Daily Current Affairs October 19

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs October 19. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing  Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly  current affairs pdf.

TO PURCHASE OUR BANKING AWARENESS (2021 Edition) – CLICK HERE

October 19| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Ranking – Daily Current Affairs October 19

1. In the Global Remote Work Index (GRWI), what is India’s ranking out of 108 countries?
A) 32nd
B) 53rd
C) 76th
D) 64th
E) 91st
Answer: D) 64th

• India has been ranked 64th out of 108 countries for remote work, marking a significant drop of 15 places compared to the previous year, according to a report released
• The Global Remote Work Index (GRWI), published by cybersecurity firm NordLayer, assessed countries based on four key criteria: cyber safety, economic safety, digital and physical infrastructure, and social safety.
• Meanwhile, The top 10 countries which scored the highest on the Global Remote Work Index (GRWI) are Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, and Slovakia.
• The country, however, ranks higher than its Asian neighbours- Pakistan and Nepal- which were ranked in 93rd and 89th positions, respectively.
• The GRWI used four dimensions to assess remote work attractiveness – namely cyber safety, economic safety, digital and physical infrastructure, and social safety.
• Cyber Safety: Includes infrastructure, response capacity, and legal measures.
• Economic Safety: Encompasses tourism attractiveness, English language proficiency, cost of living, and healthcare.
• Digital and Physical Infrastructure: Considers internet quality and affordability, e-infrastructure, e-government, and physical infrastructure.
• Social Safety: Examines personal rights, inclusiveness, and safety

---

Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs October 19

2. What is the name of the initiative launched by The Federal Bank on the 106th birth anniversary of its Founder KP Hormis?
A) Swachh Bank Initiative
B) Founder’s Legacy Mission
C) Mookkannoor Mission
D) Clean India Project
E) KP Hormis Cleanliness Drive
Answer: C) Mookkannoor Mission

• The Federal Bank inaugurated the ‘Mookkannoor Mission’, an initiative under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, on the 106th birth anniversary of its Founder KP Hormis.
• Mookannoor, a village in Ernakulam district, is the birthplace of the Founder.
• The Bank adopteda comprehensive plan of digitizingthe entire village as well as a cleanliness drive that includes waste management, tree plantation, community development, renewable energy projects, etc that will be implemented in stages.
• The programme named “Mookkannoor Mission” was launched by Shyam Srinivasan, MD & CEO at Sacred Heart English Medium School, Mookkannoor.
• The project is designed to be implemented in three phases over three years under the guidance of the Panchayat and K P Hormis Educational and Charitable Society.

---

3. Which bank has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator as a foreign portfolio investor (FPI)?
A) VTB Bank
B) Gazprombank
C) Alfa-Bank
D) Sberbank
E) Rosbank
Answer: D) Sberbank

• Sberbank of Russia has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator as a foreign portfolio investor (FPI), according to data available on the website of National Stock Depository (NSDL).
• Sberbank of Russia, a state-owned bank which already has a presence in India, registered with the Indian markets regulator for a Category I FPI licence last week.
• FPIs with category I licence have to follow less lenient beneficial ownership disclosures, can subscribe to overseas derivative instruments which have Indian stocks as underlying and also enjoy certain taxation benefits.
• Category I FPI registration is only granted to government or government related foreign investors or regulated entities such as banks, sovereign wealth funds, investment trusts, pension funds, asset management companies.
• Sberbank’s registration takes the total number of Russia-based FPIs in India to five, with all others being non-banks. Till now, Alfa Capital Management, First Asset Management, Igor Noskov, and VesvolodRozanov have been granted FPI registrations.
• Sberbank received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2010 to set up a branch in India and commenced its banking business from January 2011.

