DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Sept. 14, 2024

Delhi Airport Rises to 24th, Mumbai Drops to 44th in Mega Hub Rankings

Tags: Reports

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi has improved its ranking, moving from 25th place last year to 24th this year.

An Overview of the News

• Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has dropped 10 positions, falling from 34th to 44th place.

Low-Cost Megahubs

• IndiGo has become one of the largest airlines globally, with Delhi and Mumbai serving as its primary hubs.

• Delhi's IGIA is ranked 5th in the world's top low-cost mega hubs, up from 6th place last year.

• Mumbai has maintained its position at 11th in the same category.

OAG Megahubs 2024 Report

• The OAG Megahubs 2024 report highlights the most internationally connected airports globally.

• Rankings are based on the number of scheduled international connections and the variety of destinations served.

• The report includes the top 50 most connected international airports and the top 25 most connected low-cost carrier (LCC) airports.

Nehal Vora Appointed MD & CEO of Central Depository Services (India)

Tags: Person in news

Nehal Vora has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Depository Services (India) (CDSL) for a five-year term starting from September 18, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• Nehal Vora brings over 25 years of experience in the Indian Capital Markets, with previous roles at BSE, DSP Merrill Lynch, and SEBI before joining CDSL in September 2019.

About CDSL:

• CDSL is India's leading and only listed depository, aiming to provide convenient, reliable, and secure depository services at an affordable cost to all market participants. 

• It manages over 11.56 crore demat accounts across India.

Financial Performance:

• In Q4 FY24, CDSL reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 129.25 crore, significantly up from Rs 63.12 crore in the previous year. 

• Revenue from operations increased by 92.99% to Rs 240.78 crore in Q4 FY24.

Stock Performance:

• CDSL's stock price increased by 0.25%, closing at Rs 1,381.75 on September 13, 2024.

Swati Vijay Kulkarni Appointed as India's Next Ambassador to Algeria

Tags: Person in news

Swati Vijay Kulkarni has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Algeria, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on September 13.

An Overview of the News

• Kulkarni is an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1995 batch.

• She is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the MEA.

Bilateral Relations

• Diplomatic ties between India and Algeria were established in July 1962.

• Relations have been cordial, with both nations supporting each other on various bilateral and multilateral issues.

Mechanisms for Cooperation

• The Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) was established in 1981 to address bilateral issues.

• The 9th JCM was held in Algiers in May 2015, led by then-Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and Algeria's Minister of Transport Boudjema Talai.

• The fifth Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) took place in Algiers in November 2018.

About Algeria

• History:- Influenced by Arab and Berber dynasties; part of Ottoman Empire; French annexation in 1830.

• Capital:-Algiers

• Currency:- Algerian Dinar

• Languages:- Arabic, Tamazight

• President:- Abdelmadjid Tebboune

• Prime Minister:- Nadir Larbaoui

Government renames Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as Sri Vijaya Puram

Tags: National News

The central government announced the renaming of Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands as "Sri Vijaya Puram" to shed colonial legacy.

An Overview of the News

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared the decision, emphasizing the importance of the island in India's freedom struggle and history.

Significance of the New Name

• "Vijaya Puram" symbolizes the victory of India's freedom struggle and the unique role played by the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in this historic journey.

• The islands once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire, and now play a crucial role in India's strategic and developmental aspirations.

Historical Importance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands

• The islands are known for being the location where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose first unfurled the Indian national flag (Tiranga).

• The Cellular Jail, where freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar were imprisoned, is also located here.

Previous Renaming Initiatives

• In 2018, as part of honoring Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, three key islands were renamed:

• Ross Island became "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep."

• Neil Island was renamed "Shaheed Dweep" (Martyr's Island).

• Havelock Island was renamed "Swaraj Dweep" (Self-rule Island).

Constitutional Provision for Changing State and Union Territories Names

• Parliamentary Power: The Parliament has the authority to change the name of a state.

• Constitutional Basis: Article 3 of the Constitution of India grants this power.

• Procedure: Article 3 outlines the procedure for altering the area, boundaries, or name of a state.

RS Sharma Appointed Non-Executive Chairperson of ONDC

Tags: Person in news

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative, has appointed RS Sharma as its non-executive chairperson.

An Overview of the News

• RS Sharma is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.

RS Sharma’s Professional Background

• First Director General and Mission Director of Aadhaar.

• Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

• CEO of the National Health Authority (NHA).

• Chief Secretary of the Jharkhand government.

Sharma's contributions:

• He helped India lead in using technology to address large-scale challenges during his time at TRAI and the NHA.

• He played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic in deploying digital solutions.

About ONDC

• It is a private, non-profit Section 8 company.

• Established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India.

• Founded: 31 December 2021.

• CEO: Thampy Koshy (since February 2022).

• Founder: Government of India.

• Headquarters: India.

• Aim: To develop an open e-commerce network.