI develops World’s Largest Solar Tree  The CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has claimed to have developed the world’s largest solar tree.  It has been installed at its residential complex in Durgapur in West Bengal.  The installed capacity of the solar tree is above 11.5 kWp (kilowatts peak).  It has the annual capacity to generate 12,000-14,000 units of clean and green power. IIT Bombay students launch Scanning Apps  2 final year B.Tech students pursuing Civil Engineering at IIT Bombay have launched AIR Scanner, a free-of- cost document-scanning mobile application.  The AI-based Reading Assistant and Document Scanner app is developed by Rohit Kumar Chaudhary and Kavin Agrawal.

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 AIR Scanner app does not collect any information about the user and all the documents are stored in the phone’s local storage.

Business and Economy RBI to implement Positive Pay System  The RBI has come up with a positive pay system for cheque payments to prevent cases of banking fraud.  It will be implemented from January 1, 2021.  Customers will now have to furnish details of cheques like name of the beneficiary, payee, amount to the drawee bank and date through available means, SMS, internet banking or ATM and mobile app. S&P predicts GDP to contract 9% in FY21  India's GDP will experience a record contraction in FY21 due to the COVID crisis, according to S&P Global Ratings.  S&P expects the economy to contract 9% in FY21 though there will be a sharp pick up to 10% growth in FY22 due to the base effect.  S&P pegged the combined central and state fiscal deficit at 12.5% of GDP along with public debt at 90% this fiscal year. Infosys’s analytics business is worth $3 bn  Infosys’s data and analytics (DNA) practice, which started five years ago, has grown into a nearly $3 billion service line, employing over 20,000 employees.  The revenue is almost a quarter of the company’s total business.  DNA has a classic (legacy) and super niches (digital) as part of its portfolio. Kolkata Port Trust to invest at least Rs 40 Cr  The Kolkata Port Trust rechristened as the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port is investing in digital technologies.  It has lined up at least 40 crore rupees for various projects to bolster ease of doing business.  The port authorities are undertaking an ambitious project to develop an integrated e-marketplace to facilitate coastal shipping. ADB gives loan for MP Urban Services Project  The Asian Development Bank has approved Rs 1,988 crore loan for the construction of water supply and integrated storm water and sewage management infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.  The loan is an additional financing intended to scale up the scope of the Madhya Pradesh urban services improvement project.  The project will receive support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. GMR Infra sells entire stake in Kakinada SEZ  GMR Infrastructure announced signing of agreements for sale of entire 51% equity owned by its wholly- owned subsidiary GMR SEZ and Port Holding in Kakinada SEZ to Aurobindo Realty and Infrastructure.  100% equity stake of Kakinada Gateway Port held by KSEZ will be transferred to Aurobindo Realty.  Total consideration for the sale of equity stake as well as sub-debt in KSEZ is Rs 2,610 crore. Additional financial resources to five states

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 Union Finance Ministry has granted permission to raise additional financial resources of Rs. 9,913 crore to five states through Open Market Borrowings.  These states are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Karnataka and Tripura.  Karnataka can raise Rs. 4,509 cr whereas Andhra Pradesh Rs. 2,525 cr.  Telangana is permitted to borrow Rs. 2,508 cr while Goa Rs. 223 crore and Tripura Rs. 148 crore. Airtel picks up a stake in startup Waybeo  Bharti Airtel has picked up a 10% stake in Waybeo Technology Solutions with a focus on deep AI analytics for cloud telephony.  The deal, which is a part of the Airtel Startup Accelerator Programme, would enable Waybeo to earn larger distribution reach.  The tie-up with Airtel would help the telecom company use the startup's telephone-based AI services. India's NSE, Singapore's SGX finalise a tie-up  India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Singapore Exchange Ltd have finalised a derivatives tie-up.  They have ended arbitration proceedings relating to a 2018 dispute on SGX's launch of an index derivative.  The tie-up aims to bring trading of the SGX's Nifty futures contract, based on the NSE's blue-chip Nifty 50 index, to GIFT City, an international financial centre in western India. Harley-Davidson exits India  Harley-Davidson would discontinue its sales and manufacturing operations in India after a decade of unsuccessful efforts to gain a foothold.  The move involves $75 million in restructuring costs, some 70 redundancies and the closure of its Bawal plant in Haryana.  The departure is also the latest setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategy to encourage domestic manufacturing. Tech Mahindra sells Altiostar stake  Tech Mahindra has sold its entire stake in US-based Altiostar Networks to Rakuten for $45 million.  This has made the Japanese company a majority shareholder in the virtualised radio access network (RAN) technology firm, according to a BSE filing.  In 2018, Tech Mahindra invested $15 million for a 17.5% stake in the vRAN firm as part of the US-based company’s $114 million Series C fund raise. Hero Motors Company to invest Rs 500 crores  Hero Motors Company will invest Rs 400-500 crore in its European bicycle and electric bike businesses.  The group will utilise the resources to scale up operations of its existing businesses in the UK and Europe, and to acquire a new company in the continent for which talks are underway.  The company aims to attain a 5% share in the global e-bike market in the next 2-3 years. J&K Industries launches procurement of Cocoons  J&K Industries Limited has launched procurement of Cocoons in the ongoing Cocoon auction being conducted by the Sericulture Department in the Kashmir division.  It would be procuring around 50000 kg of cocoons worth Rs. 4 crores directly from the Cocoon rearers in the auction.

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 JKI has already carried out similar interventions in the Jammu Division where 60000 kg of cocoon has been procured. Indian Oil to invest ₹17,825 crore  Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will invest ₹17,825 crores in raising the capacity of its Gujarat refinery as well as setting up a petrochemical plant at the unit.  This is a part of its plans for upscaling petchem business to protect margins.  The project envisages raising the capacity of the Vadodara refinery in Gujarat from 13.7 million tonnes per annum to 18 million tonnes. Haryana to sell farm produce at 1% fee  The Haryana govt has decided to sell all the farm produce at a 1% fee in the market.  Previously it was a 4 per cent fee.  This comes after the Parliament passed three farm bills during the monsoon session.  The discussions on how to run the markets smoothly in the wake of the three farm bills, passed by the Parliament, has also been done. SBI Card partners with Google Pay  SBI Card announced a collaboration with Google to enable customers to use their cards on Google Pay platform.  Users will now be able to make card payments using Google Pay app on their Android smartphones in 3 modes - via tap-and-pay at near field communication-enabled POS terminals, by scanning Bharat QR code at the merchant as well as online payments without using the physical credit card. PSBs report frauds worth over ₹19,964 crores  Reserve Bank of India told that PSBs reported frauds worth over ₹19,964 crores in total 2,867 cases during the April-June quarter of 2020-2021.  The country's largest lender SBI saw the highest number of fraud cases; however, Bank of India was the worst hit in terms of value.  Of the 12 PSBs, SBI reported the maximum 2,050 fraud cases involving ₹2,325.88 crores during April-June 2020. KVG Bank launches new gold loan scheme  Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank has launched a new gold loan scheme “Vikas Laghu Suvarna’.  The new scheme with an interest rate as low as 7.25% has been launched to cater to customers who required easy and affordable credit.  Under the new scheme, 80% of the market value would be given to the customers subject to a maximum of ₹3,200 per gram and a maximum loan of ₹15 lakh would be given. Canara Bank introduces i-Lead 2.0 initiative  Canara Bank has introduced a lead management system(LMS) named as i-Lead 2.0(Inspiring Leads System version 2.0).  This new initiative is being introduced with the motive of building and sustaining Business Relationship with both, New Customers to Bank (NTB) and Existing Customers to Bank.  It will cater to the masses with the easiest and most comfortable ways of reaching out to the bank.

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ICICI Home Finance launches a scheme  ICICI Home Finance has launched a new loan scheme ‘Apna Ghar Dreamz’, with credit amount in the range of Rs 2 lakh to 50 lakh, for skilled workers employed in the informal sector in Delhi.  The scheme is meant for skilled workers such as carpenters, plumbers, etc.  The customers should have a minimum account balance of Rs 1,500 for a loan up to 5 lakh and Rs 3,000 for loan above 5 lakh. Bandhan Bank sets up a new vertical  Bandhan Bank has created a new vertical — Emerging Entrepreneurs Business (EEB) — to serve unbanked and underbanked entrepreneurs.  In addition to microloans, the vertical will also manage micro home loan, micro bazaar loan and micro- enterprise loan.  To spearhead EEB, the city-based bank has recently appointed Kumar Ashish as executive President and head of EEB. Centre increases FDI limit in defence to 74%  The Central govt has increased the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector from 49 to 74% under automatic route and beyond 74 per cent through the government route.  This will enhance Ease of Doing Business and contribute to growth of investment, income and employment.  Foreign investments in the defence sector will be subject to scrutiny on grounds of national security. Amazon India makes all-women delivery station  E-commerce major Amazon India has set up an all-women delivery station in Kadi, Gujarat - its second such facility in the country.  The new all-women delivery station is part of the company's efforts towards increasing participation of women in the workforce.  In 2016, the company had launched its first all-women delivery station in India, with its partner in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Apple’s first online store in India  Apple’s first online retail channel in India will go live on September 23, 2020.  This is the first time the company is opening a first-party retail channel in the country.  So far, Apple has sold products in India through e-commerce and offline partners.  The online store will also include its local contact centre, which provides support and services to Indian customers — for the first time. ICICI Prudential MF launches 'ESG Fund'  ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has launched ICICI Prudential ESG Fund.  It is an open-ended equity scheme which encourages sustainable investing, by investing in companies following Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) theme.  Companies will be assigned a composite ESG score based on the factors mentioned and exposure will be taken in companies by assessing them on the mentioned factors. Tencent increases its stake in Flipkart

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 Tencent has invested $62.8 million in Flipkart through the Indian e-commerce giant’s Singapore-based parent entity Flipkart Pte.  The fresh infusion is likely a part of Flipkart’s $1.2 billion round that was led by Walmart in July this year.  Walmart had already infused $660.25 million in July.  With the latest funding tranche, Flipkart has raised a total of $731.20 million in 2020. HCL Tech in top 10 most valuable firms  HCL Technologies Ltd has replaced ITC Ltd, to become the nation's 10th most valued firm by market capitalisation on BSE.  According to BSE, HCL Technologies' market capitalisation stood at ₹2.21 trillion, with its shares trading at a record high of ₹810.95 on the BSE.  The IT major's shares have risen nearly 43.3% so far in 2020.  ITC has a market cap of ₹2.20 trillion. Sundaram Mutual launches large cap equity fund  Sundaram Mutual has launched an open-ended large-cap equity scheme, Sundaram Bluechip Fund.  This New Fund Offer will open for subscription on September 17 and will close on September 30, 2020.  The scheme will reopen for ongoing subscription and redemption from October 14, 2020.  According to Sebi, a large-cap fund has to invest in the top 100 stocks on the basis of market capitalisation. Wipro to provide support to Intel  Wipro would provide engineering services support for commercialization of solutions built on Intel’s OpenNESS toolkit.  The Open Network Edge Services Software (OpenNESS) is a multi-access edge computing (MEC) software toolkit that was developed by Intel.  It allows developers to create and deploy applications at the network edge or on-premise edge locations. Chemcon Speciality Chemicals to launch IPOs  Chemcon Speciality Chemicals will launch their initial public offering on 21 Sept'20.  IPOs of Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) and Chemcon Speciality Chemicals will be open for public subscription on Sept 21 and close on Sept 23, 2020.  The estimated CAMS' IPO size is between ₹1,500 crore to ₹1600 cr, while Chemcon Speciality Chemicals' initial share-sale is expected to fetch ₹350 cr. Limited export of Hilsa fish to India  Bangladesh Commerce Ministry has given special permission for traders to export Hilsa fish to India on a limited scale in view of the forthcoming Durga Puja.  The Ministry has allowed nine exporters to send a total of approximately 1,500 tonnes of Hilsa to India.  The first consignment of Hilsa was reported to have been sent to India on 14 Sept 2020.  The export will be allowed till 10 Oct'20. Govt bans export of all varieties of onions  Union Government has banned the export of all varieties of onions with immediate effect.  The move is aimed at increasing availability and checking the price of the commodity in the domestic market.  The DGFT, under the Commerce Ministry, deals with exports and imports-related issues. 66 | P a g e

 The provisions under transitional arrangement shall not be applicable under this notification. Govt seeks an approval from Parliament  The union finance ministry has sought Parliament’s approval to infuse ₹20,000 crores into public sector banks (PSBs).  The step assumes significance as capital infusion will provide support to state-owned lenders.  Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 14 September 2020 tabled the first batch of supplementary demand for grants in the Parliament. Google eliminated entire carbon legacy  Google CEO, Sundar Pichai announced that the company has become one of the first to eliminate their entire carbon legacy.  The company had earlier become carbon neutral in 2007.  This means the search giant's net carbon footprint is now zero.  By 2030, Google hopes to run all its business on carbon-free energy. Entrepreneur First to invest in 6 startups  UK-based investor Entrepreneur First (EF) is backing 6 Indian deep tech startups, as part of its third cohort.  It has invested a pre-seed amount of $55,000 in them.  Co-founded in London in 2011 by Matt Clifford, EF entered India in 2019 to promote tech startups in the country.  It has supported over 200 founders and invested in 20 Indian tech startups in the 18 months since its launch. Razorpay launched Cash Advance  In a bid to rescue MSMEs and improve their cash flows, Razorpay has launched a collateral free line of credit called Cash Advance.  MSMEs can borrow working capital with a credit limit of Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh, within 10 seconds through the Razorpay dashboard, depending upon the credit history of the business.  Cash Advance uses merchants payment history to approve a credit offer. BoI launches ‘Signature Visa Debit Card’  Bank of India (BoI) has launched “Signature Visa Debit Card” for the affluent/high net worth individuals maintaining an average quarterly balance of ₹10 lakhs and above.  This international contactless debit card will be available in metal and plastic variants.  This card will have a spending limit of up to ₹5 lakhs on POS & e-commerce and ₹1 lakh on ATM. New guidelines for functioning of bank CCO  Reserve Bank of India issued new rules for the appointment and function of Chief Compliance Officer at banks.  The central bank said banks are required to have an effective compliance culture, independent corporate compliance function and a strong compliance risk management programme at bank and group level.  The CCO shall be appointed for a minimum fixed tenure of not less than three years. RIL crosses $200 bn market cap

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 Reliance Industries became the first Indian company to surpass $200 billion in market capitalisation (m- cap).  RIL had an m-cap of Rs 15.3 trillion ($208 billion).  Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is a distant second, with an m-cap of Rs 8.75 trillion, ($119 billion).  Ambani has, meanwhile, cemented his place as Asia's richest, and the world's seventh richest. Mastercard launches a platform  Mastercard has released a platform that allows central banks to test how proposed central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) would work in real life.  The new protocol would help financial institutions understand the feasibility of CBDCs and allow them to explore new use cases, including issuance at a local or regional level.  They can further evaluate compatibilities with existing payment rails. ORIX Corp to invest in Greenko Energy Holdings  In the single largest foreign investment in India’s clean energy space, Japan’ ORIX Corp. is set to invest $980 million in Greenko Energy Holdings for a ‘significant minority stake'.  The deal will add 873 MW of Orix’ operating wind assets to Greenko’s portfolio and will add $100 million to Greenko’s EBITDA in the first year.  The deal will peg Greenko’s equity value at $5.75 billion. Doorstep Banking Services launched  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated Doorstep Banking Services by Public Sector Banks on 9 Sept 2020.  She also participated in the awards ceremony to felicitate best performing banks on EASE Banking Reforms Index.  Bank of Baroda, SBI, and Oriental Bank of Commerce were felicitated for being the top 3 in the ‘Top Performing Banks’ category according to the EASE 2.0 Index Results. SBI planning to launch loan product ‘SAFAL’  State Bank of India is planning to launch a loan product, SAFAL, primarily focussed on organic cotton growers who don’t have any credit history.  The bank is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in a big way for generating business.  This was announced by SBI MD C S Setty at a Fintech conference organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Invesco MF launches 'Focused 20 Equity Fund'  Invesco Mutual Fund has launched a new fund 'Invesco India Focused 20 Equity Fund'.  It is an open-ended equity scheme investing in maximum 20 stocks across market capitalization, i.e., multi- cap.  Invesco India Focused 20 Equity Fund seeks to generate capital appreciation by investing in up to 20 stocks with a flexibility to move across the market capitalization range. ICICI Bank launches 'iStartup2.0'  ICICI Bank has launched -‘iStartup2.0’ - a programme for startups that takes care of their banking as well as beyond-banking needs.