---

4. What is the name of the new insurance product recently launched by HDFC ERGO General Insurance?
A) Optima Shield
B) SecureLife Plus
C) HealthGuard Max
D) Optima Secure
E) LifeGuard Complete
Answer: D) Optima Secure

• HDFC ERGO General Insurance announced the launch of Optima Secure, providing 4X coverage at no additional cost, thereby redefining the value you get from health insurance
• Age limit, coverage and policy options: You can buy this insurance policy until you’re 65 years old. There’s no age when the coverage stops. Families and individuals can choose coverage from ₹5 lakhs to ₹2 crore, with different options available. This policy can be issued for a period of 1,2 or even 3 years.
• Secure Benefit: Secure benefit is a special feature of Optima Secure. When you get insurance, it automatically gives you twice the coverage you bought. You don’t have to do anything extra or pay more. It’s like getting double protection from the start, without any fuss.
• Plus Benefit: Another good thing is the “Plus Benefit.” This helps your insurance coverage get bigger by 50% after 1 year and 100% after 2 years, even if you make a claim. This means you don’t need to be concerned about getting a full bonus or a smaller one if you have to make a claim.
• Restore Benefit: With this benefit, if you make a claim, either for a part or the whole amount, at any point in the year, your insurance coverage will be renewed back to its full amount without you having to pay extra
• Protect Benefit: Optima Secure’s Protect Benefit ensures that if you have to stay in the hospital, it covers the cost of things like gloves, masks, and nebulizer kits – items you use but aren’t medicine. This benefit comes with the plan automatically, without extra cost. And the best part: it doesn’t reduce any money from these non-medical expenses

---

5. How many prominent issuing banks have introduced ‘EMI on RuPay credit cards’ through Amazon Pay for festive celebrations?
A) Four
B) Six
C) Eight
D) Ten
E) Twelve
Answer: C) Eight

• With the festive celebrations in full swing, Amazon Pay has introduced ‘EMI on RuPay credit cards’ across eight prominent issuing banks.
• With EMI on RuPay Credit Cards, customers will get increased flexibility and affordability to shop during the festive period.
• During the first 48 hours of the Amazon Great Indian Festival, EMI’s emerged as the most preferred payment mode with 1 in 4 shopping orders placed on instalments; and 3 in 4 EMI orders on No Cost EMIs
• Amazon Pay offers a host of affordable and convenient payment options for customers, like Amazon Pay Later, Amazon Pay Wallet, UPI etc.
• No-cost equated monthly instalment (EMI), also known as zero-cost EMI, is now a popular scheme as one can buy expensive items and can pay for them conveniently over a few months, as per their convenience without worrying about high interest and extra processing fees.

---

Business and Economy – Daily Current Affairs October 19

6. What type of chips are Qualcomm and Google collaborating to develop for wearable devices?
A) ARM-based chips
B) x86-based chips
C) RISC-V-based chips
D) Quantum chips
E) FPGA chips
Answer: C) RISC-V-based chips

• Chip designer Qualcomm (QCOM.O) is partnering with Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google to make wearable devices like smartwatches using chips based on RISC-V technology.
• RISC-V, pronounced as “risk five,” is an open-source technology that competes with costly proprietary technology from British chip designer Arm Holdings (O9Ty.F).
• RISC-V can be used as a key ingredient for anything from a smartphone chip to advanced processors for artificial intelligence
• It would help more products within the Android ecosystem to take advantage of custom processors that are low power and high performance

---

7. How much equity investment will Indian Oil Corporation make in its newly established joint venture with NTPC Ltd for renewable power plant projects?
A) Rs 1,000.25 crore
B) Rs 1,100.15 crore
C) Rs 1,660.15 crore
D) Rs 2,000.00 crore
E) Rs 3,500.50 crore
Answer: C) Rs 1,660.15 crore

