DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Sept. 20, 2023

Elavenil Valarivan wins gold medal at ISSF World Cup 2023

Tags: Sports

Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan won the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup 2023 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

An Overview of the News

• In the final round, Elavenil Valarivan displayed exceptional skill by scoring 252.2 points in 24 shots and defeating Osianne Muller of France by a narrow margin.

• A total of eight shooters among the competitors were successful in qualifying for the final competition.

• The win gave Elavenil Valarivan his second individual ISSF World Cup medal, demonstrating his consistent excellence in the sport.

• During the qualification round, Valarivan finished 9th with 630.5 points.

• The ISSF World Cup 2023 in Rio de Janeiro is the last rifle and pistol event of the year, with the finals scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar from 18 to 27 November.

• India was well represented at the event, sending a contingent of 16 athletes to participate in the ISSF World Cup.

Government of India launches three transformative initiatives for farmers, focusing on credit and insurance

Tags: National

The Government of India launched three transformational initiatives namely Kisan Rin Portal (KRP), Door-to-Door KCC Campaign and Weather Information Network Data System (WINDS) Manual aimed at revolutionizing agriculture in the country.

An Overview of the News

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar are responsible for launching these initiatives.

• These initiatives are designed to increase financial inclusion, streamline data usage, harness technology and enhance the livelihood of the farming community.

• They mainly focus on improving access to agricultural credit and crop insurance while keeping in mind the welfare of farmers.

Kisan Rin Portal (KRP):

• KRP is a digital platform developed in collaboration with multiple government departments.

• It aims to revolutionize access to credit services under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme.

• It provides a comprehensive view of farmer data, loan disbursement specifications, interest subvention claims and efficient agricultural loans.

Door to Door KCC Campaign:

• This campaign, known as Ghar-Ghar Kisan Credit Card (KCC) campaign, aims to extend the benefits of the KCC scheme to every farmer in India.

• It aims to achieve universal financial inclusion, ensuring that every farmer has uninterrupted access to credit facilities.

• As of March 2023, there were 7.35 crore active KCC accounts with a total sanctioned limit of Rs 8.85 lakh crore.

Weather Information Network Data System (WINDS):

• The initiative leverages advanced weather data analytics to provide stakeholders with actionable insights on weather conditions.

ACKO unveils 'Platinum Health Plan'

Tags: Government Schemes

ACKO, a leading insurance company, has introduced a new health insurance product known as “ACKO Platinum Health Plan”.

An Overview of the News

“ACKO Platinum Health Plan” offers several notable features including:

• 100% Bill Payment: It guarantees payment of the entire medical bill, reducing the financial burden during a health crisis.

• No limit on room rent: There is no restriction on room rent, giving greater flexibility to policyholders.

• Zero waiting period: Policyholders get instant coverage without any waiting period.

Promotion Strategy:

• To promote this new health insurance scheme, ACKO has brought back the popular characters Munna Bhai and Circuit played by Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi from the iconic Bollywood film series.

• The title of the ad campaign is "Health Insurance ki Subah Ho Gayi Mamu."

• The campaign is directed by renowned filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who is known for his storytelling abilities.

Alignment with company goals:

• Ashish Mishra, EVP-Marketing at ACKO, noted that the characters of Munna and Circuit align with the company's mission to challenge traditional health insurance norms and simplify the process for customers.

Educational Focus:

• The campaign aims to educate the audience about the key aspects of ACKO Platinum Health Plan, including zero waiting period, 100% bill payments, importance of full disclosure for stress-free claims and ease of filing claims.

Union Minister launches 'Skills on Wheels' initiative

Tags: Government Schemes

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan and Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla launched the 'Skills on Wheels' initiative with National Skill Development Corporation and IndusInd Bank.

An Overview of the News

• The 'Skills on Wheels' initiative aims to empower 60,000 rural youth with a focus on women over five years.

• Its primary objective is to provide digital skills to rural youth to make them job- and future-ready.

Skills on Wheels:

• A customized bus equipped with retrofitted equipment will serve as the focal point of this initiative.

• This mobile unit, known as 'Skills on Wheels', will serve as a vehicle to take the 'Skill India Mission' to areas that are otherwise difficult to reach.

Implementation and Impact:

• It will travel extensively to raise awareness about free skill training programmes, which will ultimately improve the lives and employability of the youth.

• The initiative also seeks to bridge the gap between the industry demand for skilled workers and unemployed youth by providing the right courses based on academic background and aptitude.

About IndusInd Bank

• Established - April 1994

• Founder - S. P. Hinduja

• Headquarters - Mumbai

• CEO - Sumant Kathpalia

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launches Grih Aadhaar Scheme and Chavath-e-Bazaar

Tags: Government Schemes

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched the Griha Aadhaar scheme and Chavath-e-Bazaar to empower housewives in Goa by providing them with financial assistance.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of the Griha Aadhaar scheme is to promote the financial independence and well-being of housewives, recognize their contribution and improve their socio-economic status.

• The Griha Aadhaar initiative led by the Directorate of Women and Child Development is an important step towards women's empowerment.

Support and Delivery:

• Number of beneficiaries: 11,500 newly sanctioned orders were distributed across the state, of which 6,000 orders were allocated to North Goa, taking the total to 1.5 lakh women beneficiaries.