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 ‘iStartup2.0’ offers customers an eponymous Current Account which is available in three variants--Platinum, Gold and Silver-- the widest range by any Bank for start-ups.  New businesses (up to 10 years) old can opt for the Current Account. EPFO to pay 8.5% interest during 2019-20  The Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on 9 Sept 2020 chaired the 227th Meeting of the Central Board of Trustees of Employees' Provident Fund.  The Central Board has recommended the same interest rate at 8.50 per cent to the Central Government.  It would comprise of 8.15 per cent from debt income and balance 0.35 per cent capital gain from the sale of Exchange Traded Funds. Mahindra Insurance Brokers launches PayBima  Mahindra Insurance Brokers (MIBL) has launched a digital insurance portal called PayBima that will help customers directly buy insurance policies online.  PayBima will provide end-to-end services from product sales to servicing and claims.  Customers will be able to buy a car, two-wheeler, health and life insurance products on it.  The company is setting up a separate team for this portal. Silver Lake to invest in Reliance Retail  American private equity firm Silver Lake will invest Rs 7,500 crore in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited for 1.75 per cent equity stake.  The fresh investment values Reliance Retail at an equity value of Rs 4.21 lakh crore.  It will be the second billion-dollar investment by Silver Lake in a Reliance Industries subsidiary after the investment of $1.35 billion in Jio Platforms earlier this year. Asset monetization of subsidiaries of PGCIL  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved Asset Monetization of subsidiaries of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited- POWERGRID through Infrastructure Investment Trust.  It has given approval to POWERGRID to undertake monetization of its Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) assets, held in existing Special Purpose Vehicle (SPVs), through Infrastructure Investment Trust. Standard Chartered fined $13.6 million  India’s anti-money laundering agency has fined Standard Chartered Plc 1 billion rupees ($13.6 mn).  It was fined for breaking foreign exchange rules when it worked on the takeover of a local bank, marking one of the country’s biggest penalties imposed on an overseas lender.  An eight-year probe found that Standard Chartered violated the foreign exchange management act, during 2007. Silver Lake invests in Byju’s  Byju’s has raised $500 million in a fresh round of funding led by private equity investor Silver Lake.  Silver Lake's investment into Byju's comes shortly after the investor picked up a 0.93% stake in telecom major Reliance Jio for ₹4,546.8 cr in Aug 2020.  The new round values Byju’s at $10.8 billion, up from its last valuation at $10.5 billion. RBI announces Open Market Operation

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 RBI will conduct simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under the Open Market Operation (OMO) for Rs 10,000 cr each on Sept 10, 2020.  It would be selling three securities totalling Rs 10,000 crore and also purchasing an equal number of securities of the same amount.  The second tranche of the auction would be conducted on September 17, 2020. Samsung wins $6.6 billion Verizon order  Samsung Electronics has won a $6.64 billion order to provide wireless communication solutions to Verizon in the United States.  It is a major win for the South Korean firm in the next-generation 5G network market.  Samsung winning the order from Verizon would help the company expand its telecom equipment business abroad, potentially giving leverage to negotiate with other countries. Maharashtra government approves a policy  The Maharashtra cabinet has approved an agro-tourism policy aimed at empowering farmers.  The highlight of the policy would be rural development through tourism, making available market for agriculture produce, encouraging agriculture allied business, providing employment opportunities to women and youth in rural areas.  It would also provide a platform to showcase folk art and culture. Paytm Money surpasses Zerodha  Paytm Money claims to have reached a customer base of 6.6 million, surpassing Zerodha, one of the largest retail brokerage firms in the country, by volume.  Vijay Shekhar Sharma-owned company, which completed two years of operations, said 70% of its user-base is first- time investors.  Zerodha, on the other hand, claims to have 3 million users, of which 65% are first-time investors. Vodafone Idea announces integration  Vodafone Idea Ltd on 7 Sept 2020, has announced its integration into one brand called 'VI', two years after the completion of Vodafone India Ltd and Idea Cellular Ltd merger.  The rebranding is part of the company’s efforts to reduce the cost of maintaining two brands.  The rebranding decision comes amid the company’s plans to raise funds.  Vodafone Idea will raise up to ₹25,000 crore. RBL Bank launches a facility  RBL Bank has launched a cardless cash withdrawal facility from ATMs, leveraging the Instant Money Transfer (IMT) system.  The bank has tied-up with Empays Payment Systems, a global financial technology provider, to offer this service.  RBL Bank customers can withdraw cash without their debit cards from 389 IMT-enabled ATMs of the bank or more than 40,000 other bank ATMs across the country. LazyPay launches LazyUPI  LazyPay has launched a digital credit card that combines the power of UPI and the Buy-Now-Pay-Later concept.

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 Called LazyUPI, the offering enables users to access real-time credit using UPI across omnichannel networks, including offline merchants and e-commerce platforms.  With LazyUPI, customers can set up their accounts using a 2-minute KYC process. RBI releases Priority Sect Lending Guidelines  The Reserve Bank of India has reviewed the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) Guidelines.  The new guidelines will make better credit penetration into credit deficient areas and increase the lending to small as well as marginal farmers and weaker sections.  In the revised PSL Guidelines, the Reserve Bank of India has included some fresh categories eligible for finance under priority sector. L&T defence arm bags government contract  Larsen & Toubro (L&T)'s defence arm has received orders for the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the supply of four regiments of Pinaka Weapon Systems.  The contract involves supply of Pinaka launchers, battery command posts and associated engineering support package (ESP) for four regiments.  The orders fall under the "significant" category, which ranges between Rs 1,000-Rs 2,500 crores. Franklin Templeton MF receives ₹146 crore  The 5 schemes of Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, which are under wind-up, received Rs 146 cr of interest payment from Vodafone Idea that was due on September 3, 2020.  A segregated portfolio -- or side-pocket as it is called in MF industry parlance -- is created to ensure that only investors exposed to the scheme on the day of a credit event, can benefit from a subsequent recovery of dues. Arka Venture Labs invests in Nirmata  Nirmata, a Kubernetes company, announced a venture investment from Arka Venture Labs, a fund that provides capital and mentorship to global B2B companies.  This new investment will allow Nirmata to accelerate expansion in APAC, across engineering, support, sales and market.  Nirmata was started in 2013 by Jim Bugwadia, Ritesh Patel and Damien Toledo. Axis Global Alpha Fund of Fund launched  Axis AMC has launched Axis Global Alpha Fund of Fund.  For this global product initiative, Axis AMC has tied up with Schroders (25% shareholder in Axis AMC).  Axis Global Equity Alpha Fund of Fund is the first dedicated global feeder fund launched by the mutual fund house.  It is an open-ended fund of fund scheme that invests in the Schroder International Selection Fund Global Equity Alpha. Economic Advisory Council of 15th FC  The Economic Advisory Council of the 15th Finance Commission met on 4 September 2020.  Chairman N K Singh chaired the day-long meeting.  The meeting was for a final discussion on GDP growth, tax buoyancy of the Centre and the States, GST compensation, revenue deficit grant and fiscal consolidation.  The members of the Economic Advisory Council also attended the meeting. 71 | P a g e

SoftBank invests in Unacademy  Edtech platform Unacademy burst into the unicorn club on 2 Sept 2020 following a $150 million fundraising led by Japan’s SoftBank.  Apart from SoftBank, which invested from its Vision Fund 2, existing investors General Atlantic, Sequoia Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Facebook, and Blume Ventures also participated in the round.  It was recently named the official partner for the IPL. L&T sells electrical and automation arm  Larsen and Toubro Ltd. has sold its electrical and automation unit to Schneider Electric SE.  The sale—an all-cash deal amounting to nearly Rs 14,000 crore—was announced in May 2018.  It followed a strategic portfolio review and aims to unlock value for future growth.  The unit makes voltage switchgear, energy management systems, industrial automation systems and metering solutions, etc. ICICI Bank launches 'Home Utsav'  ICICI Bank has announced the launch of ‘Home Utsav’.  It is a virtual property exhibition that digitally showcases real estate projects by renowned developers from key cities across the country.  It is available for everyone, including ICICI Bank’s customers and those who are not customers.  It offers them enhanced convenience, as they can simply browse through these projects online. Gross GST revenue collection at Rs 86,449 cr  The gross GST revenue collected in August 2020 is Rs 86,449 cr.  Out of this, CGST is Rs 15,906 cr, SGST is Rs 21,064 cr, and IGST is Rs 42,264 cr.  The government has settled Rs 18,216 cr to CGST and Rs 14,650 cr to SGST from IGST as regular settlement.  The total revenue earned by Central Govt and the State Govts after regular settlement in August is Rs 34,122 crore for CGST. Indian Bank announces cut of 5 basis points  Indian Bank has announced a cut of 5 basis points in its marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) for one-year tenure.  The bank has decided to reduce the MCLR for one-year tenure by 5 basis points to 7.30 per cent effective from September 3, 2020.  All new retail loans (housing, education, vehicle), credit to MSMEs are linked to RLLR now. Reliance Jio-Brookfield Tower deal approved  Reliance Industries has said that all approvals have been obtained for a Rs 25,215 cr Brookfield tower deal a year after it was announced.  Brookfield and its partners will become sponsors of the trust holding all the units while the Reliance subsidiary will become a co-sponsor without holding units.  The trust currently owns 51% of Reliance Jio lnfratel. SucSEED Indovation registers a fund with SEBI  SucSEED Indovation Fund received a licence as Angel Fund in the Category 1 AIF from market regulator SEBI.

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 The INR 100Cr fund is sponsored by a group of active investors-mentors to nurture tech innovation and back early-stage Tech start-ups engaged in solving problems of masses.  The Fund will work towards strengthening angel investment landscape. India's GDP contracts 23.9% in April-June  The Indian economy contracted by 23.9% in the April-June quarter of this fiscal amid the COVID-19 crisis.  The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 5.2 percent in the corresponding April-June period of 2019-20, according to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).  The fraction of countries, where GDP per capita would decrease is the highest since 1870. India aims for 100 MT coal gasification  India aims for 100 million tonnes (MT) coal gasification by 2030 with investments worth over Rs. 4 lakh crores.  This was announced by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Coal and Mines during a webinar on Coal Gasification and Liquefaction.  For encouraging the use of clean sources of fuel, the government has provided for a concession of 20% on revenue share of coal used for gasification. EIB to invest 650 million euros  The European Investment Bank (EIB) has decided to invest 650 mn euros into the construction of Kanpur’s first city metro line.  The agreement to this effect was signed on 31 August 2020.  The project aims at enabling some 3 million people in the city to benefit from green, safe, fast, and affordable public transport.  This is the second metro rail project supported by the EIB in Uttar Pradesh. ICICI Prudential introduces voice chatbot  ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched an AI-powered voice chatbot, LiGo, on Google Assistant as part of its customer service initiative.  This new option will enable the policyholders to have their queries addressed by simple voice commands.  Customers can use commands such as "Ok Google, I want to speak to ICICI Prudential Life LiGo" or "May I talk to ICICI Prudential Life LiGo".

Sports ICC gets recognition for digital initiatives  The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been recognised for its twin digital initiatives at the prestigious Leaders in Sports Awards 2019.  The coverage of the women’s T20 World Cup in Australia and the bold collaboration with Wimbledon for the One Day in July, both were recognised as they took home the awards.  The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup had 1.1 billion video views on ICC platforms. Belinda Clarke to step down from CA  Belinda Clark will be stepping down from Cricket Australia (CA) on 30 November 2020.  She will stay on as the director for the ICC T20 World cup Local organising committee.

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 She has served as CA's Executive General Manager, community cricket, for the past two and a half years.  As a player, Clark captained the Australian Women's Team to two World cup titles. Valtteri Bottas wins Russian GP  Valtteri Bottas won his second Formula One race of the 2020 season.  He won the Russian Grand Prix after teammate Lewis Hamilton was hampered by two separate five-second penalties.  Hamilton was penalized for performing practice starts outside his designated area as he left the pits. IPL's biggest successful chase record  Rajasthan Royals successfully chased the highest target of the Indian Premier League of 224 runs against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020.  They defeated Kings XI Punjab by 4 wickets in their 2nd game of IPL 2020.  Rajasthan Royals also made 86 runs in the last five overs of IPL, which is also a record.  The previous was 77 runs in last five overs by the Chennai Super Kings against RCB in 2012. Asian football Confederation Task-Force  City-based retired Colonel Dr Girija Shanker Mungali has been appointed as one of the seven members of the Asian Football Confederation's task force.  This task force will regulate football clubs in Asia and Australia.  He is the only Indian to be appointed in this committee and will be on the panel till 2023.

Dean Jones passed away  Dean Jones, the former Australia batsman, has died in Mumbai.  Jones had been working on the TV coverage of the Indian Premier League and suffered a cardiac arrest around midday at the Trident hotel.  Jones enjoyed a 10-year international career.  He made his debut for Australia in 1984.  The right-hander enjoyed good success in Test cricket, averaging 46.5 and compiling 11 centuries. New name for the Federation Cup  The International Tennis Federation (ITF) unveiled the Fed Cup's new name, the Women's Team Tennis World Cup, renamed “Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas”.  The new name of the women's tennis world cup is presented as a worthy tribute to Billie Jean King, a reference in sport and activist for equality and social justice.  It is the first major team tournament to be named after a woman. Ashleigh Barty wins golf tournament  Ashleigh Barty, a former professional cricket player and a top-ranked tennis player from Australia, has now won a golf club championship.  The world number one Australian won the Brookwater Golf Club women’s championship.  Ashleigh Barty had decided to skip the US Open and the French Open due to coronavirus pandemic. DeChambeau wins US Open

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 American golfer, Bryson DeChambeau won the 120th edition of US Open Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York.  The win marks the first victory for DeChambeau at one of golf's major championships.  DeChambeau won the tournament by a comfortable margin of six strokes.  DeChambeau's final score of - 6 made him the only golfer to finish the tournament with a score under par. Praful Patel grants COVID Solidarity Fund  All India Football Federation, President, Praful Patel decided to waive off the CRS fees for all players.  He also granted a Rs 3 crore COVID solidarity fund to help the state associations.  The sport has been very badly affected worldwide, and matches are being played behind closed doors. Italian Open 2020  In tennis, world number one Novak Djokovic won a record 36th Masters title in the Italian Open at Rome.  He beat Diego Schwartzman by 7-5, 6-3.  Top-seeded Simona Halep of Romania won her first Italian Open title when defending champion Czech Karolína Pliskova retired midway through the final with an injury. Suresh Raina to set up cricket academy in J&K  Former India cricketer Suresh Raina would set up a cricket academy in Jammu and Kashmir.  It will train aspiring cricketers, particularly youngsters from remote areas of the union territory.  Suresh Raina will also set up five schools in Kashmir division and an equal number in Jammu division to train aspiring cricketers. 13th IPL kick-starts in Abu Dhabi  13th edition of the Indian Premier League began at Abu Dhabi in the United Aarab Emirates on 19 Sept 2020.  Mumbai Indians will take on Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the IPL.  The tournament, which has been shifted to the UAE due to COVID-19 pandemic, is a TV-only event.  In all, 60 matches will be held in three avenues- Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai. Sports Ministry to upgrade eight KISCE  Sports Ministry is set to upgrade eight Khelo India State Centres of Excellence at an estimated cost of Rs. 95.19 cr.  The aim is to identify and groom future Olympic champions.  These centres will ensure that athletes proficient in certain sports are given the highest level of training.  The 8 states are Odisha, Mizoram, Telangana, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Thomas and Uber Cup Finals postponed  The Thomas and Uber Cup in Denmark has been postponed to 2021 by the Badminton World Federation.  This has been done following a wave of withdrawals by top teams due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.  India had announced both the men's and women's squads for the prestigious event which was scheduled to be held in Aarhus, Denmark from 3 to 11 October 2020. YuppTV acquires rights of IPL 2020  YuppTV has acquired the rights for Dream11 Indian Premier League 2020 for a total of 60 matches.