• Indian Oil Corporation, the nation’s biggest oil firm, will invest Rs 1,660.15 crore as equity in a newly set up joint venture with energy major NTPC Ltd for setting up renewable power plants.
• In June, IOC and NTPC had formed a 50:50 joint venture company, IndianOil NTPC Green Energy Pvt Ltd, to set up renewable energy projects to meet round-the-clock power requirements of refineries of the oil company.
• On June 2, IOC incorporated the joint venture company (JVC) with NTPC Green Energy Limited, (a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited).
• The aim is to generate a minimum capacity of 650 MW of round-the-clock renewable power to fulfill the energy requirements of IOC refineries.
• NTPC, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NGEL, has set an ambitious target of building a renewable generation portfolio of 60 GW over the next decade to aggressively pursue its green energy business.
• In March, IOC had announced consolidation of its green assets under one umbrella for better synergy.
• It is aiming to build a portfolio of 3 GW renewable energy and 0.6 million tonnes of biofuels by 2025.
• The renewable energy portfolio is to be expanded to 35 GW by 2030, and 200 GW by 2050. Alongside, it plans to raise capacity to produce biofuels from agri and municipal waste to 7 million tonnes and biogas to 9 million tonnes by 2050.
• It has collaborated with Israeli start up Phinergy for a battery joint venture.
• IOC has also firmly etched its presence in the nascent green hydrogen ecosystem of the country. The company has a firmed-up collaboration with ReNew Power Private Limited (ReNew) and Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for green hydrogen business.

---

Books and Authors – Daily Current Affairs October 19

8. What is the title of the book written by veteran journalist Ashok Tandon, which was launched in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at Gandhi Smriti?
A) “The Colonial Legacy: A Journalist’s Memoir”
B) “From Independence to Cooperation: A Media Odyssey”
C) “Journey of a Journalist: Reflections on India’s Progress”
D) “The Reverse Swing: Colonialism to Cooperation”
E) “Revisiting Gandhi’s Impact: A Journalist’s Perspective”
Answer: D) “The Reverse Swing: Colonialism to Cooperation”

• A veteran journalist Ashok Tandon’s book ‘The Reverse Swing Colonialism to Cooperation’ was launched at Gandhi Smriti, in presence of Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri.
• The book sheds light on New India’s (Naya Bharat) march to glory leaving behind the unfortunate and painful memories of the foreign subjugation spanning several centurie

---

Appointments – Daily Current Affairs October 19

9. Who has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of HUDCO?
A) Rakesh Sharma
B) Sanjay Kulshreshtha
C) Anand Mahindra
D) N. R. Narayana Murthy
E) Arundhati Bhattacharya
Answer: B) Sanjay Kulshreshtha

• Sanjay Kulshreshtha has been appointed the new Chairman and Managing Director of Housing And Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO).
• Kulshreshtha has been serving as the Executive Director at REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited), and will soon be joining his new post as the CMD of HUDCO.
• This posting has given HUDCO a full time CMD for the first time since 2019.
• HUDCO is a government-owned company in India established in 1970 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It specialises in providing financial assistance for housing and urban infrastructure projects across the country.

---

10. Who has been appointed as the Governor of Odisha?
A) Raghubar Das
B) Naveen Patnaik
C) Dharmendra Pradhan
D) Sushil Modi
E) Navin Patnaik
Answer: A) Raghubar Das

• President DroupadiMurmu has appointed new Governors for Tripura and Odisha.
• According to the RashtrapatiBhavan communique, IndraSena Reddy Nallu has been appointed as the Governor of Tripura, while Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das will be the new Governor of Odisha.
• IndraSena Reddy Nallu will replace SatyadeoNarain Arya, while Raghubar Das has been appointed in place of Prof.Ganeshi Lal.

