1. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announces commencement of the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav
Tags: National National News
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will launch the 15-day Swachh Amrit Mahotsav from September 17 to mark the completion of eight years of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The Swachh Amrit Mahotsav will focus on motivating citizens to take steps towards building garbage free cities.
It will start on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. September 17 will be celebrated as Service Day.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri released the official logo for 'Swachh Amrit Mahotsav' - 'Ek Aur Kadam Swachhta ki Ore'.
It shows the resolve to intensify and strengthen the 'Jan Andolan' in the world's largest cleanliness programme.
The Minister announced for the first time the launch of 'Indian Swachhata League' (ISL), an inter-city competition to be held among the youth of cities on September 17, 2022.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Swachh Bharat Mission :
Launched - on 2nd October 2014
Launched by - Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Aims - to achieve the vision of a ‘Clean India’ by 2nd October 2019.
Slogan - One step towards cleanliness
It is a restructured version of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2009.
The first phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission lasted till October 2019.
Phase 2 is being implemented between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
2. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announces commencement of the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav
Tags: National National News
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will launch the 15-day Swachh Amrit Mahotsav from September 17 to mark the completion of eight years of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The Swachh Amrit Mahotsav will focus on motivating citizens to take steps towards building garbage free cities.
It will start on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. September 17 will be celebrated as Service Day.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri released the official logo for 'Swachh Amrit Mahotsav' - 'Ek Aur Kadam Swachhta ki Ore'.
It shows the resolve to intensify and strengthen the 'Jan Andolan' in the world's largest cleanliness programme.
The Minister announced for the first time the launch of 'Indian Swachhata League' (ISL), an inter-city competition to be held among the youth of cities on September 17, 2022.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Swachh Bharat Mission :
Launched - on 2nd October 2014
Launched by - Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Aims - to achieve the vision of a ‘Clean India’ by 2nd October 2019.
Slogan - One step towards cleanliness
It is a restructured version of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2009.
The first phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission lasted till October 2019.
Phase 2 is being implemented between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
3. Vande Bharat 2 : Railways to introduce new avatar of high-speed train
Tags: National National News
Indian Railways is going to introduce Vande Bharat-2, the new avatar of the high-speed train Vande Bharat.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Features of Vande Bharat 2 :
It will be equipped with more advancements and improved features like 0 to 100 Kmpl speed in just 52 seconds, maximum speed up to 180 Kmph, lesser weight of 392 tons instead of 430 tons, and WI-FI facility.
The new Vande Bharat will also have 32-inch LCD TVs which were 24 inches in the earlier versions.
The 15 percent more energy efficient AC with the dust free clean air cooling of the traction motor will make travel more comfortable.
The facility of side recliner seats which is being provided to the executive class passengers will now be made available for all classes.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Vande Bharat Express :
The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.
These trains have a self-propelled engine which can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.
The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
It was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.
Currently, two Vande Bharat Expresses are operational - first between New Delhi and Varanasi and the second from New Delhi to Katra.
These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
In the Union Budget for 2022-2023 the government has proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years.
4. Vande Bharat 2 : Railways to introduce new avatar of high-speed train
Tags: National National News
Indian Railways is going to introduce Vande Bharat-2, the new avatar of the high-speed train Vande Bharat.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Features of Vande Bharat 2 :
It will be equipped with more advancements and improved features like 0 to 100 Kmpl speed in just 52 seconds, maximum speed up to 180 Kmph, lesser weight of 392 tons instead of 430 tons, and WI-FI facility.
The new Vande Bharat will also have 32-inch LCD TVs which were 24 inches in the earlier versions.
The 15 percent more energy efficient AC with the dust free clean air cooling of the traction motor will make travel more comfortable.
The facility of side recliner seats which is being provided to the executive class passengers will now be made available for all classes.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Vande Bharat Express :
The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.
These trains have a self-propelled engine which can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.
The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
It was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.
Currently, two Vande Bharat Expresses are operational - first between New Delhi and Varanasi and the second from New Delhi to Katra.
These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
In the Union Budget for 2022-2023 the government has proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years.
5. NITI Aayog approves 32 beneficiaries under PLI scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing
Tags: National National News
The Empowered Committee headed by CEO, NITI Aayog Parameswaran Iyer on 9 September approved the first ever disbursement of incentive for mobile manufacturing under the large-scale electronics manufacturing’ sector.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This is the first time that a mobile manufacturing unit has also been selected under the PLI scheme.
32 beneficiaries have been approved under the PLI scheme operated for large size electronics manufacturing units.
Of these, 10 companies are related to mobile manufacturing in which five are domestic and five are foreign companies.
Paget Electronics Pvt Ltd, a domestic company, is the first beneficiary company approved by the Empowered Committee to receive the incentive.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About PLI scheme :
It is an initiative that provides incentives to domestic industries to promote production at the local level.
Through this scheme, the government aims to incentivize companies to increase the sales of manufactured products in domestic units.
The objective of the scheme is to make domestic manufacturing globally competitive and to become a global champion in manufacturing.
The government has launched this scheme with an outlay of around Rs 2 lakh crore for 14 sectors including Automobiles and Auto Components, White Goods, Pharma, Textiles, Advanced Chemistry Cell and Specialty Steel.
