Important Days News

Platinum Jubilee of Central Silk Board: Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh unveils Commemorative Coin

• On 20th September 2024, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Ministry of Textile, unveiled a commemorative coin of Rs 75 denomination during the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the Central Silk Board (CSB) in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• The Union Minister also launched a Coffee Table Book titled “CSB in the Service of the Nation Since 1949” and a postal cover featuring the CSB 75 Years Logo.
• The CSB was established following the recommendations of the Silk Panel by the Imperial government on 8th March 1945.
• The Government of Independent India enacted the CSB Act 1948 on 20th September 1948, and the CSB was established under an Act of Parliament (LXI) of 1948 on 9th April 1949.

Science and Technology News

PM Modi Dedicates 3 PARAM Rudra Supercomputers Worth Rs 130 Crore to Nation

• On 26th September 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated 3 ‘PARAM Rudra’ Supercomputers worth Rs 130 crore to the nation via video conferencing.
• These supercomputers are developed indigenously under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) and have been deployed in New Delhi, Pune, and Kolkata.
• PM Modi also inaugurated a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system tailored for weather and climate research, acquired by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• This project is developed with an investment of Rs 850 crore, marking a significant step in India’s computational capabilities for meteorological applications.

Science and Technology News

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia Launches ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ App

• On 23rd September 2024, Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam‘ mobile application at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
• This user-friendly app allows users to plant a tree in honor of their mothers, contributing to environmental sustainability.
• Users can dedicate a tree by capturing an image of the tree and providing details like tree type, location, and occasion for planting.
• The app also allows users to update tree growth every 30 days and track the carbon credits earned through their contributions.

Defence News

Squadron Leader Mohana Singh Becomes 1st Woman Fighter Pilot in LCA Tejas Fighter Fleet

• Squadron Leader Mohana Singh has become the 1st woman fighter pilot to join the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) 18 Flying Bullets squadron, which operates the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jets.
• The Flying Bullets squadron is stationed at Naliya Air Base in the Gujarat sector, along the border with Pakistan.
• Mohana Singh was among the first 3 female fighter pilots commissioned into the IAF in 2016 and made history as the first woman in the IAF to fly a “Hawk” aircraft during daylight hours in 2019.
• She was honored with the Naari Shakti Award in 2020, recognizing her achievements alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Bhawna Kanth.

National News

KVIC & NIFT Signed MoU under CoEK-2.0 to Enhance Marketability of Khadi Brand

• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the ‘Centre of Excellence for Khadi-2.0(CoEK-2.0)’.
• The MoU focuses on design innovation and capacity building to enhance the reach and marketability of “Brand Khadi” domestically and internationally.
• NIFT will assist Khadi institutions with training, designing Khadi garments, renovating Khadi Bhavans, and developing new high-quality Khadi products.
• KVIC will invest Rs 25.17 crore through COEK over the next 3 years to strengthen the quality and brand power of Khadi.

International News

India Formally Joined International Big Cat Alliance

• On 20th September 2024, India formally joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) by signing and ratifying the Framework Agreement on the establishment of the IBCA.
• IBCA is a global initiative founded by India to secure the future of big cats and their natural habitats.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal of India to become a member of IBCA.
• With this, 4 countries (India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, and Somalia) have now become members of IBCA.

Banking and Finance News

SBI General Insurance launches ‘SBIG Health Super Top-Up’ plan

• State Bank of India (SBI) General Insurance Company Limited has launched ‘SBIG Health Super Top-Up’ plan, a health insurance add-on plan designed to enhance existing basic health insurance coverage.
• The policy aims to provide comprehensive support during unexpected medical emergencies that are often not covered by standard health plans.
• It offers flexible annual and long-term aggregated deductible options, with sum insured ranging from Rs.5 lakhs to Rs.4 crores.
• The plan includes features like cumulative bonus protection, long-term policy options, unlimited restore benefit, and affordable premiums starting at Rs.3,377 for individuals aged 18-35 years.