---

Awards – Daily Current Affairs October 19

11. What award has REC Limited received for its exceptional performance in risk management?
A) Golden Globe Award
B) Risk Management Excellence Award
C) Golden Peacock Award
D) Maharatna Excellence Award
E) Institute of Directors Recognition
Answer: C) Golden Peacock Award

• REC Limited, the Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, has been recognized for its exceptional performance in risk management with the esteemed Golden Peacock Award, given by the Institute of Directors (IOD).
• The Golden Peacock Award in Risk Management highlights REC’s continued commitment to implementing effective risk assessment strategies, thereby contributing to the organization’s sustainable growth and resilience in a competitive business landscape.
• The recognition also underscores REC’s commitment to excellence and innovation in its operations in the power sector.
• The Golden Peacock Awards, established by the Institute of Directors (IOD), India in 1991, has emerged as an internationally acclaimed standard for corporate excellence.
• REC Limited was selected by the jury panel headed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah.
• Director (Projects), REC, Shri V. K. Singh and Executive Director (Finance), REC, ShriDaljeet Singh Khatri received the award on behalf of REC at a glittering ceremony held in London on 17th October 2023.
• REC Limited is an NBFC focusing on Power Sector Financing and Development across India. Established in 1969, REC Limited has completed over fifty years of operations. It provides financial assistance to state electricity boards, state governments, central and state power utilities, independent power producers, rural electric cooperatives and private sector utilities.

---

Science and Technology – Daily Current Affairs October 01

12. Who has partnered with IndusDC to nurture and launch start-ups working towards decarbonisation?
A) Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay)
B) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)
C) Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)
D) Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur)
E) Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur)
Answer: C) Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has partnered with IndusDC, a deep-tech focused venture studio, to nurture and launch start-ups working towards decarbonisation.
• This initiative is towards taking ideas straight from research labs to create change in the real world. By enabling a wave of hardware innovation, IIT Madras hopes to propel India to the global forefront of decarbonisation technology leadership.
• IndusDC is also setting up its first corpus of $6 million to invest in five cutting-edge decarbonisation start-ups with a prime focus on energy efficiency.
• This dedicated fund will invest in 15 promising ideas and incubate five startups, driving them to the coveted Product Market Fit (PMF) stage, says a release.
• The first phase of commercialisation is currently underway with IndusDC, founded by IIT Madras Alumni Kushant Uppal, collaborating with The Energy Consortium, a Centre of Excellence set up at IIT Madras under the Institute of Eminence initiative.
• Three Intellectual Properties (IP) have already been on-boarded, namely next generation cooling, carbon neutral consumer wear and advanced grid scale storage, while three more are currently under evaluation.
• The vision of this initiative is to replicate this model across institutes in India and take it to a global level

---

13. THDC India Limited (THDCIL) signed an agreement with which institution to advance research and development activities in various areas, including electric vehicle batteries and green hydrogen?
A) Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay)
B) Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur)
C) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)
D) Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur)
E) Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)
Answer: C) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi)

• THDC India Limited (THDCIL), a central public sector Enterprise, and IIT Delhi have signed an agreement to advance research and development activities in areas related to electric vehicle batteries, green hydrogen, geothermal technology, and waste management and recycling.
• THDCIL, the premier power generator in the country, will partner with IIT Delhi to conduct research studies, pilot projects, and consulting engagements led by faculty members
• S. K. Chauhan, HoD (R&D) from THDCIL, and Prof. Naresh Bhatnagar, Dean (R&D), IIT Delhi, signed the MoU last week. The agreement is set to span five years.
• These collaborative efforts will encompass a broad spectrum of research domains, including but not limited to energy conservation, alternatives to lithium-ion storage batteries, nanotechnology for electric vehicle batteries, green hydrogen, geothermal technology, climate change issues, waste management/recycling, water management/conservation, vortex-induced vibrations, tunnelling techniques, biofuels, grid stability improvements, and various other pertinent fields.
• As per the MoU, IIT Delhi will offer essential infrastructural support and access to scientific, engineering, and technical expertise. These resources will be instrumental in facilitating R&D activities, aligning with the academic pursuits of the institute.