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog - Suman Bery
NITI Aayog CEO - Parameswaran Iyer
6. NITI Aayog approves 32 beneficiaries under PLI scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing
Tags: National National News
The Empowered Committee headed by CEO, NITI Aayog Parameswaran Iyer on 9 September approved the first ever disbursement of incentive for mobile manufacturing under the large-scale electronics manufacturing’ sector.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- This is the first time that a mobile manufacturing unit has also been selected under the PLI scheme.
32 beneficiaries have been approved under the PLI scheme operated for large size electronics manufacturing units.
Of these, 10 companies are related to mobile manufacturing in which five are domestic and five are foreign companies.
Paget Electronics Pvt Ltd, a domestic company, is the first beneficiary company approved by the Empowered Committee to receive the incentive.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About PLI scheme :
It is an initiative that provides incentives to domestic industries to promote production at the local level.
Through this scheme, the government aims to incentivize companies to increase the sales of manufactured products in domestic units.
The objective of the scheme is to make domestic manufacturing globally competitive and to become a global champion in manufacturing.
The government has launched this scheme with an outlay of around Rs 2 lakh crore for 14 sectors including Automobiles and Auto Components, White Goods, Pharma, Textiles, Advanced Chemistry Cell and Specialty Steel.
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog - Suman Bery
NITI Aayog CEO - Parameswaran Iyer
7. King Charles III, Britain's new monarch
Tags: Person in news International News
Charles Philip Arthur George, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II was proclaimed as the King of the United Kingdom in a ceremony at the St James's Palace, London on 10 September 2022. Before becoming the King he was known as the Prince of Wales.
The new monarch of the United Kingdom is proclaimed at St James's Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Head of the Commonwealth :
- King Charles is now officially the Head of the Commonwealth .Commonwealth is an association of 56 Independent countries .
- He is also now the Head of State of 14 countries namely; Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
- Prince Charles has now become Britain's monarch, and his son William has been made Prince of Wales and William's wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Charles said he was given the position by his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 1958 when he was just nine years old.
Formerly Prince of Wales, Charles is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II. He was born in 1948.
Charles married Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981, they have two sons, William and Harry.
Princess of Wales Diana was killed in a car accident in Paris in 1997, later Charles married Camilla Parker on 9 April 2005.
Charles will be succeeded by his eldest son, Prince William.
8. Indian origin Devika Bulchandani appointed as the Global CEO of Ogilvy
Tags: Economy/Finance Person in news International News
The leading global advertising and public relations agency Ogilvy has named India-born American citizen Devika Bulchandani as its Global Chief Executive Officer. Ogilvy is part of the London based British multinational company WPP.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The Amritsar born 53 years old Bulchandani is the latest in a number of Indian origin persons taking leadership positions in multinational companies.
- Last week coffee giant Starbucks appointed Laxman Narasimhan as its chief executive.
- The list includes Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Twitter head Parag Agrawal, Leena Nair from Chanel, IBM Group CEO Arvind Krishna, Bata CEO Gunjan Shah, and Novartis CEO Vasant Narasimhan.
9. US and India launch “Trees Outside Forests in India” initiative to increase tree coverage in India
Tags: National
The United State Embassy in India has announced on 9 September 2022 that the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has signed an agreement to launch a new programme “Trees Outside Forests in India”.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Aim of the programme :
- The aim of the programme is to increase tree coverage outside forest land in India in a bid to support global climate change mitigation and adaptation goals.
- It aims to expand tree coverage outside of traditional forests by 28 lakh hectares.
- The total fund for the programme is USD 25 million. It will be given by the USAID.
Who and where it will be implemented :
- The programme will be implemented by a consortium led by the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry.
- The program will be implemented in seven states including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
Forest in India :
- According to the India State of Forest Report 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) the total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectares which is 24.62 percent of the geographical area of the country.
- Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
- Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change: Bhupender Yadav
10. Piyush Goyal attends the first in-person Ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum in Los Angeles
Tags: place in news Summits Economics/Business International News
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goel is attending the two day (8-9 September) first in person Ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum in Los Angeles, United States.
The meeting is being co- hosted by the U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and the US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The first Virtual meeting was held on 26 June 2022 which was hosted by the United States.
The meeting hopes to work out an agreement on the four pillars of the IPEF.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) :
- The United States of America President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on 23 May 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.
- 14 countries Australia, Brunei, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam along with the United States are members of IPEF.
- Together, these countries represent 40% of world GDP.
Aim of the IPEF :
- It is not a trade bloc where tariffs on goods and services amongst the member countries are reduced to boost trade.
- IPEF is an attempt by the US to offer an alternative supply chain to the countries of Asia-Pacific region against China.
- IPEF will focus on improving the supply chain in the economy so that it can withstand disruption as witnessed during covid pandemic and will make the economy stronger and lower the cost of production .
- To reduce over reliance on China and to diversify the supply chain, the United States is promoting IPEF.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
There are four pillars of IPEF :
- fair and resilient trade (including digital, labour, environmental and other standards);
- supply chain resilience;
- infrastructure, decarbonisation and clean energy; and
- Tax and anti-corruption.
- The Indian government feels that this initiative of the US will help India become a part of the global supply chain. It hopes to attract a sizable global investment in the manufacturing sector as the world moves away from China.
