Daily Current Affairs September 15

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 September 15. 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.

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September 15| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs September 15

1. On which date is the International Day of Democracy observed?
A) September 15th
B) October 24th
C) November 30th
D) December 10th
E) January 1st
Answer: A) September 15th

• The International Day of Democracy, observed on September 15th, was officially designated in 2007 via a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• The establishment of the International Day of Democracy can be traced back to the Universal Declaration on Democracy, which was formally adopted on September 15, 1997, by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
• In the subsequent years, Qatar took a leading role in advocating for the recognition and promotion of an International Day of Democracy.
• Ultimately, on November 8, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously adopted a resolution to officially designate this day titled, “Support by United Nations system of efforts of governments to promote and consolidate a new or restored democracies.”
• The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) proposed that the International Day of Democracy be observed on September 15, marking the ten-year anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Democracy.
• The inaugural celebration of this day occurred in 2008.

National Engineers’ Day

• National Engineers’ Day is celebrated on September 15 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr MokshagundamVisvesvaraya, one of the greatest engineers of India.
• He was born on September 15, 1861, and is widely regarded as a pioneering engineer and statesman who made significant contributions to the development of India.
• Visvesvaraya was a civil engineer, statesman, and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the country.
• He is credited with designing and building several iconic structures, including the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, the Mysore Palace, and the Bangalore Water Supply Scheme.
• The government first declared September 15 as Engineers’ Day in 1968.
• The day is celebrated by engineers across India to honour Visvesvaraya’s legacy and to recognize the contributions of all engineers to society.
• The 2023 National Engineers Day theme is ‘Engineering for a sustainable future’.

World Lymphoma Awareness Day 2023

• World Lymphoma Awareness Day is observed annually on September 15.
• The Lymphoma Coalition was founded in 2002 as an international network of lymphoma patient organisations from around the world to provide a platform for these organisations to collaborate, share resources and advocate for lymphoma patients and the inaugural
• World Lymphoma Awareness Day was observed on September 15, 2004 to coincide with the founding of the Lymphoma Coalition.
• It marked the beginning of a global effort to raise awareness about lymphoma and its impact on patients.
• The theme of World Lymphoma Awareness Day 2023 is “We Can’t Wait to Focus on Our Feelings.”

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs September 15

2. HDFC Bank has recently signed a co-lending pact for two-wheeler loans with which financial institution?
A) ICICI Bank
B) State Bank of India
C) Axis Bank
D) Credit Wise Capital
E) Kotak Mahindra Bank
Answer: D) Credit Wise Capital

• HDFC Bank has entered into a co-lending agreement with technology-driven NBFC Credit Wise Capital for two-wheeler financing in tier-2, 3, and 4 towns.
• The partnership combines HDFC Bank’s expertise to offer credit facility to the un-served or under-served sectors and robust due diligence, and Credit Wise Capital’s strong and easy loan processing tech platform for assessing potential borrowers, as well as their credit profile.
• It aims to provide seamless financing solutions, conveniently and economically in a digital manner through Credit Wise’s proprietary multilingual WhatsApp chatbot Twin2
  The Twin2 platform is the first in the two-wheeler industry to use Account Aggregator (AA) to obtain customer banking details online, and an affluence score that utilises satellite images to provide location scores for better underwriting and a streamlined turnaround time.
• CreditWise has given two-wheeler loans to over 1 lakh customers till date.

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3. Which financial institution has partnered with BriskPe to facilitate seamless cross-border payments for MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises)?
A) State Bank of India
B) HDFC Bank
C) ICICI Bank
D) Yes Bank
E) Axis Bank
Answer: D) Yes Bank

• Cross-border payments’ fintech company BriskPe and Yes Bank have partnered to introduce BriskPe A2A, a suite of solutions designed to empower exporters and importers.
• This strategic partnership enables BriskPe’s customers to collect payments in over 36 foreign currencies, spanning over more than 180 countries.
• The funds can then be converted into Indian Rupees (INR) and settled directly into their local bank accounts in India within a single business day.
• This collaboration represents a significant leap in the realm of cross-border payments, benefiting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the manufacturing and services sectors.
• The partnership boasts of serving as an efficient platform for Indian exporters to navigate the complexities of international trade and bolster their global competitiveness.