• Training for self-reliance: Women are provided free training in their respective Panchayats, covering essential skills related to packaging, selling and other relevant aspects of food items.

• Annual Increment: Griha Aadhaar beneficiaries have received financial assistance directly into their accounts on the same day, and the scheme also includes an annual increment for continued support.

Chavath-e-Bazaar Event:

• Chief Minister Sawant also launched the Chavath-e-Bazaar programme, part of the Swayampura Goa programme, which aims to empower local entrepreneurs through e-commerce.

• Chavath-e-Bazaar provides a platform to local artisans and entrepreneurs to showcase their products to a wide audience.

• The government's commitment is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vocal for Local' vision to promote indigenous industries and grassroots businesses.

Chavath-e-Bazaar for Women Entrepreneurs:

• Digital Platform: Chavath-e-Bazaar is an online portal integrated with the Swiggy app for seamless ordering, providing promising opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

• Empowering Dreams: The digital platform facilitates women to realize their dreams of becoming successful entrepreneurs.

Indian Coast Guard conducts coastal security drill 'Operation Sajag'

Tags: Defence

Coastal security drill 'Operation Sajag' was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard off the west coast.

An Overview of the News

• Operation Sajag aims to re-validate the coastal security mechanism and raise awareness among fishermen living at sea.

• During the drill, comprehensive checking and verification of documents and crew passes of all fishing boats, barges, and crafts at sea was carried out.

• A total of 118 ships took part in the drill. These included customs, maritime police, ports, and Indian Navy ships.

• As part of security measures, biometric card readers have been provided to security agencies.

• Various measures have been implemented to strengthen coastal security.

These measures include:

• Issuance of biometric cards for fishermen

• Color coding of fishing boats based on each state

• Provision of fish landing centers and access control at entry/exit points.

• Coastal Mapping

• Designating specific sea band frequencies for security agencies

• Training of Marine Police Personnel by Indian Coast Guard

Cricket star Deepak Chahar launches 'DNINE Sports'

Tags: Latest

Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar forayed into the sports equipment industry with the launch of DNINE Sports.

An Overview of the News

• Deepak Chahar has invested ₹2.5 crore in DNINE Sports.

• DNINE Sports aims to revolutionize athletic gear, offering a wide range of products to suit the needs of athletes, including professional cricketers.

Establishment and Founder:

• DNINE Sports was established under the entity LCDC Athletics Pvt. Ltd.

• Deepak Chahar and his father Lokendra Singh Chahar are the co-founders of the company.

Distribution Strategy:

• DNINE Sports adopts a multi-pronged distribution approach, encompassing both online and offline.

• The importance of word-of-mouth marketing in establishing a brand identity for DNINE Sports is emphasized.

Apurva Chandra unveils 'People's G20' eBook on India's G20 Presidency

Tags: National News

Apurva Chandra, serving as Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, presented the eBook titled "People's G20" in New Delhi on September 18, 2023.

An Overview of the News

• The eBook launch event was attended by Manish Desai, Principal Director General, of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and several senior officials of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and PIB.

• The "People's G20" eBook is a comprehensive resource highlighting India's G20 Presidency.

It is structured into three main sections, each focusing on different aspects:

Part 1: G20 Summit:

• This section gives details of the mega G20 summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10, 2023.

• It clarifies the structure and functioning of the G20 and provides information on the initiatives taken during India's Chairmanship of this international grouping.

Part 2: Working Groups and Meetings:

• The second part presents a brief summary of the meetings held by the various working groups under the Sherpa and Finance tracks.

• Additionally, it includes engagement group gatherings held across the country during the year after India became the G20 Chair.

Part 3: Public Participation Photo Essay:

• The concluding part of the eBook consists of a visual narrative through a photo essay.

• It reflects the mass participation events that took place across the country over the past year, effectively turning India's G20 Presidency into a people-powered movement.

IREDA and Bank of Maharashtra partner to promote renewable energy adoption in India

Tags: Economics/Business

IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency) and the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) entered into a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the renewable energy sector.

An Overview of the News

• The primary goal is to promote and facilitate co-lending and loan syndication for various renewable energy projects across India.

• The initiative supports India's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy sources.

• The MoU was formally signed by Bharat Singh Rajput, General Manager of Technical Services), IREDA, and Rajesh Singh, General Manager (Retail and MSME Credit), Bank of Maharashtra, at IREDA's Business Center in New Delhi.

Sustainable Energy Infrastructure:

• The collaboration aims to establish a strong financial infrastructure for green energy projects.

• This infrastructure will increase access to clean and sustainable energy solutions for various communities and industries.

Alignment with government goals:

• This partnership underlines the importance of financial institutions and government bodies working together.

• This alignment supports India's ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2070 as directed by the Honorable Prime Minister.

• The MOU includes a number of key services to support renewable energy projects:

• Co-lending and co-origination assistance.

• Loan Syndication and Underwriting Facility.

• Management of trust and retention accounts for transparency.

• Stable fixed interest rates for IREDA borrowings over 3-4 years.

IREDA Chairman and Managing Director - Pradeep Kumar Das