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 The tournament will kick-start on 19 September 2020 in UAE with the clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.  It has signed a deal with the official broadcaster of the league Star India for the telecast of the live matches across more than 10 international markets. Shane Warne returns to Rajasthan Royals  Shane Warne was revealed as the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals for the second year in a row.  For the upcoming edition, Shane will also add the role of Team Mentor to his duties for the season.  As a Team Mentor, Shane will work alongside Head Coach Andrew McDonald.  He has been teammates with Andrew McDonald from 2003-07 for Victoria. Lewis Hamilton secures 90th Formula One win  British Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton achieved his 90th career win by beating Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the Tuscan Grand Prix.  The race which was one of the most dramatic ones in the year, witnessed six cars crashing before a lap of racing had completed.  After his 90th victory, Hamilton remains one short of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record. Naomi Osaka wins US Open  Naomi Osaka won the US Open on 13 Sept 2020.  She beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to add to winning the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Australian Open.  Osaka achieved the feat of winning a record third title in the Grand Slam singles as an Asian player.  She also campaigned for victims of racial injustice and against police brutality during the tournament. New season of English Premier League began  The new English Premier League season started from 12 Sept 2020.  After a gap of almost a month, the EPL 2020-21 kicked off with a clash between Fulham and Arsenal at the Craven Cottage.  The season is scheduled to finish on May 23, 2021 - just 19 days before the rescheduled Euro 2020 kicks off. Domnic Theim wins US Open  Dominic Thiem beat Alexander Zverev and won the US Open on 13 Sept 2020.  He beat Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.  It marked the first time in the US Open's Open era history that a player had recovered from losing the opening two sets to win the title.  It was also the first time the final had been settled by a tie-break. Foundation stones for sports facilities laid  Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju laid foundation stones for various sports facilities in Leh on 14 Sept 2020.  He laid the foundation for a Synthetic Track & AstroTurf for football in Leh at an open stadium and for a Gymnasium hall in NDS indoor stadium in Leh.  With a focus to tap the natural talent in Ladakh, the ministry is developing infrastructure in the region. Poonam Khatri crowned Wushu World Champion

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 Poonam Khatri has claimed World Championship status after her silver medal at the Wushu World Championship 2019 has been upgraded to a Gold medal.  Poonam had lost the final to Iranian opponent Mariyam in the Women’s 75 kg category.  But after Mariyam recently failed the dope test, the gold medal has been awarded to Poonam Khatri. IOC initiates a new certificate course  The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee approved the establishment of the “International Safeguarding Officer in Sport Certificate”.  The course is set to commence in September 2021.  This is the first of its kind because there is currently no certificate or minimum standard of education or training for safeguarding officers in sport on an international level. Kevin, Beth win PFA Player of the Year awards  Kevin De Bruyne was named men’s Player of the Year while Chelsea forward Bethany England won the women’s award.  De Bruyne scored 13 Premier League goals last season and also equalled the league record with 20 assists which helped him become the first Manchester City player to win the award.  Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold was named the Young Player of the Year. Cristiano Ronaldo scores 100 int. goals  Cristiano Ronaldo became the second man to score 100 international goals, hitting the landmark for Portugal in UEFA Nations League match against Sweden.  He became the first European to reach 100 goals for his country after Ali Daei, who scored 109 times for Iran.  It took him 165 appearances to reach the milestone.  The goal was also the 57th of his career from a direct free-kick. ACB Bans Noor Mohammad For 5 Years  Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has banned domestic team assistant coach Noor Mohammad "Lalai" from all forms of cricket for a period of five years.  This was done after he accepted four charges related to the breaching of the ACB Anti-Corruption Code.  The coach, as an agent tried to get one of the national team player to engage in corruption of spot fixing of few matches in SCL 2019. Pierre Gasly wins F1 Italian Grand Prix 2020  Pierre Gasly won the Italian Grand Prix for Red Bull's Alpha Tauri team in one of the most remarkable races in history.  Lewis Hamilton was dominating until he was penalised for being called in for a stop when the pit lane was closed.  It is the junior team's 2nd grand prix victory - their 1st with Sebastian Vettel in 2008.  Carlos Sainz Jr. came 2nd followed by Lance Stroll in third place. Ian Bell announces retirement  England batsman Ian Bell, who played his last international game in 2015, will retire from all professional cricket.

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 Bell, who made his debut in 2004, enjoyed a span of 11 years as an England player, during which he won five Ashes series out of seven.  With 5416 runs he was England's leading run-getter in the format until current captain Eoin Morgan overtook him in 2018. BCCI announces schedule for IPL 2020  BCCI has announced the schedule for IPL 2020 to be held in UAE.  The season will kickstart on 19 Sept 2020 in Abu Dhabi with a clash between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.  Dubai will host the second game where Delhi Capitals will face Kings XI Punjab on Sept 20.  Dubai will host 24 games, 20 matches will be played in Abu Dhabi while the remaining 12 in Sharjah. T20 cricket tournament inaugurated  Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr G N Itoo in presence of District Youth Services and Sports Officer inaugurated T20 cricket tournament at Kungamdora Pattan on 6 Spet 2020.  It will be held with strict adherence of SOPs and guidelines.  The Deputy Commissioner also distributed various sports items among the teams. Qatar to compete in 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup  World Cup host Qatar is set to play in the Gold Cup 2021 in the US after accepting an invitation from soccer’s governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean.  It will participate in the 2021 and 2023 tournaments as a guest under an MoU signed in Bahrain in 2017.  Qatar is the 2nd team from Asia to play in the Gold Cup after South Korea, which participated in 2000 and 2002. P Iniyan clinches victory in chess tournament  Indian Grandmaster P Iniyan won the prestigious Annual World Open online chess tournament.  He scored seven and a half points out of a possible nine with six victories and three draws to finish on top.  On the way to his title, Iniyan defeated Grandmasters Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Sam Sevian, Sergey Erenburg of the USA and Nyzhyk Illia of Ukraine. Centre increases sports disciplines  Union govt has included tug-of-war, mallakhamb and para-sports for direct recruitment of meritorious sportspersons in Group C level government posts.  This has been done in a bid to promote India’s indigenous sports and make them attractive options for the youth.  Department of Personnel & Training included 20 such games in the list for direct recruitment including baseball, rugby, etc. Men's National Rowing Camp to start  With an eye on the Tokyo Olympics scheduled in 2021, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has sanctioned the national rowing camp for the men's team from 1st October 2020 onwards.  12 men Rowers will attend a camp starting from 1st October 2020 to 31st January 2021 (4 months).  It will be held at Army Rowing Node, Pune. Sports training camps in UP to start

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 In UP, sports training camps will start from 1st Oct 2020 and will continue till Mar 2021.  Those who are interested in participating in these training camps should register themselves on Khelo India application.  Adherence to the guidelines issued by central and state governments related to social distancing will be a must.  Usually, the camps start from April and continue till January. Gary Stead reappointed as New Zealand Coach  Gary Stead was reappointed as the head coach of the New Zealand men's cricket team for another three years.  Stead was initially appointed as the coach of the side in 2018 following the resignation of Mike Hesson.  He will now continue as head coach in all three formats of the game up until the conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, slated to be held in India. Sumit: 1st to enter 2nd round of Grand Slam  Sumit Nagal became the first Indian tennis player to win a round at a Grand Slam in seven years when he downed American Bradley Klahn in his US Open first round, setting up a contest against world no. 3 Dominic Thiem.  Somdev Devvarman was the last Indian to win a main draw match at a major and incidentally, it was at the US Open in 2013 when he beat Slovakia'Lukas Lacko. BCCI signs Cred as official partner for IPL  Cred, a digital community of creditworthy individuals, merchants and institutions, has become the official partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.  The three-year deal between the company and BCCI will begin with the latest season of IPL on 19 September 2020 in the UAE.  Kunal Shah is the Founder and CEO of Cred. CFI to host 1st-ever Cycling Summit in 2021  The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) is all set to host the first-ever Cycling Summit in 2021, with an aim to promote the culture of cycling in the country.  CFI has signed a MoU with a marketing exploration firm, Contarctica, for the summit.  The Cycling Summit 2021 will be hosted in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.  The summit is estimated to attract around 25,000 people in each city. Maldives re-joins as member of CGF  Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced that the Maldives Commonwealth Games Association has been re-admitted as one of its members.  The Maldives had missed the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.  The resolution for the readmission of the Maldives was approved in a vote of the 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) in August 2020. Hyderabad FC appoints Manuel Marquez as coach  Hyderabad FC (HFC) has appointed Manuel 'Manolo' Marquez as the new head coach for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season.  Manuel is signed up for one year and will be with HFC till the end of 2020-21 season. 79 | P a g e

 He took charge of La Liga side UD Las Palmas in 2017 before working with Croatian top-flight side NK Istra 1961 in 2018. Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix  Formula One world championship leader Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on 30 August 2020 with Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.  Max Verstappen finished third for Red Bull.  Hamilton's 89th career victory left the six-time world champion, two wins short of former Ferrari great Michael Schumacher's all-time record 91. Chennaiyin FC appoints Csaba as head coach  Chennaiyin FC has appointed Csaba Laszlo as its head coach for the upcoming season of the Indian Super League.  Laszlo, who has been the in-charge of the Ugandan and Lithuanian national teams, succeeds Owen Coyle, who has moved to Jamshedpur FC for the season.  He had led Dundee United to the third spot in the Scottish Championship in the 2017-18 season.

Defence Defence India Startup Challenge-4 launched  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC 4) during the iDEX event.  Mr Singh also launched the iDEX4Fauji initiative and Product Management Approach (PMA) guidelines during the event.  iDEX4Fauji is a first of its kind initiative, launched to support innovations identified by members of the Indian Armed Forces. Russia to complete tests of Mi-26T2V  Russia will complete the acceptance tests of a prototype of the modernised Mi-26T2V helicopter in 2021.  It is the heaviest mass-produced helicopter in the world.  The design and development of this aircraft are underway.  It is a wide-body helicopter capable of lifting payloads up to 20 tonnes and protected against radio- controlled and laser-guided missiles. India's 1st coast guard academy - Mangaluru  India's first Coast Guard Academy will be established at Mangaluru.  The initial plan was to set up an academy in Kerala's Azhikkal.  Around 158 acres Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land has been taken over for setting up this academy.  The project will also enable ICG to train officers from friendly nations, from which it receives a lot of demand. India-Japan Maritime exercise ‘JIMEX’ began  The fourth edition of India-Japan Maritime bilateral exercise (JIMEX) began in North Arabian Sea from 26 Sept 2020.

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 The exercise is conducted biennially between the Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).  ‘JIMEX’ series of exercises commenced in January 2012 with special focus on maritime security cooperation.  The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in October 2018. Prithvi-II missile testfired from ITR  India on September 23, 2020, conducted a successful night testfire of its indigenously developed nuclear- capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a base in Odisha.  The state-of-the-art missile was testfired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur.  The missile has a strike range of 350 km. Shivangi: First Rafale woman fighter pilot  Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh is going to become the first Rafale woman fighter pilot.  Flt Lt Singh, who hails from Varanasi, will formally join the 17 ‘Golden Arrows’ Squadron of the 4.5- generation Rafales at the Ambala airbase after she finishes her “conversion training”.  This training is required when a combat pilot switches from one fighter to another. Laser guided ATGM successfully test-fired  Laser Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test-fired from MBT Arjun Tank at KK Ranges, Armoured Corps Centre and School, Ahmednagar on 22 Sep 2020.  These ATGMs lock and track the targets with the help of laser designation to ensure precision hit accuracy.  The missile employs a tandem HEAT warhead to defeat Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles. India, Australia to conduct naval exercise  Navies of India and Australia will carry out a two-day mega exercise in the Indian Ocean Region from 23 September.  It will involve a range of complex naval manoeuvres, anti-aircraft drills and helicopter operations.  HMAS Hobart, the lead ship of the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers, will be among the assets to be deployed in the exercise by the Royal Australian Navy. DRDO conducts successful flight test of ABHYAS  Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted a successful flight test of ABHYAS- High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from ITR Balasore in Odisha.  The vehicle can be used as a target for evaluation of various missile systems.  ABHYAS is designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), DRDO.  The air vehicle is launched using twin underslung booster. Women officers in helicopter stream of Navy  In yet another first in the history of Indian naval aviation, two women officers have been selected to join as “Observers” (Airborne Tacticians) in the helicopter stream.  They will be the first set of women airborne combatants who would be operating from warships.  These officers are Sub Lieutenant (SLt) Kumudini Tyagi and SLt Riti Singh. 6th India-China corps commander-level talks

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 Corps commanders of India and China will meet at the Chushul/ Moldo meeting point along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in a bid to resolve the ongoing border standoff between the two armies.  This is the sixth such meeting between military leaders of the two sides.  This time, a joint secretary-level officer from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will also be present during the meeting. IN aircraft carrier Viraat's last journey  Viraat, the decommissioned aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, began its last journey on 19 Sept 2020 from Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard to Alang in Gujarat, where it will be dismantled.  The vessel had served the Indian Navy for 30 years before being decommissioned in 2017.  There were attempts to convert 'Viraat' into a museum or a restaurant, but none of the plans materialised. Rs 90,048 cr spent on defence modernisation  An amount of Rs 90,048 crores has been allocated for the capital acquisition of the armed forces under Defence Service Estimates in 2020-21.  This is an increase of over Rs 9,000 crores from last year's allocations.  The total amount allocated for modernisation, through procurement of new equipment and upgrading of existing equipment and systems, is 27.87% of the Defence Services Estimates. DRDO plans Star Wars-style weapons for battle  DRDO is now planning a nationwide programme on directed power weapons (DEWs).  These include high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves, that are more and more being thought- about essential around the globe for the contactless conflicts of the longer term.  The DRDO has been engaged on a number of DEW initiatives like ‘chemical oxygen-iodine’ and ‘high-power fibre’ lasers. India, China reach on 5 points consensus  India and China have agreed on five points to guide their approach to the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).  It includes the disengagement of troops and easing of tensions.  The consensus was reached during talks between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Moscow. IAF formally inducts Rafale jets in Ambala  The Indian Air Force formally inducted the Rafale fighter jets at the Ambala airbase on 10th September 2020, in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh and his French counterpart Florence Parly.  Five Rafales of the 36 ordered by the IAF arrived at the Ambala airbase on 29 July 2020.  These Rafale jets are part of the IAF’s No. 17 Squadron, which is also known as the ‘Golden Arrows’. ITBP deploys female doctors in Ladakh  For the first time, the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) has sent female doctors to forward operating locations in Ladakh.  From sending troops from Leh to taking care of them at the forward locations, the ITBP female doctors have given all kinds of charge.  ITBP has changed its standard operating procedure, which did not allow any female officer to be deployed at such locations. 82 | P a g e

DRDO tests hypersonic technology vehicle  DRDO on 7 Sept 2020 has successfully flight-tested a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV).  It is an unmanned scramjet vehicle with the ability to travel at six times the speed of sound.  The test was conducted from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Launch Complex, off the coast of Odisha.  The HSTDV tests the indigenously developed hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology. Army trying to make night operational ICVs  The Indian Army started a process to make its infantry combat vehicles capable of operating in the night.  It invited eligible domestic companies for the development of a prototype and further procurement of armament for BMP-2/2K infantry combat vehicles.  The current fleet of BMP-2/2Ks was first inducted into the Army in 1985 and it has been the mainstay of the mechanised infantry since then. India withdraws from Russia’s KavKaz 2020  Given the ongoing military confrontation with China along the Line of Actual Control, India has decided to withdraw from military exercise KavKaz 2020.  It is scheduled to be held from Sept 15-26, 2020 at Donguz training ranges in Russia’s Orenburg region.  India had plans to send a tri-services contingent with 200 personnel to take part in a multilateral war game. INDRA NAVY exercise begins in Bay of Bengal  Indian Navy and Russian Navy has commenced the 11th edition of a biennial bilateral maritime exercise “INDRA NAVY”.  The biennial bilateral maritime exercise will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 4-5 September 2020.  The INDRA NAVY-20 exercise seeks to consolidate the inter-operability built up by the navies of two countries over the years. Defence Ministry signs Rs 2580 cr deal  The Defence Ministry has sealed a deal with two leading domestic defence majors to procure Pinaka rocket launchers for six Army regiments at a cost of Rs 2,580 crore.  The Pinaka regiments will be deployed along India's border with China and Pakistan to further enhance operational preparedness of the armed forces.  The contract has been signed with Tata Power Company Ltd and Larsen & Toubro. AFSCB conferred with an award  Air Force Sports Control Board has been conferred with ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020’.  It was awarded for the outstanding contribution in helping sportsperson to excel in their respective disciplines and implement robust sports welfare measures.  The award is for sustained efforts towards encouragement and promotion of sports in the country and IAF in particular.

Books and Authors Anand Neelakantan pens debut kids' book

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 "Baahubali" series author Anand Neelakantan has written his debut book in the children's space which tells some of the most hilarious stories about child asuras and their antics.  Puffin has published "The Very, Extremely, Most Naughty Asura Tales for Kids".  The book has full-colour illustrations accompanying the narrative.  It has story of asura twins Kundakka and Mandakka. Rajnath Singh launches ‘A bouquet of flowers’  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a book written by Dr Krishna Saksena.  She is the first lady to get a PhD, way back in 1955 from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.  “A bouquet of flowers”, the ninth book authored by the senior English Professor, was launched at the New Delhi residence of Singh, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Lucknow. Chef Vikas Khanna's new book  Michelin Star chef Vikas Khanna will write about his Feed India initiative, one of the world's largest food drives serving meals to the underprivileged amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, in his upcoming book.  This was announced by publishing house Penguin Random House India.  The book, Kitchens of Gratitude, will be released in 2021.  'Feed India' was launched in March 2020. Romila Thapar to launch new book  Historian Romila Thapar will come out with a historical essay, with a special focus on recent protests in the country.  Penguin Random House India and Seagull Books have come together to publish the book titled "Voices of Dissent".  The book will be available in stores from October 19. Barack Obama's memoir 'A Promised Land'  The first volume of former US President Barack Obama's long-awaited memoir will be released in November 2020 after the US Election.  The book titled "A Promised Land" will be available on November 17, 2020.  The 768-page book, which will be released in 25 languages in markets globally, will cover his early political career and journey to the White House and his first term in office. New book by Arundhati Roy  Author Arundhati Roy has come up with her new book titled “Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction”.  It has been published by Penguin Books Limited.  It is a collection of essays that show the meaning of Freedom in the world of increasing authoritarianism.  The essay collection includes meditations on language and roles of fiction and alternative imaginations amid global pandemic due to COVID-19. e-book- Seva Hi Sangathan launched  In Meghalaya, BJP has launched an e-book titled Seva Hi Sangathan, consisting of the initiatives taken up by the party during the COVID 19 pandemic.  Meghalaya BJP Chief, Ernest Mawrie launched the book at the party office, Shillong.  The e-book Seva Hi Sangathan literally means service is an organisation which emphasizes on the importance of service to the nation and people. 84 | P a g e

Gauri Khan announces her debut book  Gauri Khan will make her debut as an author with a book about her journey as a designer.  This was announced by the publishing house Penguin Random House India.  The coffee-table book, tentatively titled My Life In Design, will be released in 2021 under Penguin’s ‘Ebury Press’ imprint.  It would be “visually appealing”, and guide “aspiring designers”. New book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah launched  A new book on the life and times of Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah has been launched.  The book, "Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History", is written by Swedish political scientist and a noted author of Pakistani descent Ishtiaq Ahmed.  Born on December 25th, 1876, Jinnah served as leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan's creation on Aug 14, 1947. S Jaishankar releases a book  External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar released a book titled "The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World".  The book is published by HarperCollins India.  The book was developed in the course of the last two years, which covers a series of events and lectures given at think tanks, conferences or business forums. 2 books on Ma Anand Sheela to be released  In a couple of months, two books on Sheela Birnstiel, popularly known as Ma Anand Sheela, are set to be published.  One of the books is an authorised biography, 'Nothing To Lose' by Manbeena Sandhu which will acquaint readers with the woman behind the strong persona.  In November 2020, Penguin Random House will come out with Ma Anand Sheela’s memoir titled, My Story in My Own Words. UNEP launches a new publication  The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a new publication, “The Little Book of Green Nudges”.  It aims to inspire up to 200 million students around the globe to adopt environmentally friendly habits and greener lifestyles.  The book is UNEP’s first on behavioural science and nudge theory, which focuses on human actions and how to change them. Pope Francis' new book to hit stands in Dec  Pope Francis is coming up with his new book titled, "Let Us Dream”.  It will hit the stands on December 1, 2020, in English and Spanish editions simultaneously.  In the book, Pope Francis explains how a crisis can teach one to deal with the problems that they may face in their lives, by looking at three major crises in his personal life.  It will be published by Simon & Schuster. New Book by Karan Johar

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 Karan Johar is set to launch his new book titled The Big Thoughts Of Little Luv.  It is a picture book for kids, which is inspired by his experiences as a single parent.  The book will be published by Juggernaut Books.  In 2017, Karan Johar had also launched his autobiography titled An Unsuitable Boy, in which he opened up about the highs and lows of his life as a filmmaker.