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4. The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with which private lender to support the startup ecosystem in the institute?
A) HDFC Bank
B) Axis Bank
C) ICICI Bank
D) State Bank of India
E) Kotak Mahindra Bank
Answer: C) ICICI Bank

• The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with private lender ICICI Bank to support the startup ecosystem in the institute.
• The premier technological institution said that this partnership will empower startups and innovators at its Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC).
• SIIC is one of the oldest incubators in the country having been engulfed on its journey in 2000.
• The partnership between the two will also focus on supporting incubatees by improving their understanding of foreign trade policies by conducting several workshops and seminars.
• Additionally, both entities will collaborate on organising events for startups thus “fostering a broader innovation and entrepreneurial environment that goes beyond financial services.”
• The MoU was signed at IIT Kanpur by Prof.Ankush Sharma, professor-in-charge of SIIC, and Saif Abbas Kazmi, Zonal Head of ICICI Bank.

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Acquisitions and Mergers – Daily Current Affairs September 15

5. How much will global investment firm KKR invest in Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, to increase its stake to 1.42%?
A) Rs 1,500 crore
B) Rs 1,800 crore
C) Rs 2,069.50 crore
D) Rs 2,500 crore
E) Rs 3,000 crore
Answer: C) Rs 2,069.50 crore

• Reliance Industries Ltd said global investment firm KKR will invest Rs 2,069.50 crore into its retail arm Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) to raise its stake to 1.42% from 1.17%.
• The investment is at “a pre-money equity value of Rs 8.361 lakh crore (around $100 billion)”
• KKR’s follow-on investment will translate into an additional equity stake of 0.25% in RRVL on a fully diluted basis.
• Last week, RIL said it had received Rs 8,278 crore from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for around 1stake in RRVL, the retail arm of billionaire MukeshAmbani-led group.
  As per the deal, it has allotted 6.86 crore equity shares of RRVL to QIA.
• RRVL is the holding company of the RIL’s retail business.
• In 2020, RRVL had raised Rs 47,265 crore (around $6.4 billion) from global private equity funds for a 10.09% stake, valuing the company at more than Rs 4.2 lakh crore.
• The company has raised funds from Silver Lake, KKR, Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, GIC, TPG, General Atlantic and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund at a valuation of around $57 billion.
• RRVL is aggressively expanding its business by acquiring companies and getting franchise rights of leading international brands for the Indian market.
• Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Retail Ventures Limited and Cyril AmarchandMangaldas and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsels.

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Appointments – Daily Current Affairs September 15

6. Who has been elected as the Chairman of Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for the year 2023-2024?
A) Ramesh Gupta
B) Srinivasan K Swamy
C) Priya Sharma
D) Sanjay Patel
E) Neha Mehta
Answer: B) Srinivasan K Swamy

• Mr. Srinivasan K. Swamy, Executive Chairman of R K SwamyHansa Group has been unanimously elected as the Chairman of Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for the year 2023-2024.
• Mr. Swamy currently serves as Chairman of Asian Federation of Advertising Associations, he was earlier President / Chairman of International Advertising Association (IAA), IAA India Chapter, Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations, Advertising Agencies Association of India, Advertising Standards Council of India, All India Management Association, Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Madras Management Association.
• Mr. Swamy was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI).
• Mr. Riyad Mathew, Chief Associate Editor & Director of MalayalaManorama representing Publisher Members on the Council was unanimously elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Bureau for the year 2023-2024.

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs September 15

7. Which prestigious award did the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) receive in 2022-23, under the leadership of Dr.Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions?
A) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
B) Bharat Ratna
C) Padma Bhushan
D) Raj BhashaKirtiPuraskar
E) Sardar Patel National Unity Award
Answer: D) Raj BhashaKirtiPuraskar

• Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) under the leadership of Dr.Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has been conferred the prestigious First Raj BhashaKirtiPuraskar, 2022-23 in the category of Ministries/Departments with less than 300 employees.
• The award was presented by Shri Ajay Kumar Mishra, Minister of State to Shri SanjivNarainMathur, Additional Secretary (Pension) who received the same on behalf of DoPPW in the glittering ceremony of AkhilBhartiya Raj BhashaSammelan and Hindi Diwas Ceremony at Pune yesterday.
• This is the second consecutive year wherein Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare headed by Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary (P&PW), has received the honor of being the best performing Department in the category of Ministries/ Departments with less than 300 employees.
• The Raj BhashaKirtiPuraskar is a prestigious award conferred every year on a department which stands first among all the Ministries/Departments with less than 300 employees during the AkhilBhartiya Raj BhashaSammelan and Hindi Diwas celebrations organized by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs.
• A delegation comprising Smt. Manju Gupta, Assistant Director (OL), Shri Anil Kumar Koiri and Shri Rajeshwar Sharma accompanied Shri Rajesh Kumar, Under Secretary and Shri SanjivNarainMathur, Additional Secretary who represented the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) in the Sammelan.
• The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been conferred ‘RajbhashaKirtiPuraskar’ by the Home Ministry for “outstanding implementation” for outstanding work in Hindi
• The award was presented by Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra to the Director General (Rajbhasha) of the CAG office in Pune
• Director General Bhawani Shankar received the “first” award on behalf of CAG office.
  RajbhashaVibhag, under the Home Ministry, congratulated the CAG office working under the supervision and guidance of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India GC Murmu for their outstanding work in Hindi and for securing the first position.
• The CAG formed a committee for the better implementation of Rajbhasha policies last year in ‘Hindi Pakhwada 2022’.
• To create awareness about official work through the Hindi language and to accelerate the usage of Hindi, ”Hindi Pakhwada 2023” is being organised in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India from September 14 to September 29, 2023

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8. At a special ceremony at the Residence of France, Emmanuel Lenain conferred which prestigious insignia on designer Rahul Mishra?
A) Chevalier dansl’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters)
B) Légiond’Honneur (Legion of Honor)
C) Ordre des PalmesAcadémiques (Order of Academic Palms)
D) Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit)
E) Croix de Guerre (War Cross)
Answer: A) Chevalier dansl’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters)

• On behalf of the French government, Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India, conferred the insignia of Chevalier dansl’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) on designer and haut couturier Rahul Mishra at a special ceremony at the Residence of France.
• This distinction comes in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of arts as a designer, and his deep commitment to the promotion of Indian crafts and know-how internationally. This award also honours his enduring contribution to the cultural relationship and cooperation between France and India.
• Rahul Mishra debuted in the world’s fashion capital with his prêt-à-porter collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2014.
• This was also the year that saw him become the first Indian designer to win the International Woolmark Prize, which spurred Suzy Menkes, then Editor of Vogue International, to call him “a national treasure”.
• In 2020, he was invited to showcase his creations as a guest designer at the prestigious Paris Haute Couture Week, by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which famously recognises only 16 haute couture houses as its members.
• The creator of “Impressionist poetry” through Indian weaves and 3D hand embroidery, Rahul Mishra has been particularly acknowledged for his commitment to “slow fashion” or ethical and sustainable fashion.
• The French government distinction l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) is conferred on “persons who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the field of art, culture, and literature or for their contribution to the influence of arts in France and throughout the world.”
• Some noted Indian recipients of this honour in the past include Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Shah Rukh Khan, Pt HariprasadChaurasia, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Raghu Rai, EbrahimAlkazi, Habib Tanveer, and Upamanyu Chatterjee.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs September 15

9. What weapons systems and platforms did the Defence Ministry approve procurement at a cost of around Rs 45,000 crore?
A) Long range air-to-surface missile and 10 Su-35 fighter jets
B) Short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Rafale fighter jets
C) Medium range air-to-air missile and 15 Mirage 2000 fighter jets
D) Short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets
E) Long range air-to-air missile and 8 Tejas fighter jets
Answer: D) Short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets

• The Defence Ministry cleared procurement of various weapons systems and platforms including Dhruvastra short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 45,000 crore.
• A total of nine procurement proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
• To enhance protection, mobility, attack capability and increase survivability of mechanised forces, the DAC accorded the approval for procurement of Light Armoured Multipurpose Vehicles (LAMV) and Integrated Surveillance and Targeting System (ISAT-S),
• The DAC cleared also cleared the procurement of High Mobility Vehicle (HMV) Gun Towing Vehicles for swift mobilisation and deployment of artillery guns and radars.
• The DAC further approved procurement of next generation survey vessels for the Indian Navy
• The procurement of Dhruvastra Short Range Air-to-Surface Missile as a potent Indigenous Precision Guided Weapon for indigenously built ALH Mk-IV Helicopters has been cleared by the DAC
• The AoN for procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI Aircraft with associated equipment from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was also accorded