---

International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs October 19

14. Where was the 21st India-France Military Sub-Committee meeting held?
A) Paris, France
B) New York, USA
C) New Delhi, India
D) Geneva, Switzerland
E) London, United Kingdom
Answer: C) New Delhi, India

• The 21st edition of India-France Military Sub Committee (MSC) meeting was held on October 16-17, 2023 at Air Force Station, New Delhi.
• The meeting was co-chaired from the Indian side by Air Vice Marshal Ashish Vohra, Assistant Chief of Integrated Staff, (Military Cooperation) at HQ IDS and Major General Eric Peltier, General Officer, International Military Relations of the Joint Staff from the French side.
• India-France MSC is a forum established to progress defence cooperation between both nations through regular talks at strategic and operational levels between HQ, Integrated Defence Staff and the Joint Staff HQ of French Armed Forces.
• The meeting was conducted in a friendly, warm and cordial atmosphere.
• The discussions focussed on new initiatives under the ambit of existing bilateral defence cooperation mechanism and strengthening ongoing defence engagements.

---

National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs October 19

15. How many Pramod Mahajan GrameenKaushalyaVikasKendras did the Prime Minister launch in Maharashtra?
A) 411
B) 511
C) 611
D) 711
E) 811
Answer: B) 511

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched 511 Pramod Mahajan GrameenKaushalyaVikasKendras in Maharashtra via video conferencing. Established across 34 rural districts of Maharashtra, these Kendras will conduct skill development training programs across various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth
• The GrameenKaushalyaVikasKendras will conduct skill development training programs across various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth.
• Each Kendra will train about 100 youngsters in at least two vocational courses.
• The training will be provided by empanelled industry partners and agencies under the National Skill Development Council.
• The establishment of these Kendras will help the region attain significant strides towards developing a more competent and skilled manpower.

---

16. Where did the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile?
A) Arabian Sea
B) Indian Ocean
C) Andaman Sea
D) Bay of Bengal
E) South China Sea
Answer: D) Bay of Bengal

• In the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
• This achievement illustrates the IAF’s expanding capabilities in strengthening India’s military capabilities.
• The BrahMos air-launched missile was fired from a Su-30MKI fighter jet
  The aircraft took off with the missile from a southern peninsula air base and went almost 1,500 kilometers to effectively attack a target from a wider range than before
  This air-launched missile is a longer-range variant of the already formidable supersonic weapon system, and it represents a one-of-a-kind collaboration between India and the Russian military sector.
• The BrahMos missile is highly versatile, capable of being launched from a range of platforms, including fighter jets, submarines, ships, and land-based systems.
• Already inducted into the Indian Armed Forces, the missile’s operational prowess is well-established. Ongoing tests aim to extend its range from 250 kilometers to up to 450 kilometers, and even up to 600 kilometers.

---

17. Who chaired the Regional Conference of India’s ASEAN and East Asia Ambassadors in Singapore?
A) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
B) Defense Minister Rajnath Singh
C) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
D) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
E) Home Minister Amit Shah
Answer: C) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar

• External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar chaired the Regional Conference of India’s ASEAN and East Asia Ambassadors in Singapore
• Dr Jaishankar is on a two-day official visit to Singapore
• India and Singapore enjoy a historical relationship that was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2015

---

18. Which two entities jointly launched the online import management system for the issuance of authorization for the import of Information Technology hardware?
A) Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Department of Telecommunications
B) Ministry of Finance and the Bureau of Indian Standards
C) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade
D) Ministry of Home Affairs and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
E) Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the National Informatics Centre
Answer: C) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade

• Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade launched an online import management system for the issuance of authorization for the import of Information Technology hardware.
• The portal developed in collaboration with the Department of Revenue is an end-to-end online system introduced to make import authorization seamless, faceless, paperless, and contactless. Laptops, tablets, personal computers, and servers will be covered under the import management system.
• The import authorizations shall be valid till 30th November 2024

---

---

Over All Review

DOWNLOAD TODAY’S CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF – CLICK HERE

You Must Also Read Daily Current Affairs October 18