National Affairs NABARD embarking on a Campaign  The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, NABARD is embarking on a Sanitation Literacy Campaign in Karnataka.  It will create awareness on good hygiene and sanitation practices among rural masses.  The campaign will commence on 2 Oct 2020 and continue until 26 Jan 2021.  Under Swachh Bharat Mission, they also supported the construction of 3.29 crore household toilets. UP govt to establish L2 level Covid hospitals  UP govt will establish L2 level COVID hospitals in each and every district of the state for better treatment of COVID patients.  These L2 level COVID hospitals are currently in six districts of the state which includes Bareilly, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shamli, Amethi Mirzapur and Bhadohi.  Dastak campaign will also be launched from 1-15 Oct 2020 which will complete immunization schedule of children. Hospitals to display rates of treatment: MP  Madhya Pradesh government has made it mandatory for all nursing homes and private hospitals to display the prescribed rates of treatment of COVID-19 at their reception counter.  Prescribed rates of treatment will also have to be provided to the patient and the family of the patients.  The rates of Corona treatment should not exceed more than 40% of the rates fixed on February 29, 2020. Procurement of 14 lakh MT of pulses & oilseeds  The Govt has continued to procure Kharif 2020-21 crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes.  Based on the proposal from the States, approval has been accorded for procurement of over 14 Lakh Metric Tonnes of Pulses and Oilseeds for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Haryana. COVID-19 Safe Workplace Guidelines  Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has virtually released a booklet on ‘COVID-19- Safe Workplace Guidelines for Industry’.  These guidelines will help in the welfare of the industrial workers.  The guidelines will act as comprehensive planning guidance for employers and workers to use it to help identify risk levels of Covid-19 at individual workplace settings in their premises. Harijan Sevak Sangh celebrates foundation day  On 30 Sept in 1932, Harijan Sevak Sangh was founded, when Gandhi Ji was in Yervada Jail, Pune and on fast.

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 The Sangh was established to combat untouchability and a new weekly paper, the Harijan, was started.  Harijan means children of God, it was Gandhi Ji's name for the untouchables.  The immediate historical background dates back to the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931. NIA to have 3 new branches  Ministry of Home Affairs has approved three new branches for the National Investigation Agency in Imphal, Chennai and Ranchi.  The decision will help in responding quickly to any emergent situation in the concerned states by the premier anti-terror investigation agency.  It will also strengthen the NIA's capability in investigation of terrorism-related cases and other national security matters Government unveils Gwalior-Morena Flyover  The 1,420 m flyover on NH-3 at Morena Town in Madhya Pradesh was unveiled by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj and Food Processing Industries Narendra Singh Tomar.  The Gwalior-Morena flyover connecting Dholpur in Rajasthan and Gwalior in MP has been completed within the scheduled 18 months period.  It is built with a cost of Rs. 108 crores. Odisha to hold ‘Radio Pathshala’ for students  Students from classes one to eight of government-run institutes in Odisha will be taught via radio.  The “Radio Pathsala” programme will be held every day from Monday to Friday between 10 am to 10:15 am from September 28.  Lessons to be conducted for two classes each day will be aired through all radio stations.  It will also be uploaded in the central government’s DIKSHA online platform. Vadodara sets up Rainwater Harvesting Projects  In a bid to conserve water, Vadodara has successfully set up rainwater harvesting projects in 1,000 government schools in the district.  The project named 'Varsha Jal Nidhi' which is completed at a total cost of Rs 6 crores has received grants from the public as well as private enterprises.  This made Vadodara, the first district in the country to have such facility in schools. Maharashtra banned sale of “loose” cigarettes  Maharashtra government has banned the sale of unpackaged “loose” cigarettes and beedis.  The move is aimed at ensuring that customers see the graphic, public health warnings mandated on cigarette packaging.  The decision is in sync with sub-section (2) of section 7 of Cigarette and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. 'Destination North East-2020' inaugurated  'Destination North East-2020', an annual event for promoting tourism in North Eastern Region (NER) of India, was virtually inaugurated by Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah.  Organized on the theme 'Emerging Delightful Destinations', the event is being held from September 27 to 30, 2020.  'Destination North East' event is to bring the rest of India closer to the north-eastern region. 87 | P a g e

5 amphibians added to MP's fauna list  A study conducted by researchers from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, on amphibians in the central Indian Panna Tiger Reserve has come up with a list of five species hitherto undocumented in this region.  The researchers, apart from compiling an amphibian inventory of this region, have recorded a call library of 11 species.  They also obtained molecular confirmation of cryptic species. Three Mediation Centres Inaugurated In Barwani  Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and Patron-in-Chief, Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority A K Mittal e-inaugurated Mediation Centre at 3 outlying stations through video conferencing.  These stations are in Barwani District namely Anjad, Rajpur and Khetiya.  There are now ADR Centres functional in 43 District Courts and Mediation Centres in 42 Teshil Courts of the State. Wellness Centre in Dwarka  S.N Shrivastava, Commissioner of Police, Delhi inaugurated a “Wellness Centre”, Open Gym & Yoga Park under umbrella project Niramaya at Police Station Sec-23, Dwarka.  The Centre is built in Association with Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Ayurved Charak Sansthan, Najafgarh.  Yoga Park & Open Gym will be operationalized for Police officers & their family members. Union Health Minister launches Vaccine portal  Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the vaccine portal for COVID-19.  Portal will disseminate vaccine-related information regarding Indian efforts towards vaccine development against COVID-19.  The Health Minister also launched the ICMR history timeline depicting the 108-year journey of the Council.  Minister also released a NIN History Book on its 100 year Journey. Govt to increase public healthcare spending  Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that government is committed to increase the public healthcare spending from the existing 1.15% of the GDP to 2.5% by 2025.  15th Finance Commission’s high-level group on health has concurred that healthcare spending must be raised substantially in the next 5 years.  According to ICMR’s second Sero Survey, India is still far from achieving herd immunity. Ayurvedic chemo recovery kit launched  Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari launched chemo recovery kits containing Ayurvedic formulation at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.  The chemo recovery kit has been developed by the Integrated Cancer Treatment and Research Centre of the Bharatiya Sanskriti Darshan Trust in Pune.  Bharatiya Sanskriti Darshan Trust has filled patents for 7 Ayurveda formulations for the treatment of cancer. Centre releases first instalment for Paddy  National Cooperative Development Corporation sanctioned the first instalment funds of Rs. 19,444 crore to three states for Kharif paddy procurement under Minimum Support Price operations.  These states are Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Telangana.

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 Chhattisgarh gets the highest amount to the tune of Rs. 9,000 crore. Telangana has been sanctioned Rs. 5,500 crores and Haryana Rs. 5,444 crore. Bhagat Singh's 113th birth anniversary  Nation pays homage to the revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on his 113th birth anniversary on 28th September 2020.  It was on this day in 1907, Bhagat Singh was born in Banga village of Lyallpur district of undivided Punjab province.  He fought against British rule for the country's independence and was hanged in Lahore jail at the age of 23, along with Rajguru and Sukhdev. Narendra Tomar inaugurates IARI in Assam  Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the new Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Gogamukh, Assam.  It will be named after Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.  It will give an impetus to the development of agricultural education and research in the northeastern states of the country. ADB approves $300 million loan to Rajasthan  The Asian Development Bank has approved a 300 mn dollar loan to finance inclusive water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services in secondary towns of Rajasthan.  The project is expected to build citywide access for improved water supply services for about 5.7 lakh people.  ADB will help ensure that the project incorporates practical lessons and innovations. Grant of Rs 50,000 to Durga Puja committees  West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has announced a grant of 50,000 rupees to each Durga Puja committee in the state.  It has also been decided that CESC and the state electricity board will give 50 per cent waiver for the puja committees.  The Chief Minister also announced a one time grant of Rs 2,000 for 75,000 hawkers of the state as they had faced difficult time due to the lockdown. Mandatory tuberculosis tests in West Bengal  In West Bengal, the State health department has instructed mandatory tuberculosis tests of recovered COVID patients after their discharge from hospitals or after testing negative in home isolations.  In the case of COVID-19, the immunity of the patients reduces simultaneously, which makes them much more vulnerable for an infection of tuberculosis. ‘Cable Stayed Bridge’ inaugurated  Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy has inaugurated the new ‘Cable Stayed Bridge’ constructed across Durgam Cheruvu Lake along with four-lane elevated corridor in Hyderabad.  The bridge is 426 metre long, including the approaches on both ends, and 25.8 metre wide, with a total of 52 stay cables.  The bridge is one of longest in the country constructed at a cost of over 334 crore rupees.

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Faceless Income Tax Appeals launched  The Income Tax Department has launched Faceless Income tax Appeals.  Under it, all income tax appeals will be finalised in a faceless manner with the exception of appeals relating to serious frauds, major tax evasion, sensitive and search matters, International tax and Black Money Act.  There will be no physical interface between the taxpayers or their counsel and the Income Tax Department. Post-Harvest Management Centre inaugurated  Union Minister for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik laid e-foundation of Post-Harvest Management Centre for Medicinal Plants at Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir.  21 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres were also e-inaugurated by him across different districts of the UT.  During the current year, work on establishing 194 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) is going on in J&K. Watch on adequate supply of oxygen to patients  Drug Control Organisation has appointed Drug Control Officers to keep a watch on oxygen manufacturing firms and companies in Jaipur district to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen to coronavirus infected patients in the state.  It was done on the directions of Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma.  The Health Minister said that serious patients suffering from COVID-19 need more medical oxygen gas. WB Cabinet clears scheme for Brahmin priests  West Bengal Cabinet gave its nod to the 'Rajya Purohit Kalyan Prokolpo' scheme.  In this scheme, a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 and free housing would be allotted to each of around 8,000 Sanatan Brahmin priests.  The Cabinet also approved a plan to form a development authority for converting Birsingha - the birthplace of polymath Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar - into an "educational tourist hub". Researchers at IIT-M develop microprocessor  Researchers at the IIT Madras have indigenously developed microprocessor 'MOUSHIK'.  It aims at serving the Internet of Things devices, under the Centre's Digital India 'smart cities' initiative.  The project is funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.  The uses of the microprocessor include smart cards, electronic voting machines and office management systems. Jail employees to wear body cameras  President Ram Nath Kovind has sanctioned a pilot project under which jail employees will wear body cameras in four states--Rajasthan, Telangana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (UP).  An amount of Rs 80 lakhs has been sanctioned for UP's jails under this scheme.  These cameras will be helpful in detecting violent criminal acts, drug addiction, suicide and prison security- related problems. Maruti Suzuki launches car subscription plan  Maruti Suzuki India Ltd launched its vehicle subscription programme on 24 Sept 2020.  It has been launched for people in Delhi, NCR (Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram) and Bengaluru.

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 This will allow a customer to use a new car without actually owning it and by paying an all-inclusive monthly fee that comprehensively covers complete maintenance, insurance and roadside assistance. RBI suggests five-pillared approach  The Reserve Bank has come out with a five-pillared strategic approach 'GUARD'.  It will deal with cybersecurity threats being faced by Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).  The RBI said in its document 'Technology Vision for Cyber Security for Urban Cooperative Banks 2020-2023' that the number, frequency and impact of cyber incidents and attacks have increased manifold in the recent past. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code suspended  The Central govt has suspended the operation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC) by another three months.  This has been done in order to protect companies in distress due to the COVID pandemic.  The suspension of section 7, 9 and 10 of the IBC Code initially for six months has been further extended for another three months starting from 25th September 2020. WBTC introduces unique tram library in Kolkata  In Kolkata, a unique tram library is being introduced by the WBTC West Bengal Transport corporation.  This Tram Library is a special tram with books, magazines, which can be read while travelling on the tram.  This specially designed tram library will have books and magazines, including those on competitive examinations such as the civil services, WBCS, GRE in order to attract readers. UP govt launches unified portal ‘U-Rise’  The UP govt has launched a unified portal called ‘U-Rise’ to guide students in learning, career counselling, and getting employment in the state.  Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the portal in Lucknow on 24 Sept 2020.  He termed it historic and said it is the biggest reform programme in the education sector after the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020. 670 Electric buses sanctioned under FAME  Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar has announced sanctioning of 670 Electric buses in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Chandigarh under Phase-2 of the FAME India scheme.  He has also announced sanctioning of 241 Charging Stations in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat and Port Blair under it. PM Modi launches fitness protocols  Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols' during an online Fit India Dialogue.  It was done to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fit India Movement.  The fitness protocols have been prepared with the help of fitness enthusiasts for three age categories, from 5-18 years, 18-65 years, and 65 plus age category. Punjab to set up Vigilance Commission  The Punjab Cabinet approved setting up of a Vigilance Commission to check corruption among public servants and bring in more transparency.