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10. In which Indian state did Shri Narendra Modi lay the Foundation Stone for the Rs. 49,000 Crore Petrochemicals project at BPCL’s Bina Refinery?
A) Gujarat
B) Maharashtra
C) Uttar Pradesh
D) Madhya Pradesh
E) Rajasthan
Answer: D) Madhya Pradesh

• Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the Foundation Stone for Rs. 49,000 CrorePetrochemicals project at BPCL’s Bina Refinery in Madhya Pradesh.
• The Project involves increase in BPCL’s Bina Refinery capacity from 7.8 MMTPA to 11 MMTPA.
• During the construction phase project will generate over 15,000 employments, while post commissioning, through downstream investments, will help generate more than 1 lakh direct and indirect employment.
• The entire project will be completed in 5 years and will save Forex outgo of Rs. 20,000 Crores per annum, through import substitution, contributing to AtmaNirbhar Bharat mission of making the country self-reliant in petrochemical production.

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11. The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) has partnered with which e-commerce platform to offer opportunities for women self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj to sell their products?
A) Amazon
B) eBay
C) Alibaba
D) Flipkart
E) Shopify
Answer: D) Flipkart

• The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) has collaborated with Flipkart to provide opportunities to women self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj to sell their products on the e-commerce platform.
• The initiative will provide women a platform to showcase their skills, expand their market reach, and improve their socio-economic status, besides promoting entrepreneurship and contributing to NRLM’s mission of poverty reduction and rural development

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12. Which railway station in Jammu and Kashmir was recently renamed in honor of martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan?
A) Jammu Tawi Railway Station
B) Katra Railway Station
C) Srinagar Railway Station
D) Banihal Railway Station
E) Udhampur Railway Station
Answer: E) Udhampur Railway Station

• The Udhampur railway station in Jammu and Kashmir has been renamed after martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan
• Sanction is hereby accorded to the naming of ‘Udhampur railway station’ as ‘Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan railway station’ in district Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir
• Captain Tushar Mahajan, an officer of the 9 Para of special forces of army attained martyrdom after killing a terrorist while protecting his fellow Army personnel in a terror attack on the JKEDI building in Pulwama district in South Kashmir in February 2016.
• The station was renamed after the Lieutenant Governor’s office accorded a formal approval

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13. Who launched the KalaignarMagalirUrimaiThogaiThittam, which provides a monthly honorarium of Rs. 1,000 to women heads of eligible families?
A) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
B) Chief Minister MK Stalin
C) President Ram NathKovind
D) Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan
E) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Answer: B) Chief Minister MK Stalin

• Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the KalaignarMagalirUrimaiThogaiThittam (Rs.1,000 monthly honorarium for women heads of eligible families), a first-of-its-kind scheme in the country that benefits more than one crore women with a whopping allocation of Rs.12,000 crore per year.
• At a government function held at Kancheepuram, 13 women beneficiaries received ATM cards for availing of this scheme.
• The registration of applications from women beneficiaries was started by the chief minister in Thoppur in Dharmapuri district on July 24 and applications were received in two phases and through special camps till August 20.
• Of the 1.63 crore applications received, 1.06 crore applications were found eligible.
• Besides, the government has also announced that the women whose applications were rejected can appeal before the DROs of their respective districts within 30 days.
• The government Rs 7,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme this year.