Banking and Finance News

City Union Bank Limited Launched 8 Payment Products at 5th GFF 2024

• City Union Bank Limited (CUB) has launched a suite of 8 innovative digital payment products and solutions to enhance the financial ecosystems for MSMEs and retail customers.
• The new digital payment products include Delegate payments, UPI lite auto top-up, National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), Credit line on UPI, RuPay credit card on UPI, and Loan against securities (Mutual Fund).
• Additionally, 2 innovative services: Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) for MSMEs and ONDC for Retail, were launched.
• These advancements are expected to boost digital payments adoption in India by streamlining payment processes, enhancing transaction security, and improving customer experience.

Banking and Finance News

Axis Bank & Mastercard Collaborate to launch MyBiz, a Credit Card for Small Business Owners

• Axis Bank Limited and Mastercard have collaborated to launch Mybiz, a business credit card designed for sole proprietors and SME business owners.
• The MyBiz credit card provides an end-to-end digital offering that simplifies small business clients’ experience and increases their purchasing power.
• The card includes travel benefits like airport lounge access and travel insurance, as well as business-related services such as marketing and productivity tools.
• Cardholders will also have access to exclusive experiences through priceless.com and zero liability protection for small business clients.

Banking and Finance News

Axis AMC Launched India’s 1st NBFC Sector-based Target Maturity Mutual Fund Scheme

• Axis Asset Management Company Limited (Axis AMC) launched “AXIS CRISIL-IBX AAA NBFC Index– Jun 2027 Fund”, an open-ended Target Maturity Index Fund.
• This is the 1st Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) sector-based target maturity mutual fund scheme in India.
• The fund offers exposure to high-quality, AAA-rated NBFCs through a passive investment strategy by monitoring an index.
• The scheme will allocate 95% to 100% of its assets to fixed-income instruments attached to the index, with a small portion reserved for liquidity through debt and money market instruments.

International News

Shigeru Ishiba set to become the New Prime Minister of Japan

• On 27 September 2024, Former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to become the next Prime Minister of Japan after being elected as the leader of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
• He will assume PM office from October 1, 2024, replacing incumbent PM Fumio Kishida.
• Shigeru Ishiba won by 215 votes, defeating Sanae Takaichi (194 votes), in the leadership election of the LDP in Tokyo, Japan.
• Ishiba has served as the Minister of Defense, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and the Secretary-General of the LDP.

Sports News

Tennis: India’s Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan & Vijay Sundar Prashanth won the doubles title at Hangzhou Open 2024

• Indian Tennis players Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth won the men’s doubles title at the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open 2024.
• They defeated Germany’s Constantin Frantzen and Hendrik Jebens in the finals.
• Marin Cilic of Croatia won the Men’s singles title by defeating China’s Zhang Zhizhen.
• This marks the duo’s first ATP Tour title together and the first ever ATP title for Vijay Sundar.

Sports News

India claims bronze medal in 1st Asia Pacific Padel Cup in Bali, Indonesia

• The Indian team bagged the bronze medal by defeating Malaysia in the first edition of the Asia Pacific Padel Cup (APPC) 2024 held in Bali, Indonesia.
• India claimed this spot in its first-ever tournament appearance and also the first-ever padel competition between nations held in the Asia Pacific region.
• Indonesia won the gold medal followed by the Philippines winning the silver medal in the tournament.
• The Indian team was led by the Spanish head coach Victor Perez along with coach Imran Yusoof and manager Rithik Sinha.

International News

Scotland Agreed to Host 2026 Commonwealth Games after Australia Backed Out

• Glasgow, the capital of Scotland, has been announced as the host city of the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting.
• Glasgow is set to host the games for the 2nd time in 12 years, having previously hosted the event in 2014.
• The Commonwealth Game Federation (CGF) pledged to provide financial support of 100 million pounds.
• The UK government also agreed to provide financial support for the event.

Important Days News

World Maritime Day 2024 – September 26

• The United Nations’ World Maritime Day is annually observed on the last Thursday of September to celebrate the importance of maritime activities.
• World Maritime Day 2024 was observed on 26th September 2024 with the theme “Navigating the future: safety first!”.
• The annual observance is led by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• The World Maritime Day was first celebrated on 17th March 1978, to mark the date of the IMO Convention’s entry into force in 1958.