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 The Punjab State Vigilance Commission Ordinance, 2020 proposes to set up a commission as an independent body to exercise more effective superintendence.  The commission will comprise a chairman and two members with a term of five years. Non-agri land owners to get maroon passbooks  Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that all those who have non-agricultural property would be issued maroon-coloured pattadar passbooks.  The measure will help in the elimination of land disputes in future, besides providing total security to the properties holders under the new Revenue Act.  Entries of the non-agriculture property will be made in Dharani portal. Shah to inaugurate Destination Northeast 2020  Union home minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the four-day long Destination Northeast 2020.  The four-day-long festival will aim to promote Northeast as tourists’ and investment destination.  The event will take off on World Tourism Day (September 27).  DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra Singh unveiled the logo and song for the festival through a video conference. IDFC First Bank to launch a facility  IDFC First Bank is set to launch SafePay.  It is a digital facility that allows contactless debit card payments by simply waving one’s smartphone against a Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled POS terminal.  SafePay embeds Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the IDFC First Mobile App to enable secure payments using a debit card issued by the Bank. Google Pay announced tokenisation  Google Pay has announced the rollout of tokenisation across its platform that will enable users to safely transact with their debit or credit cards.  Through tokenisation, Google Pay Android users can use their debit or credit card to make payments through a secure digital token attached to their phone without having to physically share their credit or debit card details. CPCB celebrates 46th foundation day  Central Pollution Control Board celebrated its 46th Year of Establishment on 23 Sept'20.  The CBCB was established on September 23, 1974 under The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 as a technical arm of Central Govt for environmental research, monitoring, regulation and enforcement.  A webinar was organized at Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on the occasion. ICAR announces KRITAGYA Hackathon  The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has announced KRITAGYA (Krishi-Taknik-Gyan) hackathon under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP).  Students, faculties, and innovators or entrepreneurs from universities and technical institutions can apply and participate in the event in the form of a group.  A maximum of four participants can form a group. UP govt allows trial of Covaxin

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 The UP Government has allowed the phase-3 trial of anti-COVID-19 vaccine ''Covaxin'' in Lucknow and Gorakhpur.  The vaccine is currently being tested by Bharat Biotech Ltd in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).  For Lucknow, Dr R K Dhiman, the director of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences has been made the nodal person. Google Maps will soon show COVID-19 outbreaks  Google has announced a new feature for Google Maps.  The latest feature in the Google Maps will be known as 'COVID layer' and according to Google, it will show the user's important information like number of COVID-19 cases in an area.  It will help the users to take decisions of whether to go to that particular area or not.  Google will also add a colour coding feature in it. 2nd stretch of first phase of Jaipur Metro  The second stretch of the first phase of Jaipur Metro was dedicated to the people of Rajasthan by CM Ashok Gehlot through video conference.  It will reduce traffic congestion and increase tourism.  With the commencement of services of Phase-1(B) in Jaipur Metro, Metro service is being operated on 700- kilometre long route across the country while work on the 900-kilometre route is underway. Government raises limit for use of SDRF funds  PM Modi has announced that the limit of using the State Disaster Response Fund for COVID specific infrastructure has been increased from 35% to 50%.  The decision will help States have more finances at their disposal to fight the virus.  He said that there is a need to further strengthen health infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, UP and Delhi. Kerala CM launches e-Challan system  Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the e-Challan system to avoid complaints regarding the imposition of traffic fines.  It is being introduced as part of the modernisation efforts of the Kerala Police, especially in traffic enforcement.  The e-Challan system works in conjunction with the National Motor Vehicle Database at the national level. 'No Mask - No Service' Campaign in Jodhpur  In an attempt to raise awareness among the public regarding COVID-19, the Jodhpur district administration has launched a 'no mask- no service' and 'no mask- no entry' campaign on September 22.  Multiple posters encouraging people to use mask have been pasted on vehicles across Jodhpur as a part of this awareness drive.  Jodhpur is witnessing a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases. Gehlot approves 'Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020'  Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot approved a Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation's scheme to allow free bus travel to two members of a family to immerse ashes of their loved ones in the Ganga in Haridwar. 93 | P a g e

 The state road transport corporation would be the nodal agency to run the scheme.  The 'Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020' scheme's expenses will be borne by Devasthan Department. Launchpad at India's rocket port in Tamil Nadu  Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha that the Tamil Nadu government has identified land in Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi for setting up the country's second rocket launch port.  The land survey is completed for 431.87.74 hectares.  Currently, India launches its rockets from its rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The port has two launch pads. Dr. Harsh Vardhan chairs ‘Aarogya Manthan’ 2.0  Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare chaired ‘Aarogya Manthan’ 2.0 on 22 September 2020.  This was a part of the celebrations of the 2nd Anniversary of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).  He also launched the AB PMJAY Joint Certification Programme and released the “AB PMJAY Anti-Fraud Framework: Practitioners’ Guidebook". Sequoia India launches new community programme  Sequoia Capital India has announced the launch of its new community programme for growth-stage startups, The Guild.  It plans to bring founders together on a regular basis to share their experiences, learn from each other, and hear from other world-class speakers.  The programme, which will run for 6 months, will have growth stage Sequoia portfolio companies from India and South-east Asia. PM health scheme to soon cover truck drivers  The benefits of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) will soon be extended to groups such as manual scavengers and truck drivers, among others through convergence with other central health schemes.  In the last two years, the scheme has provided free treatment to more than 1.26 crore beneficiaries.  Over 23,000 hospitals have been empanelled so far. UP Govt to set up an Infotainment Zone  UP Govt has decided to set up a dedicated Infotainment Zone.  It has rolled out an open offer to film fraternity to come to the state.  1000 acre of land has been identified in Gautam Budh Nagar by Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) where the Infotainment Zone will be set up with all World Class Civil, Public and Technological facilities. Centre sanctions Rs. 8.2 crore as loans  The Centre has sanctioned Rs 8.2 crore as collateral-free loans for the street vendors in Odisha under the PM SVANidhi Yojana.  This will help them resume their livelihoods affected by the COVID-19-induced challenges.  More than 23,000 street vendors out of the total 63,222 identified in the state, have applied for affordable working capital loans being provided under the scheme. 94 | P a g e

Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to launch mobile app  Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is planning to launch a Mobile App for devotees to have live Darshan straight from Holy Shrine.  The App, set to be launched on 17th October 2020, the first day of Navratri, would also have features to conduct live Havan.  The Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine had resumed on the 6 Aug'20 initially with a ceiling of 5000 pilgrims per day with safety procedures. Fit India Dialogue on 24 September  PM Narendra Modi will interact with fitness influencers and citizens during a nationwide online Fit India Dialogue on 24 Sept 2020.  The dialogue is being organised to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fit India Movement.  The online interaction will see participants sharing anecdotes and tips of their own fitness journey.  Virat Kohli and Milind Soman will also participate. Kerala to establish first Biomedical Park  Govt has plans to set up a dedicated medical device manufacturing park in Kerala soon, one of the first medical device parks in the country.  MedSpark, the biomedical park to be established in the Life Science Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.  The biomedical park will focus on providing the full range of services for the medical devices industry like R&D support, testing, and evaluation. Rs 3,700-crore relief package to farmers  Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani has announced a Rs 3,700-crore relief package to provide relief to farmers whose Kharif crops have been damaged during the monsoon.  The crop production was estimated to be good.  But in August 2020, heavy rain flooded many farms and damaged crops.  Groundnut, paddy, cotton, bajra, pulses and vegetable crops were reportedly damaged. City forest ‘Anand Van’ inaugurated at Jhajhra  Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat along with the Forest and Wildlife minister Harak Singh inaugurated the city forest ‘Anand Van’ developed by forest department in Jhajhra forest range on the outskirts of Dehradun.  Developed as a nature education centre, it provides detailed information about the flora and fauna of Uttarakhand.  It will be opened to the public on the first day of Navratri. Odisha to implement ground-level BRAP  Odisha is focussing on the 'ease of doing business' through the ground-level implementation of the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) for the year 2020-21.  This was known from a high-level meeting conducted under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.  Reviewing the progress, the Chief Secretary directed to enhance the user base of the online Government- to-Business (G2B) services.

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‘e- Peek Pahani’ of Maharashtra  Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that e- Peek Pahani mobile application of the State Government will reduce hardships of farmers.  It will also help them get the right price and good market for their produce.  He was speaking at a meeting to discuss the application developed for crop survey.  Farmers can upload images of their crop using the application. Flight services from Jagdalpur to Raipur  In Chhattisgarh, a regular flight service from Jagdalpur, the Divisional Headquarters of tribal Bastar Division, to Raipur and Hyderabad began.  Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel virtually inaugurated the flight.  It was made under the regional connectivity scheme-UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik).  Centre has sanctioned 108 crore rupees for up-gradation and development of 3 Airports in Chhattisgarh. PM addressed IIT Guwahati’s convocation  Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the convocation of IIT, Guwahati through video-conferencing.  In all,1,803 students including 687 B.Tech. and 637 M.Tech. students were conferred degrees.  Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre and other dignitaries participated in the event. Mobile public distribution outlets: Tamil Nadu  The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy launched 3401 mobile public distribution outlets in the state.  The ‘Amma Mobile Ration Shops' as they are called mainly serve families in remote, hilly and far-flung areas.  For a full-fledged ration shop, a minimum number of eligible beneficiary families are made mandatory.  He also introduced fortified rice distribution in Tiruchirapalli. Indian Army organises annual 'Shikara Race'  Fifteen Shikaras participated in the annual ' Shikara Race' organised by 20 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Indian Army for the people in Srinagar.  Col Praveen Kumar, Commanding Officer of 20 RR said that aim behind the race was to promote tourism in the newly formed Union Territory.  Shikar is a type of wooden boat found on Dal Lake and other water bodies of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Bareilly To Have Textile Park Soon: Adityanath  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Bareilly will soon have a textile park.  He said this while reviewing the development work of Bareilly division.  The division comprises Bareilly, Pilibhit, Badaun and Shahjahanpur districts.  Adityanath said all districts of the division have rich social-cultural resources, which hold great potential for development. 3 mega bridges inaugurated in Bihar  PM Modi inaugurated 3 mega bridges in Bihar.

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 The bridges include four-lane bridge parallel to existing Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna, a four-lane bridge over Kosi river and four-lane bridge parallel to existing Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur.  He also inaugurated the Optical Fibre internet services where all the 45945 villages of Bihar will be connected through Optical Fibre Internet Service. Modi lays foundation for highway projects  Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of nine highway projects worth 14,258 crore rupees in Bihar through video conferencing.  These highway projects involve a road length of about 350 kilometres at a cost of 4258 crore rupees.  Prominent road projects are six laning of 39 km stretch of Patna Ring road, four laning of Ara-Mohania section of NH 30. 2,729 people granted Indian Citizenship  A total of 2120 people from Pakistan have been granted Indian Citizenship in the last three and a half years.  This was stated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Rajya Sabha.  The Minister informed that a total number of 2729 people from 44 countries have been granted Indian Citizenship during the period of 2017 to 17th September 2021. 82,575 cases of cyber crimes reported in India  Cybercrimes are increasing in India and a total of 82575 cases of cyber crimes have been reported in the country during the year 2014 to 2018.  This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy in the Rajya Sabha.  Mr Reddy informed that the maximum number of 6280 cases related to Cybercrimes have been reported in Uttar Pradesh followed by 5839 cases in Karnataka. 21 States Choose Centre's "Borrow" Option  21 states have given their borrowing option proposed by the GST council to meet the shortfall in compensation from the centre amid the pandemic.  These 21 states went with "option 1", which allows them to borrow the tax collection shortfall due to the switch to the GST, estimated at ₹ 97,000 crore.  It can be done by issuing debt under a special window coordinated by the Finance Ministry. India’s nominal GDP to grow 19% in 2022  Finance ministry has estimated that India’s nominal GDP will grow by 19% in nominal terms in the financial year 2021-22.  Nominal GDP is an assessment which includes the current prices of goods and services in its calculation.  Chief economic adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian said, 'Despite the contraction, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many sectors are already on the path of recovery'. India's First Paper-strip Covid-19 Test  Dr Souvik Maiti and Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty, at the CSIR-IGIB, made a strip-test called Feluda to detect COVID-19, in minutes.  The Drugs Controller General of India approved the commercial launch of "Feluda".  This test uses an indigenously developed, cutting-edge CRISPR technology for detection of the genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

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NCL Donates Rs. 5 Crores to Uttar Pradesh  In big support to help fight COVID-19, National miner Coal India arm Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) has donated Rs. 5 crores to Uttar Pradesh for procurement of 50 Ambulances.  NCL CMD Shri Prabhat Kumar Sinha and Director (Personnel) Shri Bimlendu Kumar handed over a cheque to Shri Yogi Aditya Nath in Lucknow.  “NCL's coal operations are in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. India' biggest film city to come up in Noida  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced to set up the country's "biggest and most beautiful" film city in the state's Gautam Buddh Nagar.  The Chief Minister made the announcement during a meeting to review development projects of the Meerut Division, comprising Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Baghpat and Gautam Buddh Nagar districts. FSSAI constitutes task force on vegan food  The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has constituted a task force to look into guidelines/ provisions for vegan foods in the country.  The task force comprises seven members.  The terms of reference for the task force include a look into the definition of vegan foods available across the globe and to formulate a guideline for assessing/ certifying vegan food in India. ICT Grand Challenge launched  National Jal Jeevan Mission in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has launched an ICT Grand Challenge.  It has been launched to create innovative, modular, and cost-effective solution to developing a 'Smart Water Supply Measurement and Monitoring System'.  The challenge will be inviting proposal from Indian Tech start-ups, MSMEs, Indian Companies, etc. National Technical Textiles Mission  The Central government has approved the proposal for the creation of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) for a period of 4 years (2020-21 to 2023-24).  It will have an outlay of Rs 1,480 crore and will promote technical textiles in the country  The focus of the mission will be on the use of technical textiles in agriculture, aquaculture, dairy, poultry, etc. LG Manoj Sinha announces economic package  Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has announced a relief package of Rs 1350 crore for Jammu and Kashmir.  This is in a bid to boost the business and the other ailing sectors that have suffered huge losses for several years in the newly formed Union Territory (UT).  It will also cover those sectors that have suffered losses in the newly created UT in addition to the ailing business sector. First indigenous signal system  The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched i-ATS — the first Made-in-India signalling system.

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 The ATS (or Automatic Train Supervision) is a computer-based system, which manages train operations, including basic functioning such as running and halting.  The i-ATS will significantly reduce the dependence of Indian Metros on foreign vendors dealing with such technologies. UP govt to launch massive recruitment drive  UP Govt has decided to launch a massive recruitment drive in the state to provide government jobs to the youth and fill the vacant post in different departments.  CM Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to begin the recruitment process in the next 3 months and hand over recruitment letters within 6 months.  He has asked for information about vacant posts in all govt offices and departments. Tamil Nadu introduces 'Covid Suspects Wards'  In Tamil Nadu, the health department is introducing “COVID Suspects Wards” in all major hospitals of the state.  They are for treating patients having strong symptoms of COVID-19 infection, though their RT-PCR tests show negative results.  Globally, physicians say there is the possibility of a small percentage of COVID-19 tests showing false- negative results. Centre to enhance paddy procurement target  Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has agreed to enhance the paddy procurement target in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh by procuring a total of 34.8 lakh Metric Tonnes of paddy during the Rabi crop.  It has also decided to further extend the paddy procurement season in Nellore district till 31 Oct'20.  Earlier, it had extended procurement season till 30 Sep'20. National Generic Document Registration System  In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) on 18 September 2020.  NGDRS represents a major shift from the existing manual registration system to online registration of all transactions in sale-purchase and transfer of land.  J&K will be the 10th among States and UTs to become part of NGDRS. ICAR organized a training programme  A training programme for capacity development of Anganwadi Workers and farm Women to achieve the national nutrition goals was organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).  It was organised on 17 Sept 2020 as part of the third Rashtriya Poshan Maah.  Around one lakh Poshan kits were also distributed among Anganwadi workers by Krishi Vigyan Kendras all over the country. Restoration of MLALAD fund announced  Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur has announced the restoration of the MLA local area development (MLALAD) fund over five months after it was suspended.  The MLALAD fund would be restored and its first instalment of Rs 25 lakh would be released in October 2020. 99 | P a g e

 The state government had in April 2020 decided to suspend the MLA LAD fund for two years to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 PSUs will set up centres of excellence in AP  Industries and Commerce Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mekapati Goutham Reddy has said that five Public Sector Undertakings including ITDC, NTPC, SAIL, BHEL, have assured to set up centres of excellence in the State.  Union Industries Minister Piyush Goyal has assured to allocate at least two petrochemical projects.  BHEL is planning to establish a solar manufacturing plant in the State. Special blood bank for dogs in Ludhiana  A special blood bank has been established for dogs at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) in Ludhiana.  This is the first blood bank for dogs in north India.  The blood bank has been set up after getting approval from the Department of Biotechnology to improve the survival chances of dogs. Apple’s first online store in India  Apple’s first online retail channel in India will go live on September 23, 2020.  This is the first time the company is opening a first-party retail channel in the country.  So far, Apple has sold products in India through e-commerce and offline partners.  The online store will also include its local contact centre, which provides support and services to Indian customers — for the first time. India's first car to be published on the IDIS  Tata Motors has announced that Tata Nexon has become the first Indian car to be published on the prestigious International Dismantling Information System (IDIS) platform for End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV).  This means Tata Motors will make the entire life cycle of its products sustainable, from the development of ultra-low/zero-emission vehicles to responsible recycling of the vehicle. “Swachhata Cafe” inaugurated in Himachal P.  Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur virtually inaugurated the “Swachhata Cafe” at Nalagarh in Solan district on 17 Sept'20.  'Swachhata Park’ is also being opened at Kufri in district Shimla.  The Cafe is being operated by Laxmi and Durga women self-help groups.  The main attraction of this Cafe is that it would serve traditional food such as maize bread and Sarson ka saag, butter, lassi etc. Sero survey begins in Chhattisgarh  In Chhattisgarh, sero surveillance has started amidst increasing cases of corona infection.  On the first day of the survey, the teams of ICMR collected samples from the people in Raipur, Durg and Rajnandgaon districts to examine antibodies in people.  This survey is being conducted to know the status of herd immunity in people against coronavirus. Govt to increase number of PMBJKs

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 The govt has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras, PMBJKs to 10, 500 by the end of March 2025.  The PMBJKs are being set up by Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India, under Department of Pharmaceuticals.  With this, all the districts in the country will have Janaushadhi Kendras. BJP inaugurates a website  Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javdekar and Vice President Shyam Jaju inaugurated a website and released an e-book on PM Narendra Modi on his birthday.  The BJP also announced the start of the "Know Namo" quiz whose winners will get books autographed by the PM.  The quiz which began on 17 September 2020 will have questions on PM Modi and BJP. India's first terminal for private jets  Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated India's first General Aviation Terminal at Delhi airport.  The exclusive terminal will handle the flight operations of private jets.  The new terminal has been built to support the movement and processing of passengers flying through chartered flights from IGI Airport. Subsidy for opening cinema halls: Assam  Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has presented govt subsidy cheques to entrepreneurs to set up new cinema halls and reopen or renovate closed and old ones to help the entertainment industry of Assam.  The first of its kind scheme is being implemented by Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corp Ltd.  For new cinema halls, the government would bear a subsidy of up to 25 per cent or Rs 75 lakh. HCL and Google Cloud expand partnership  HCL Technologies (HCL) and Google Cloud have announced the expansion of their strategic partnership to bring HCL’s Actian portfolio, starting with Actian Avalanche, to Google Cloud.  Actian Avalanche is a high-performance hybrid cloud data warehouse designed to power an enterprise’s most demanding operational analytics workloads.  It enables a seamless path to migrate legacy data warehouses. SpiceJet starts cargo service in North East  SpiceJet has launched a dedicated cargo service connecting the North East with the rest of the country and international destinations.  14 aircraft will transport all types of goods, including fruits and vegetables.  Farmers from the region can now transport their fresh farm produce across the country and internationally with the help of this cargo service. Mumbai Police extends section 144 in city  Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Mumbai Police on September 17 extended the restrictions on movement and gathering in the city under Section 144 starting from September 18 midnight.  However, the exemptions provided by the state government under the Unlock rules will continue and there will be no new restrictions.  The order has been issued as per guidelines of State Government on August 31.

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Rajasthan flags off five bike ambulances  Health Minister of Rajasthan Dr Raghu Sharma flagged off five bike ambulances (First Responder Vehicle).  Hero Motocorp Limited provided these five bike ambulances to the medical and health department under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  Dr Sharma said that there is a plan to run these bike ambulances soon in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer cities. Road accident insurance scheme launched  Maharastra government launched a new road accident insurance scheme named after late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray.  It will provide timely treatment to victims that could help to reduce the fatality rate.  Under the Balasaheb Thackeray Accidental Insurance Scheme, an accident victim will be provided treatment in nearby hospitals in the first 72 hours of the incident. Tata to construct new parliament building  The Tata Projects Limited won the contract to construct a new Parliament building at a cost of ₹861.9 crores.  The new Parliament building will be constructed close to the existing one under the Central Vista redevelopment project, and it is expected to be completed in 21 months.  According to CPWD, the new building will come up at plot number 118 of the Parliament House Estate. Walmart Foundation announces two new grants  Walmart Foundation, the philanthropy arm of Walmart, has announced 2 new grants, totalling $4.5 mn to help improve farmer livelihoods in India.  The new grants will help 2 NGOs -- Tanager and PRADAN -- to further scale their efforts to help farmers earn more from the improved output.  Both grantees will focus on increasing opportunities for women farmers via farmer producer organisations. Webinar on Faculty Development  The Ministry of Education organized a webinar on Faculty Development for Quality Education on 15th Sept 2020 under Shikshak Parv Initiative.  The objective was to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of teachers and to understand various aspects of capacity development of the faculty.  Shikshak Parv is being celebrated by the Ministry of Education from 8th September- 25th September 2020. India's first contactless payment watch  State Bank of India (SBI) and Titan Company have partnered to launch contactless payment services through watches, called Titan Pay.  SBI account holders can tap their Titan Pay watch on contactless payment point-of-sale (POS) machines without the need of swiping or inserting their debit card.  To avail this facility, a customer has to be a registered user for YONO. New terminal building at Port Blair airport  Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair is soon going to have a new terminal building.  With a total built-up area of 40,837 sqm, the New Terminal Building will be capable to handle 1200 passengers during peak hours and about 50 lakhs passengers annually.

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 Inspired from nature, the design of the terminal is a shell-shaped structure depicting sea and islands. Tamil Nadu Govt allocates over Rs. 9,000 crore  Tamil Nadu Govt has made an allocation of more than Rs. 9,000 crore for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.  The allocation includes Rs. 3359 crore to provide for the expenditure incurred on the free commodities given through the public distribution system during the lockdown.  For the cash assistance given to the ration card holders, a sum of Rs. 3169 crore has been sanctioned. PM Modi to dedicate Kosi Rail Mahasetu  PM Narendra Modi will dedicate the historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu (mega-bridge) to the nation through video- conference on 18 Sept 2020.  The Kosi Rail Mahasetu is 1.9 km long and its construction cost is Rs. 516 Crore.  Apart from this, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate 12 rail projects related to passenger facilities for the benefit of the Bihar. Elephant rehabilitation center in Odisha  Odisha will soon have an elephant rehabilitation centre for conservation and protection of elephants.  The rehabilitation centre will help injured elephants and those who got separated from the herd.  Odisha Forest and Environment Minister BK Arukha has laid the foundation stone for the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kumarkhunti in Chandaka-Dampada sanctuary. CM inaugurates dictionary app for Garhwal  A mobile app, which has a dictionary for three regional languages spoken in different parts of Uttarakhand, was launched by CM Trivendra Singh Rawat.  The app has been developed by Colonel DP Dimri (retd) and his associates.  Such initiatives help in preserving regional languages and encourage people to speak their own languages. Odisha to implement E-Muster Roll  The Odisha Government launched the e-muster roll so that the payment of wages to workers will be done without any delay.  It will also restrict manipulation.  The e-muster roll will help to control the minimum wages and appropriate deposit of ESI and EPF dues from 2nd October 2020.  The wages will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the labourers. Customized My Stamp on A-SAT launch  A Customized My Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile, A-SAT launch was released by the Department of Posts on 15 Sept 2020.  DRDO had successfully conducted an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) missile test ‘Mission Shakti’ from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on 27 March 2019.  The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters. J&K Lt Guv e-inaugurates a platform  J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha e-inaugurated an Online Process-Based Standardized & Scalable Career Education Platform for Students in Srinagar on 15 Sept 2020. 103 | P a g e

 The Platform is under Career Education Initiative of J&K Government in partnership with Transform Foundation.  The unique initiative will be implemented for students in Ganderbal and Udhampur districts in the first Phase. Facebook announces ₹32 crore grant  Facebook has announced a ₹32 crore grant for small businesses in India.  The money is part of a small business grants programme Facebook had announced globally in March 2020.  The company will be disseminating the fund to over 3000 small businesses (SMBs) in India in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, cities where Facebook has offices. CCEA approves Haryana Rail Corridor project  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the 121-km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor project connecting Palwal to Sonipat.  The estimated completion cost of the project is ₹5,617 crores and it is likely to be completed in 5 years.  The rail corridor will improve regional connectivity and decongest the NCR and will help in developing multi- modal logistics hubs in this area. New AIIMS at Darbhanga Bihar  The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga in Bihar.  It will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).  The total cost will be Rs 1264 crore and is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of the approval of the Government of India. “Backyard Horticulture” programme launched  In Jammu and Kashmir, the Horticulture Dept has launched the Flagship programme “Backyard Horticulture”.  It has been launched under CAPEX scheme at Panchayat Jaswan in Marh block of Jammu district.  Under the programme, at least three fruit plants costing Rs. 200 will be distributed among the farmers at a 90% subsidy covering 600 households in Zone Marh. Alternative academic calendar for schools  Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank released an alternative academic calendar for secondary classes.  It is for the next eight weeks.  The calendar contains week-wise plan consisting of interesting and challenging activities.  The purpose of mapping of themes with learning outcomes is to facilitate teachers and parents to assess the progress in the learning of children. E-learning project to start in Goa anganwadis  Goa's development department said it would introduce e-learning in anganwadis in the state.  Minister Vishwajit Rane said a pilot project will be launched in anganwadis in Sattari and Ponda with the support of private firms Siemens and ConveGenius.  The educational software is in Konkani and English and the digital set up will have smart TVs and tablets.

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Atal Bihari Hindi University inaugrated  On the occasion of 'Hindi Diwas', Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated a new building at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hindi University via video conferencing.  Atal Ji was a politician who spoke in Hindi at the United Nations and paid his respect to the country.  Hindi Diwas or Hindi Day is observed every year on 14 September to mark the popularity of Hindi as an official language of India YouTube releasing its own version of TikTok  Alphabet Inc's YouTube is rolling out its version of social media rival TikTok, a new short-form video service called Shorts, enabled within its video-sharing platform.  YouTube will first test the feature in India over the next few days and then expand to more countries in the coming months.  It will let users record short mobile-friendly vertical videos and then add special effects. HIKAI Online academic classes inaugurated  The Ramkrishna Mission Centres of Sohra and Shillong in a joint venture are successfully conducting online classes in a no-internet zone by using intra-net.  The online academic classes of HIKAI (Hybrid Interactive Knowledge Assimilation Initiative) are for classes 1 to 12.  They were inaugurated on 14 Sept 2020 at Ramakrishna Mission Secondary School, Sohbar of East Khasi Hills district. PM Modi launches 7 infrastructure projects  PM Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 7 projects related to urban infrastructure in Bihar on 15 Sept 2020.  Out of these, four projects are related to water supply, two to sewerage treatment and one to riverfront development.  The project includes Sewerage treatment plants built under Namami Gange at Beur and Karmalichak in Patna Municipal Corporation. Ambulance status to vehicles carrying oxygen  In Maharashtra, the State Government has accorded ambulance status to the vehicles carrying medical oxygen for one year.  The decision was taken in view of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity of uninterrupted oxygen supply to various hospitals in the state.  Such vehicles will be considered as vehicles on emergency and disaster management duties. Chhattisgarh CM Flags Of 'Corona Vijay Rath'  Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel flagged off 'Corona Vijay Rath' to create awareness regarding COVID-19 and also distribute masks and sanitizers free of cost.  Corona Vijay Rath started from Raipur.  The Vehicles will also help create public awareness regarding COVID-19.  "We need everybody's cooperation to defeat this pandemic. This is not a disease that we can't fight." the CM said PM dedicates to Nation three key projects 105 | P a g e

 PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the Nation three key projects related to the Petroleum sector in Bihar through video conferencing.  The projects include the Durgapur-Banka section of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur Pipeline Augmentation Project and two LPG Bottling Plants in East Champaran and Banka.  The Bottling Plants will empower the Atmanirbhar Bihar' by meeting the rising demand for LPG. Amitabh Bachchan’s voice to Alexa  Amazon has partnered with Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan to create a celebrity voice for its digital assistant, Alexa.  The actor will be the 1st celebrity voice for Alexa in India and the feature will be available later in 2020.  Users will have to purchase the voice experience for Alexa.  It will include popular offerings like jokes, weather, shayaris, motivational quotes, advice and more. 4 new medical colleges to come up in Andhra P  The Andhra Pradesh govt has accorded an administrative sanction of Rs 2,050 crore for the establishment of 4 new medical colleges in 4 Parliamentary constituencies in the State.  The four new medical colleges will come up in Paderu of Visakhapatnam district, Machilipatnam of Krishna district, Piduguralla of Guntur district and Pulivendula of Kadapa district. DRDO Research lab to be opened in Morena  In Madhya Pradesh, a Research lab of DRDO at a cost of Rs 2000 crore will be opened in Kailaras-Jaura region of Morena district.  350 hectares of land has been acquired for the research lab of DRDO in Kailaras.  CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan also announced the opening of a medical college in Morena and sanctioned a Rs 267 crore project to bring water from Chambal to the city of Morena. 203 villages under Thane now 'corona free'  Thane district council has announced that a total of 203 out of 430 villages under the council do not have any coronavirus positive cases and the panchayats there have put up green flags to highlight the feat.  Villages which do not report any COVID-19 case for 28 days are termed 'corona free villages'.  The recovery rate in the rural parts of the district is 79.24 per cent. UP govt to constitute a special force  Uttar Pradesh govt has decided to constitute a special force.  It will provide security to the high court, district courts, administrative offices and buildings, Metro rail, airports, banks, financial institutions, educational institutions and industrial units.  The state govt has issued orders for the constitution of the force and a roadmap in this regard has been sought from the UP DGP. India's first COVID airport testing facility  India's first Coronavirus airport testing facility was launched on 12 Sept 2020 at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.  The facility at the Terminal-3 of the airport offers a walk-in option and ensures a safe journey to all the passengers entering the city or scheduled for domestic connecting flights.  The test results are available within four to six hours.

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Virtual meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers  A virtual meeting of G-20 Agriculture and Water Ministers was held on 12 Sept 2020.  The meeting was attended by Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare Parshottam Rupala.  During the meeting, the Jal Shakti Minister assured the forum of India's commitment to contribute towards the objectives, goals and targets set by G-20. Licences of 56 Customs Brokers suspended  Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has said that licences of 56 Customs Brokers including those of 37 from Delhi have been suspended since August 2019 till date.  The Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management had carried out data analytics of Customs Brokers linked with fraudulent and unscrupulous exporters.  All these suspended Brokers can not transact business anymore. Self-reliant in fertilizer production by 2023  Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda has said that India will be self-reliant in the production of fertilizers by 2023.  Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat programme new fertilizer manufacturing units are being set up with an investment of Rs 40,000 cr in the country to reduce dependency on import.  He announced this at a webinar on Self-Reliant India and Sustainable Agriculture. J&K grievance redressal system  Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha launched the Jammu and Kashmir Integrated Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (JK-IGRAMS) in Srinagar.  The revamped system will decentralise handling and redressal of public grievances by making district collectors and deputy commissioners the primary level of receiving, disposing and monitoring grievances. IIT-Guwahati develops self-check kiosk  A first-of-its-kind self-check kiosk to detect and prevent novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been developed by a team of scientists from IIT Guwahati.  The small structure developed by IIT-Guwahati in collaboration with Workspace Metal Solutions Private Ltd is fully automated.  It instantly detects and records the syndromes associated with COVID-19 such as body temperature. Online admission platform launched  Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has launched an online registration portal for admissions in undergraduate (UG) programmes in government, aided and self-financed colleges for the new academic session 2020-21.  The platform has been launched so that students can complete their entire admission process from home.  The registration and prospectus fee has been waived. 20 mn households provided water connections  Over 2 cr households across India have been provided tap water connection so far under the Jal Shakti ministry's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

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 The ministry held a webinar on the planning, implementation and monitoring of outputs and outcomes of JJM with states.  The JJM is being implemented with an aim to ensure that every rural household of the country gets assured drinking water supply by 2024. Veer Savarkar flyover inaugurated  Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa has inaugurated and named a flyover in Yelahanka after Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar.  The 400-metre flyover was scheduled to be unveiled by Yediyurappa on May 28, 2020, the birth anniversary of Savarkar, but got delayed because of the lockdown.  The project began in September 2017 and links Yelahanka New Town with Vidyaranyapura area in North Bengaluru. First-ever cannabis medicine project in Jammu  The first-ever cannabis medicine project will soon be set up in Jammu with Canadian collaboration.  It is the first major foreign investment in Jammu and Kashmir after it became a Union Territory (UT).  The first-ever cannabis medicine project will be set up with the collaboration of Canada at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu. Monthly stipend of research scholars increased  Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the 86th meeting of the University Council of the Jammu University on 11 Sept 2020.  The Lt Governor gave a go-ahead to the demand of increasing the stipend of research scholars from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 per month.  The council also accorded in-principle approval for setting up of Research Cluster in Jammu University. India's first double lung transplant  Doctors at a hospital in Hyderabad claimed to have successfully performed the country's first double lung transplant surgery on a 32-year-old COVID-19 patient, who was suffering from sarcoidosis that affected his lungs.  The team of doctors led by Dr Sandeep Attawar performed the complex procedure on the man from Chandigarh.  After recovery, the patient was discharged on 11 Sept 2020. Golden Temple gets FCRA Registration  The Home Ministry has approved the registration of Sri Harmandir Sahib under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, allowing it to receive foreign funding.  Golden temple in Amritsar is also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib.  The FCRA registration has been given in the name of the ‘Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Saheb Sri Darbar Saheb Punjab Association’, a body set up in 1925. 5.25 crore to StartUp beneficiaries in Manipur  Manipur CM N. Biren Singh handed over monetary assistance of over 5. 25 crore rupees to 272 StartUp beneficiaries at the Manipur StartUp Conclave - 2020 on 11 Sept 2020 at Imphal.  Those who received assistance included 8 beneficiaries in StandUp category, 5 in Revenue Stage and 259 in Idea Stage of the scheme. 108 | P a g e

 Manipur StartUp scheme was launched in 2017-2018. Tamil Nadu govt. embarks on a programme  The Tamil Nadu govt has embarked on a programme to provide laptops to Village Administrative officers who work at grassroots levels among the people.  The effectiveness and efficiency of administration will increase manifold because of the new programme.  The workings of E - Sevai Centres in rural areas will be linked with the Village Administration section to ensure seamless service delivery. Santosh Gangwar addressed a meeting  Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar addressed the Virtual Meeting of G-20 Labour and Employment Ministers on 10 Sept'20.  He called upon all G-20 members to continue to work together for finding solutions to the common problems resulting from COVID-19.  He informed that to mitigate the problems of the workers, India encouraged its employers for payment of wages to their workers. PM Modi to dedicate to nation three projects  PM Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation three key projects related to the Petroleum sector in Bihar through video conferencing on 13 Sept 2020.  The projects include the Durgapur-Banka section of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur Pipeline Augmentation Project and two LPG Bottling Plants.  They have been commissioned by Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited- HPCL. Home Minister Amit Shah e-launches projects  Home Minister Amit Shah e-dedicated and e-launched development projects worth Rs 221 crore in Ahmedabad district on 11 Sept 2020.  The works e-dedicated include Rs 130.91 crore pipeline network to carry water from Vaishnavdevi Circle to Shantipura and Sarkhej along Ring Road, Rs 15 crore new water distribution station near APMC Yard in south-west zone, etc. Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework  Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0.  He also launched the ‘Streets for People Challenge’ in a virtual event organized by the Smart Cities Mission.  The objective of CSCAF is to provide a clear roadmap for cities towards combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their actions. Gujarat's first Heritage Tourism Policy  Gujarat Government has announced the state's first Heritage Tourism Policy.  The policy has provisions to permit the use of pre-1950 historical buildings such as heritage palaces and forts, as heritage hotels, heritage museums, etc., provided that basic heritage structure is not disturbed.  This decision paves a way for creating tourism attraction in unused historical buildings. KPMG to assist in OFB corporatisation

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 The Ministry of Defence has appointed a KPMG Advisory Services-led consortium for consultancy on the corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board.  The Centre had floated an Expression of Interest cum Request for Proposal for engaging a consultancy agency to provide strategic and implementation management consulting services to assist the Ministry of Defence. EC issues new guidelines  Election Commission issued guidelines with tighter timelines for the publishing of the criminal antecedents of all candidates in the fray.  Candidates have to ‘advertise’ the criminal antecedents in the media thrice - 1st: within first 4 days of the last date of withdrawal, 2nd: Within 5th to 8th day of the last date of withdrawal and the 3rd: From 9th day till the last day of the campaign. DM launches website of Aero India 2021  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the website of Aero India 2021, which will be held between February 3-7, 2021.  The Aero India Show is scheduled from 03 to 07th of February, 2021 in Bengaluru.  India hosted the 12th edition of "Aero India 2019" at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, (Karnataka) from February 20 to 24, 2019.  A total of 61 aircraft had participated in the event. Andhra Police Tops in a list  The Andhra Pradesh police department has stood first in the country for identifying and developing 'chance fingerprints' from crime scenes.  The department was successful in developing 9,418 chance prints.  The main responsibility of fingerprint experts is to develop the 'chance prints' left by criminals at the crime scene and match the same with the fingerprints of known criminals. BHEL to establish a facility  Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is coming up with a facility to assess Low Cycle Fatigue effects in rotors required for coal-based thermal power plants.  It will establish a High-Temperature Spin Test Rig (HTSTR).  It will be the first facility in India for experimental validation of the design of AUSC (Advanced Ultra Super Critical) steam turbine rotor. South India’s first Kisan rail flagged off  Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy flagged off south India’s 1st Kisan rail on 9 Sept'20.  The one-of-its-kind train will be particularly helpful for farmers from the Rayalaseema region by transporting their produce from Anantapur to New Delhi.  The train carried 214 tonnes of tomato, 138 tonnes of banana, 32 tonnes of sweet orange, 11 tonnes of papaya, 8 tonnes of melons, etc. Mahindra launches new potato planting machine  Mahindra has launched a new potato planter under its Farm Equipment Sector (FES).  The new advanced Precision Potato Planting machinery, the new ‘PlantingMaster Potato +’ is designed and developed in collaboration with Europe-based partner Dewulf. 110 | P a g e

 PlantingMaster Potato + has been developed to suit Indian farming conditions, to offer higher yields and enhanced quality. UP govt forms special investigation team  Uttar Pradesh govt has constituted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the purchase of health equipment and sanitisers allegedly at higher prices in several districts.  The probe team will submit its report in 10 days.  Additional Chief Secretary Renuka Kumar will lead the SIT while Secretary Amit Gupta and Secretary Vikas Gothalwal will be part of it. Poshan Mela organised at Tai Suru by ICDS  In Kargil, Ladakh, a unique sensitisation programme Poshan Mela was organised at Tai Suru by Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) with display of Local Food Items by the Child Development Project Office.  It was inaugurated by Councillor LAHDC Tai Suru Aga Syed Abass Razvi.  He also flagged off 2 Poshan Vahans which will sensitise the people of Tai Suru with Objectives of Poshan Maah. PM to participate in Grih Pravesham  PM Narendra Modi will participate in the inauguration and ‘Grih Pravesham’ ceremony of 1,75,000 houses built under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) in MP on 12 Sept 2020.  All of these houses have been built during the current challenging COVID-19 pandemic period.  Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh will also be present on the occasion.  PMAY-G was launched on 20th November 2016. Nitin Gadkari approves a proposal  Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved a proposal to construct the 120- kilometre Munger-Bhagalpur-Tirpety-Kahalgaon concrete road on national highway 80 in Bihar.  This will be a 2-lane road with paved shoulders, which will also be 4-lane wide at certain stretches.  This is an important commercial connectivity road in this area with around 25 thousand vehicles per day. India's largest piggery mission launched  India's largest piggery mission worth Rs 209 crores, was launched in Meghalaya by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Kailash Choudhary on 10 Sept 2020.  The project is estimated to benefit 35,000 pig farmers in Meghalaya.  This would provide a regular source of income to members of 300 PACCS (Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies). Microsoft joins Nasscom to skill students  Microsoft has joined hands with industry-driven learning ecosystem Nasscom FutureSkills to launch a nation-wide initiative that aims to skill 10 lakh students in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by 2021.  Commencing from September 21, 2020, this initiative called "AI Classroom Series" will be paced in three modules.  The online classes will include live demos, hands-on workshops and assignments. Mansukh Mandaviya launches ‘SAROD-Ports’

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 Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya has launched ‘SAROD-Ports’ (Society for Affordable Redressal of Disputes - Ports) in New Delhi.  SAROD-Ports will resolve the disputes in fair and just manner while saving a huge amount of legal expenditure and time.  It consists of members from the Indian Ports Association (IPA) and Indian Private Ports and Terminals Association (IPTTA). Rs 1 cr sanctioned for construction workers  In Jammu and Kashmir, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan has sanctioned financial assistance worth Rs 1 crore in favour of construction workers and dependents.  This has been done under Death-cum-Funeral Assistance and Chronic Diseases Financial Assistance Scheme.  The scheme is being run by J&K Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (JKBOCWWB). Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates a webinar  Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated a webinar on Enhancing Water Use Efficiency and Coverage of Micro Irrigation in Indian agriculture, on 9 Sept'20.  Addressing the webinar, he informed that the govt has set a target of covering 100 lakh hectares in 5 yrs under micro-irrigation.  About 11 lakh farmers have benefitted by the adoption of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Education Ministry to organise 2 -day conclave  Education Ministry is organising a 2-day conclave on School Education in 21st Century under Shikshak Parv starting 10 Sept 2020, through online medium.  On the first day of the Conclave, the focus will be on Principal and Teacher practitioners, who will discuss how they have already implemented certain themes of the NEP in creative ways.  PM Modi will address the conclave on 11 Sept 2020. Organic Food Processing Unit in Barabanki, UP  Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the Organic Food Processing Unit in Barabanki, UP through video conference on 9 Sept 2020.  Through this food processing unit, 5000 farmers will be benefitted and it is expected to leverage an investment of over 50 crore rupees.  Food processing sector has been identified as a champion sector by the Government of India. Centre to set up KV in IIT Indore Campus  The Central Government will set up a new Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) in the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore.  With the introduction of this new KV at IIT Indore campus, the total number of Kendriya Vidyalayas has increased to 1,242.  The admission process to this Kendriya Vidyalaya in IIT Indore campus will be as per the schedule prescribed for this academic session. First integrated air ambulance service  Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa unveiled the country's first integrated air ambulance service.  ICATT, a team comprising emergency medical service experts, and Kyathi, an aviation technology firm, have come together to start integrated air-ambulance service. 112 | P a g e

 It is capable of long distance emergency medical transportation, combined with helicopter and land ambulance services. Ayodhya airport to be named after Lord Ram  The proposed airport in Ayodhya will be named after Lord Ram and will have an international status.  Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set the December 2021 deadline for completion of the airport.  The government has approved a sum of Rs 525 crore for the airport construction and a sum of Rs 300 crore has already been spent. 'Telanganaku Haritha Haaram' organised  GMR Hyderabad International Airport in collaboration with the Airport Security Group of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) organised "Telanganaku Haritha Haaram", #GreenIndiaChallenge function.  It was organised at Hyderabad Airport City near GMR Arena.  Approximately 600 saplings were planted by the airport CISF personnel during the event. A digital library for Sanskrit manuscripts  Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Office announced that a digital library will be constructed in the state for the preservation of Sanskrit manuscripts.  Along with the library, various events will be organised on the occasion of Kumbh Mela, besides conferences, seminars, training, and workshops.  Also, the name of the Sanskrit Academy shall be changed to 'Uttaranchal Sanskrit Sansthan Haridwar'. Remdesivir launched under brand name 'Redyx'  Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd has announced the launch of Remdesivir, meant for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, under a brand name 'Redyx' in India.  The launch is a part of the licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. that grants Dr Reddys the right to register, manufacture and sell Remdesivir, in 127 countries including India.  Redyx is available in the strength of 100 mg vial. Women SHGs involved in distribution of food  UP govt has decided to involve women self help groups in distribution of nutrition fortified food for children and pregnant ladies in the state.  An MoU has been signed between UP Rural Livelihood Mission and UN World Food Programme for procurement and distribution of Take-home rations (THR).  This will ensure employment of at least one women from every poor rural family. QR code-enabled check-in at Mumbai Airport  Mumbai International airport has put in place a QR code-enabled contactless check-in mechanism for the passengers.  It is a vital step in reducing passenger contact with kiosk surfaces and is in full compliance with the civil aviation ministry's passenger processing guidelines.  Passengers can use their phones to remotely operate check-in and self-bag drop kiosks for printing boarding passes. Gujarat CM announces 16% rebate in gas bill

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 Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani has announced 16% rebate in gas bill to the ceramic industry in the state.  This will exempt the ceramic industry from Rs.2.50 per standard cubic meter (SCM) hike by Gujarat Gas Company Limited and Sabarmati Gas Limited.  This rebate is over and above Rs.2 per SCM rebate announced earlier.  It will benefit 1,160 units of Ceramic industry in the state. CIPET to establish two new Centres  Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) will be establishing two new Centres for Skilling and Technical Support- CSTS at Bhagalpur (Bihar) and Varanasi (UP).  Every year 1000 youths will be trained in each centre through Diploma & Skill Development programmes for gainful employment in petrochemicals & allied industries. 22 bamboo clusters inaugurated in nine states  Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated 22 bamboo clusters in 9 states by virtual mode.  These States are Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Karnataka.  A logo for the National Bamboo Mission was also released.  He informed that import policy has also been modified to ensure progress of the bamboo industry in the country. Webinars organized during Poshan Maah  The Ministry of Women and Child Development is organizing a series of webinars during the third Poshan Maah being celebrated in Sept 2020.  The first webinar on Best Practices and Success Stories from POSHAN Abhiyaan was organized on 7 Sept 2020.  The second webinar was held on 8 Sept 2020 on the topic of Nutrient Requirement for Children and Mothers during the first 1000 days. PM Modi held Swanidhi Samvaad  PM Narendra Modi held Swanidhi Samvaad on 9 Sept 2020 with street vendors from Madhya Pradesh.  Government of India had launched PM Swanidhi scheme on 1st June 2020 to help poor street vendors, impacted by COVID-19, resume livelihood activities.  4.5 lakh street vendors were registered in Madhya Pradesh, with more than 4 lakh vendors having been given identification and vendor certification. Health Ministry issues SOP guidelines  The Health Ministry has issued SOPs for partial reopening of schools for class 9 to 12 from 21 Sept 2020 on voluntary basis.  Disallowing of sharing of notebooks, pens or pencils, water bottles among students, prohibition of assemblies and sports, etc. are some of the important points of the guidelines.  Written consent of the student's parents or guardians will be required. Translations of ‘18 Lesser Texts’ released  Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami has launched the translations of 1,837 select poetic works from ‘18 Lesser Texts’ (often known as Pathinenkilkanakku Noolgal in Tamil) in French and German.  The translations have been made through the International Institute of Tamil Studies. 114 | P a g e

 The translations of these works in Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu had already been launched earlier. Maharashtra scraps 70:30 admission norm  The Maharashtra government has scrapped the 70:30 region-wise formula for admission in medical courses in the State.  The formula implied reservation for 70% locals (from that region) in medical colleges and 30% from rest of the State.  Admissions would now be based on the results of students who have appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). FSSAI bans sales, ads of junk foods in school  FSSAI banned sales and advertisements of junk foods in school canteens and within 50 metres around the school campuses.  It is done to promote safe and wholesome food for children.  The Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and healthy diets for School Children) Regulations, 2020 in this regard has been notified. 'Sanitisation on one call service' launched  The Lucknow administration has launched 'Sanitisation on one call service' in view of COVID-19 pandemic.  Now when a person tests COVID-19 positive in Lucknow, there will be sanitization in his area by placing just one call on the helpline number 0522-2307770.  It was launched in the presence of Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Mukesh Meshram and District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash. Gujarat CM flags off COVID-19 Vijay Rath  Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani flagged off COVID-19 Vijay Rath through video conferencing on 7 Sept 2020.  They were flagged off from five districts of the state simultaneously.  These Raths will help create public awareness in the fight against the Coronavirus.  After covering the five districts, it will cover about 90 talukas in 33 districts of the state in the next 44 days. MP govt to add 3600 oxygen beds till Oct 31  In Madhya Pradesh, a target has been set by the state govt that 3600 oxygen beds and 564 ICU beds would be added for coronavirus treatment till October 31, 2020.  This will increase such beds to 11,710 and 2,488 respectively.  The state government decided that private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients could charge only 40 percent more than rates prevalent in the time before the outbreak. ‘Ahata-e-Waqar’ e-inaugurated at Samba  In J&K, Justice Gita Mittal, e-inaugurated Ahata-e-Waqar, Vulnerable Witnesses Deposition Complex and Crèche facility at District Court Complex, Samba.  The Ahata-e-Waqar Centre aims to serve as a place for Senior Citizens where they can spend their day in constructive and recreational activities.  Senior Citizens can also avail the facilities of free Legal Aid and Police assistance here. NABARD organizes awareness programme

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 In J&K, an awareness cum sensitization programme for newly proposed Farmer Producer Organizations was organized by NABARD on 7 Sept'20.  It was organized in coordination with District Administration in Anantnag.  It aimed at promoting sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural prosperity through effective credit support related services, institutional development and other initiatives. Gujarat forms a Task Force  In Gujarat, the State Govt has formed the Task Force to study and implement the National Education Policy- 2020 for school education.  The State-level Task Force comprises 15 members from politicians, administrative officials and academicians.  This Task Force is expected to study NEP-2020, make changes suggested in the school education format and come up with the best implementation measures. PM Modi inaugurates Patrika Gate in Jaipur  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Patrika Gate in Jaipur through video conferencing on 8 September 2020.  The iconic gate is built by the Patrika Group of Newspapers on the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg in Jaipur.  On this occasion, the Prime Minister also launched two books - Samvad Upanishad and Akshar Yatra - authored by Editor-in-Chief of Rajasthan Patrika Group Gulab Kothari. Virudhunagar: Fully Digital Economy district  Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu has been selected by the Central Government as the state's first Fully Digital Economy district.  All industrial units and commercial establishments in the district are at present implementing various forms of cashless transactions.  These include widespread use of ATM debit cards, increased usage of internet banking, the widespread use of QR codes etc. UV technology for token sanitisation  Lucknow Metro will become the first metro service in India to use ultraviolet technology for token sanitisation for passenger safety.  Lucknow Metro began its operations on 7 Spet 2020.  Lucknow Metro has also become the first metro with the cashless facility of multiple tokens/tickets with GoSmart card.  A GoSmart user has a contactless trip right from entering the metro station to exiting. 10-week anti-dengue campaign began  The Delhi govt's 10-week anti-dengue campaign commenced on 6 Sept 2020.  The '10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 Minute' campaign seeks to build awareness about the prevention of vector-borne diseases.  Like last time, two crore people of Delhi will join hands and work together to fight against dengue.  The Resident Welfare Associations will be asked to come together and help in the fight against dengue. 3rd phase of 'Back to Village' programme

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 In Jammu and Kashmir, the govt has announced the third phase of Back to Village (B2V) programme from October 2 to 12, 2020.  Phase-I of B2V was an introductory and interactive programme to understand the people’s grievances and demands.  While Phase-II focused on the devolution of powers to panchayats and tried to understand how these panchayats are functioning and what are the grievances. President, PM Modi address a conference  President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Modi addressed the inaugural session of the Governors’ Conference on National Education Policy on 7 Sept 2020.  The Conference titled “Role of NEP-2020 in Transforming Higher Education” was organized by the Ministry of Education.  NEP-2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century, announced after 34 years of the previous National Policy in 1986. Prakash Javadekar chaired a webinar  Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar chaired a webinar on 7 Sept 2020 on the 1st-ever International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.  He also reviewed the progress of activities under the National Clean Air programme (NCAP) during the course of the webinar.  The webinar was joined by Principal Secretaries of the Urban Development Depnts and Environment Departments of 28 states and 8 UTs. Bengaluru airport launches a system  The Bengaluru International Airport Limited has rolled out the tech-enabled Queue management system at the Kempegowda International Airport.  It will reduce waiting time, enhance operational efficiency and manage passenger flow during peak hours.  Xovis is its implementing partner.  In addition, the Xovis PTS, a passenger flow management system, will display live waiting time on the screens. Appraisal for JKAS officers goes online  Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched the Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) system for J&K Administrative Service officers at the Raj Bhavan.  The performance appraisal reports of all India service officers are submitted on the SPARROW portal.  The technological intervention will benefit around 1,289 officers. Odisha to set up 'Drug Park'  In a bid to create employment opportunities through industrialisation in the non-mineral sector, the Odisha Government has decided to set up "Bulk Drug Park" in the State.  The park would have all the advanced infrastructure facilities including central effluent treatment plant, solid waste management, etc.  The cost of infrastructure development in the park was estimated at around Rs.1500 cr. Karnataka to take up a watershed project

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 Karnataka is set to implement a ₹600-cr project for brining 10 lakh hectares of parched land in 10 districts under watershed development with World Bank assistance.  The project is titled ‘Rejuvenating watershed for agriculture resilience through innovative development’.  Under the project, the State government would provide ₹180 cr while the World Bank would extend assistance of ₹420 cr. Remains at Baghpat of national importance  The archaeological site and remains at Sadikpur Sinauli in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district have been declared to be of “national importance” by the Archaeological Survey of India.  The evidence of the existence of a warrior class around 2,000 BCE was discovered in 2018 here.  The site would now be maintained by the ASI and development works around it would be subject to Central rules. ‘English Pro’ app launched  A mobile application, ‘English Pro’ has been launched recently.  It is developed by the Hyderabad-based English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU).  The app has been developed under University Social Responsibility (USR), a first-of-its-kind initiative by any university in the country.  It aims at helping learners develop Indian English pronunciation in the unique ‘Bharatiya’ way. Financial assistance for cinema halls: WB  The West Bengal govt has announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh to single-screen- cinema halls which suffered extensive damage to property caused by cyclone Amphan.  The one-time financial package is being given in response to an appeal by the apex body of the producers and distributors forum of eastern India in August 2020.  There has been extensive property damage due to cyclone Amfan. Nitin Gadkari to inaugurate various projects  Union Minister Nitin Gadkari along with CM of Andhra Pradesh will participate in foundations and inaugurations of various projects in the state on 18 Sept 2020.  Total of 877 km of roads belonging to National Highways will be developed for which foundation will be laid.  Similarly, 10 projects completed at an estimated cost of Rs 8038 Cr will be dedicated to the Nation. Centre approves setting up of Medical college  The Central government has given approval for setting up a Medical college in Mon district of Nagaland.  This will be the second medical college in the state, after the Medical College in Kohima which is now under construction.  The new Government Medical College will be set up by upgrading District Hospital Mon.  It will boost the State Govt’s effort to revolutionise the state health sector. India now got world’s 2nd largest road network  India has now the second largest road network in the world being fuelled by the tremendous growth in construction of expressways and highways.  Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said this while addressing the 60th annual convention of SIAM. 118 | P a g e

 The current rate of road building per day has averaged to 30 Kilometre a day, with the highest being 40 Kilometre per day of highway. 24x7 toll-free helpline 'KIRAN' to be launched  Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot will launch the 24x7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline "KIRAN” on 7 Sept 2020.  The helpline number is 1800-500-0019.  This Helpline has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to provide relief and support to persons with Mental Illness. IIT Madras sets up data analytics lab  IIT Madras has set up a laboratory for research in risk analytics and behavioural sciences.  The institute has received support from the American Express Data Analytics, Risk and Technology Laboratory to set up its unit.  The institute’s laboratory will engineer technologies and reduce risks caused by human behaviour and decisions.  Research from the lab including will be publicly available. Andhra Pradesh government bans Rummy, Poker  The Andhra Pradesh govt has decided to ban online games like rummy and poker that were pushing the youth on a wrong path.  The state cabinet that met under the chairmanship of CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took the decision to ban online gambling.  According to the Cabinet decision, organisers of online gambling would be jailed for a year, besides being penalised, for a first-time offence. Punjab Government launches 'I Rakhwali' app  Punjab Forest Dept has launched 'I Rakhwali' app to help netizens to become 'Greenery Saviours'.  The application has been developed to ensure greenery and to protect the environment in Punjab, and its main aim is to inspire people to plant more trees.  With this new initiative, the Punjab government aims to safeguard the state forest area by making people a stakeholder in this process. India’s First Football Training App launched  Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools’ app, ‘enJogo’.  It will enable youngsters to continue training amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  The football training app will enable young footballers across India to get access to proper online coaching to train remotely.  The ‘enJogo app’ has a library of workouts with in-built videos of drills. Pune institute develops room freshner  Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune has developed a herbal-based immunity-boosting room freshener product named “Healthy Air” to contain the spread of COVID-19.  'Healthy Air' has been developed by the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering.  The product removes toxic fumes, cleanses the air, and does not contain any synthetic solvent /surfactant in its formulation. 119 | P a g e

'National Tribal Research Conclave’ held  Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda addressed the inaugural session of National Tribal Research Conclave on 3 Sept 2020.  It is being organized by Centre of Excellence for Tribal Affairs, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi.  He said that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is funding 26 Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) for research under Grant to TRIs. Tata Steel develops COVID swab collection unit  Nest-In, the construction solution business venture of Tata Steel, has developed a COVID-19 swab collection unit.  It claims to have a risk-free and safer sample collection process for healthcare workers.  It ensures a contact-less exchange of test-tubes and is equipped with a two-way mic and speaker system that allows clear communication between the healthcare professional and the patient. Nagaland observing a programme from 1-14 Sept  Nagaland is observing Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight Programme, IDCP from 1st to 14th of Sept 2020.  IDCP is a yearly activity being observed all over the country.  During the fortnight all households with children under 5 years of age will be provided ORS, while all households with children under 5 years with diarrheal cases will be provided with ORS and Zinc Tablet for free. Govt launches eight immunity boosting products  Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has launched eight immunity-boosting products for sale through Janaushadhi Kendras across the country.  These have been launched under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Priyojana.  The products are comparable in quality and are cheaper by over 26 per cent than the market price. Gujarat govt to cut down salaries of MLAs  Gujarat government has decided to cut down the salaries of MLAs and ministers by 30 per cent for one year due to COVID-19 pandemic.  The government will bring a bill to this effect in the upcoming session of the state assembly.  The proposed bill will replace an ordinance issued earlier.  The state government will save Rs. 6.27 crore by the cut in salaries of elected representatives. Command Control Rooms to be set up in MP  The MP govt has instructed concerned officials to establish Command Control Rooms in each district.  These control rooms will monitor the people who are under home isolation and home quarantine.  The MP government has instructed that Ambulance should also be kept ready in every command control room.  Information about health of home isolation patients must be collected at least twice a day. Jal Shakti Ministry launches a contest

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 The Jal Shakti ministry has launched a "Water Heroes" contest with an aim to reach out to people with the important message of water conservation and management.  Every month, entries would be invited for the awards.  A maximum of 10 entries can be considered for the awards every month.  All selected entries will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a certificate. Odisha Govt approves 7 investment proposals  The Odisha govt has approved seven investment proposals worth Rs 3,205.67 crores in different sectors.  These were approved at the State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) meeting.  The proposals which were approved are from the infrastructure, tourism, metal, among other sectors.  Apart from this, proposal for setting up a Flue Gas Desulphurization Plant (FGD) was also approved. ITBP mountaineers climb Leo Pargil peak  ITBP mountaineers of Sector Head Quarter Shimla climbed 22222 ft high Leo Pargil peak located at International Border.  During the pandemic, it is the only successful mountaineering expedition in Northern India.  12 members of 16 member team climbed the peak.  The leader of this challenging expedition was Deputy Commandant Kuldeep Singh and Deputy Leader was Deputy Commandant Dharmendra. “Green Term Ahead Market” launched  Union Minister R K Singh has launched the Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) for electricity.  The move will lead to an increase in the participants in the renewable energy sector.  It will also help in achieving the renewable energy(RE) capacity addition targets of the country.  The introduction of the platform would lessen the burden on RE-rich states and incentivize them to develop RE capacity. ADA unanimously approves map of Ram Temple  In UP, the map for the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya and the layout of the whole temple premises have been unanimously approved by the Ayodhya Development Authority.  The layout of 2,74,110 square meters of temple premises and 13,000 square meters of Ram Temple was passed on 2 Sept 2020.  The map was submitted for approval on August 29, 2020, along with other necessary documents. PUBG among 118 more mobile apps banned  Indian government has blocked 118 more mobile applications, in the interest of "sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order" by invoking Section 69 of Information Technology Act.  The banned apps include PUBG, Baidu, Baidu Express Edition, Tencent Watchlist, FaceU, WeChat Reading, Ludo All Star, Alipay and Tencent Weiyun, and more. MP government launches a campaign  In Madhya Pradesh, a massive ‘Gandagi Bharat Chhodo’ campaign has been launched by the State Government.  The campaign has been divided into five themes.

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 The themes are- Cleanliness Oath, Continuous reduction in urban waste emissions, Cleanliness in COVID conditions, Separation of waste from sources of houses and Launching a special cleanliness campaign for public places. Uttarakhand, Karnataka paired under EBSB  Uttarakhand and Karnataka are paired under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme to promote national integration through mutual understanding.  Both the states have established relations through sports, trade and culture.  The famous Chipko Andolan of Uttarakhand had inspired Appiko Andolan in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.  Appiko is the Kannada word for Chipko. Anti-electricity theft police stations in UP  UP govt has decided to set up exclusive anti-electricity theft police stations in every district of the state to address the problem of frequent cases of power theft.  One police station dedicated to deal with the issue of power theft will be opened in all 75 districts out of which 63 has already started functioning.  The govt has also raised the number of enforcement teams from 33 to 88. Government gives nod to 27 projects  Govt gave its nod to 27 projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana for development of integrated cold chains and value addition infrastructure in the country.  The projects will generate direct and indirect employment for over 16,000 people and benefit nearly 2,57,000 farmers.  85 other Cold Chain Projects have also been considered for financial assistance under the scheme. Coal India to invest over Rs 1.22 lakh crore  Coal India Ltd (CIL) will invest over Rs 1.22 lakh cr on development of nearly 500 projects.  The projects are related to coal evacuation, infrastructure, project development, exploration and clean coal technologies in the country.  The investment aims at making India self-reliant in terms of coal and achieve the production target of 1 billion tonnes by 2023-2024. Gadkari inaugurates Technology Centre  Union Minister for MSMEs Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated Technology Centre set up at Bhiwadi in Alwar district of Rajasthan.  The govt is making 15 new Technology Centres (TCs) and upgrading 18 existing TCs to create skilled manpower.  It is also thinking of providing loans to Technology Centres so that they can buy new machinery and new technology to cater to the needs of local industries. Odisha CM launches 2 Mobile Phone Apps  Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched two citizen-centric mobile phone applications- AMA SAHAR and SWACHHA SAHAR ODISHA at the Lok Seva Bhawan.  They were launched on the occasion of Local Self Government Day.

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 With the launching of the apps, the urban local bodies (ULBs) will be able to submit utilisation certificate online which will bring better fiscal management. CBSE launches TERM for classroom training  The CBSE has launched the Teacher Energized Resource Manuals (TERM) especially for the teachers from class 6 to 10.  It will help the children and teachers to introduce productive classroom training to build competencies.  The Manuals suggest activities which can be carried out by the teachers with learners to explain the concepts.  Initially TERM is launched for Science and Mathematics. Defence Ministry signs Rs 2580 cr deal  The Defence Ministry has sealed a deal with two leading domestic defence majors to procure Pinaka rocket launchers for six Army regiments at a cost of Rs 2,580 crore.  The Pinaka regiments will be deployed along India's border with China and Pakistan to further enhance operational preparedness of the armed forces.  The contract has been signed with Tata Power Company Ltd and Larsen & Toubro. Third Sero Survey begins in Delhi  The third round of monthly sero-prevalence survey in the national capital began on 1 Sept 2020.  The sample size this time is likely to be about 17 thousand.  The last sero-prevalence survey was held from 1st to 7th August 2020, according to which antibodies against COVID-19 infection were found in 29.1 percent of people surveyed in the national capital. UP: 13 new biosafety testing labs launched  UP CM has launched 13 new biosafety second generation testing labs in the state.  With this, the state’s capacity for undertaking RT-PCR tests will go up by 5,000 per day.  The state is already conducting an average of 1.5 lakh COVID-19 tests per day of which about 50% are RT- PCR.  The state has conducted more than 50 lakh tests till date.  The new labs include 10 in the public sector. First newspaper for kids launched in Assam  Two Guwahati-based women entrepreneurs have launched a newspaper specifically designed for kids.  It will promote creative thinking among children and inculcate in them the habit to read and write.  The newspaper named 'The Young Minds' is the brainchild of Neelam Sethia and Neha Bajaj.  The Young Minds, reportedly, will cater to kids of 4-14 years of age. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announces a project  Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has announced 100 projects in the State that will be completed in the next 100 days.  These are a part of an action plan to boost the socio-economic status of the State.  He declared that as part of the food security programme, the distribution of the much-lauded food kits launched by the government during the COVID crisis will continue for the next four months. SpiceJet launches portable ventilator SpiceOxy

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 SpiceJet has introduced a portable ventilator for patients with mild-to-moderate breathing issues.  Dubbed as 'SpiceOxy', the compact ventilator was designed by engineers of SpiceJet Technic, a subsidiary of SpiceJet.  This lightweight device can be used at home, in an ambulance, on hilly terrain like army base camps, hospitals, and portable applications like wheelchairs and gurneys. Seaplane service in Gujarat to begin  The Gujarat govt has officially announced the inauguration of the first-ever seaplane service in the state from October 31, 2020, which marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.  The inaugural flight will take off from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia colony in Narmada district.  It will be operated by private airline SpiceJet. India's first toy manufacturing cluster  India's first toy manufacturing cluster will come up at Koppal in Karnataka.  It will have the potential to create 40,000 jobs in 5 years and attract over ₹ 5,000 cr investment.  Karnataka is the third-largest market for toys in India ($159 million) 9.1 per cent of the national market.  The state's toy industry has grown at a CAGR of 18% (2010-17) and is expected to reach $310 million by 2023.

Committees and Recommendations India and Bangladesh to set up a committee  India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up a ‘High Level Monitoring Committee’.  It will be headed by the Secretary, Economic Relations Division of Bangladesh and High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh.  It will regularly review the progress of implementation of projects being run with Line of Credit (Loc) provided by India. Committee to manage Lakshmi Vilas Bank  RBI has approved a three-member committee of directors to run the day-to-day functioning of Lakshmi Vilas Bank.  The development comes a few days after its shareholders rejected the appointment of seven directors, including the Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer at the annual general meeting.  The committee chairperson is Meeta Makhan with Shakti Sinha and Satish Kumar Kalra as members Government forms an expert committee  The Government has set up an expert committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator.  The expert committee, led by Lt Gen (retd) Rajesh Pant, India’s chief coordinator on cybersecurity, will evaluate the “implications” of the digital surveillance by Data Information Technology Co. Limited and “assess any violations of law and submit its recommendations within thirty days.” New Council for Footwear and Leather Industry  The government has set up a 25-member Development Council for Footwear and Leather Industry for a period of two years.

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 It was told by a notification of the Department for the Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.  Raj Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Action Shoes is the chairman of the council. Maharashtra govt sets up a committee  Maharashtra Govt has set up a 4-member committee to fix the charges for conducting CT-scan tests across all state hospitals.  Following numerous complaints regarding overcharging by various hospitals, the govt has decided to set up a committee that will recommend price caps for these tests.  The committee will be headed by Dr Sudhakar Shinde, CEO of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana. 16-Member Committee to study Indian Culture  The govt has formed an expert committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture dating back to around 12,000 years ago.  This was announced by Union Minister Prahlad Patel on 14 Sept 2020.  The 16-member committee will include KN Dikshit, Chairman, Indian Archaeological Society and former Joint Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, among others. Govt forms three-member expert panel  Government has constituted a three-member expert committee to assist in the assessment of relief to bank borrowers.  The committee chaired by former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi will measure the impact on the national economy and financial stability of waiving of interest and COVID-19 related moratorium.  The panel will submit its report within one week. Defence Ministry sets up a panel  The Defence Ministry is about to optimise the civil and navy administrative appointments within the service headquarters.  A 3-member committee has been set up to review the effective utilisation of the Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHO CS) cadre.  This is in line with the recommendation of the Lt. Gen. DB Shekatkar (retd) committee on enhancing the military’s combat potential. Tamil Nadu Govt constitutes 7-member panel  The Tamil Nadu Government has constituted a 7-member panel to look into the National Education Policy- 2020.  The committee will be headed by the state education department principal secretary with six former vice- chancellors as the members.  The higher-level committee will go through the policy and make recommendations that are feasible for adoption. 10-member Biodiversity Council set up in J&K  The J&K govt has set up a 10-member council for the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of its components in the Union territory.  The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests will be the chairman of the 10-member panel, which will include 5 non-official members.  The Director of the Forest Research Institute, J&K, will serve as the member secretary of the council. 125 | P a g e

IRDAI sets up a panel  Insurance regulator IRDAI has constituted a six-member working group to examine various aspects for allowing life insurance companies to offer index-linked products.  The current regulations of Insurance Regulatory and Develop Authority of India (Irdai) do not specifically permit insurers to sell index-linked products.  The working group will be headed by Dinesh Pant, appointed actuary of LIC.

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