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14. Who launched the integrated electricity consumer portal of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), enabling consumers to pay their bills online?
A) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
B) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
C) President Ram NathKovind
D) Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur
E) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Answer: B) Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

• Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the integrated electricity consumer portal of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), which will allow consumers to pay their bills online.
• Through the portal, HPSEBL will also offer services such as application for change of name and load adjustments and for new electricity connections
• This digital transformation initiative aims to usher in a paperless work culture within the organisation, which is expected to streamline administrative processes and expedite services
• This integrated portal marks a significant step forward in enhancing consumer convenience and promoting digitalization in the energy sector, promising a more efficient and accessible service for all citizens
• The portal would have the energy generation data and offer the service to submit online invoices by Independent Power Producers (IPP) without the need of visiting the concerned offices
• Also, In an attempt to promote environmentally friendly farming, the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department launched a ‘Mobile Van Program’ under the ‘PrakritikKhetiKhushhalKisanYojana’ in Shimla.
• The Secretary of the Agriculture Department of Himachal Pradesh C Paulrasu launched the eco-friendly vehicle in the state capital to promote organic and chemical-free farming practices aimed at delivering fresh, organic produce directly to consumers’ doorsteps.
• The PrakritikKhetiKhushhalKisanYojana website ‘www.spnfhp.in’ was launched for this certification in October 2022. So far more than 89,000 natural farming farmers from across the state have been registered under this scheme.

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15. Which state in the Northeast region of India, following Nagaland, became the second state to introduce Aadhaar-linked birth registration?
A) Assam
B) Manipur
C) Meghalaya
D) Arunachal Pradesh
E) Tripura
Answer: D) Arunachal Pradesh

• Arunachal Pradesh became the second state in the Northeast after Nagaland to launch Aadhaar-linked birth registration
• It would help in birth registration-based Aadhaar enrolment for children up to the age of 5
• The initiative was launched by Women and Child Development Secretary MimumTayeng in presence of UIDAI director Abhishek Kaushik
• The Directorate of Economics and Statistics, the registrar for birth and death in the state, is the nodal department for Aadhaar related activities.

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16. Recently, the government of which Indian state launched a taxi service app aimed at simplifying travel for tourists?
A) Kerala
B) Goa
C) Maharashtra
D) Rajasthan
E) Uttarakhand
Answer: B) Goa

• The Goa government launched a taxi service app through which people can book a cab online to travel anywhere within the coastal state.
• Chief Minister PramodSawant launched the ”Goa Taxi App” in the presence of state Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) chairman Ganesh Gaonkar and director of tourism Suneel Anchipaka.
• ”Goa Taxi App” has been operational at the Manohar International Airport (MIA), Mopa since the last six months after its soft launch.
• More than 500 tourist taxi operators have already joined the app and are satisfied with its performance
• Goa Chief Minister PramodSawant in an event held at RavindraBhavan, Sankhali, distributed GrihaAdhar sanction orders to numerous beneficiaries.
• This initiative organised by the Directorate of Women and Child Development aims to support homemakers financially, fostering their independence and improving their quality of life.
• Chief Minister PramodSawant also launched The Chavath e Bazaar, empowering Goan entrepreneurs and self-help groups, a digital initiative under the Swayampura Goa Programme organised by the Directorate of Planning, Statistics and Evaluation.
• The Chief Minister also flagged off the Chavath e Bazaar vehicle, symbolizing a new era of empowerment for rural artisans and entrepreneurs in Goa.
• GrihaAdhar, an exemplary scheme, has already made a substantial impact in the State. In today’s distribution, 11,500 newly sanctioned orders were disbursed across Goa, with 6,000 orders allocated to the North Goa district alone.
• The Chavath e Bazaar is an online portal integrated with the Swiggy app for seamless ordering.

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17. Which two companies have partnered to bring the BvS10 All-Terrain Vehicle to India as part of the “Make in India” program?
A) Tata Motors and Hyundai
B) Mahindra & Mahindra and Ford
C) Reliance Industries and Suzuki
D) BAE Systems and Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
E) Ashok Leyland and General Motors
Answer: D) BAE Systems and Larsen & Toubro (L&T)

• BAE Systems Inc. and Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) have partnered to bring the world-leading Articulated All-Terrain Vehicle (AATV), the BvS10, to the Indian market.
• The two companies have signed an agreement to offer the BvS10 for an Indian Armed Forces programme
• Under the agreement, L&T is the prime bidder for the Indian market, with the support of BAE Systems Hägglunds, the Swedish manufacturer of the highly successful BvS10 family of vehicles. BAE Systems and L&T have upgraded the BvS10 to meet the specific requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.
• This new variant will be known as the “BvS10-Sindhu”. The AATV programme aims to deliver vehicles from L&T’s Armoured Systems Complex, Hazira along with integrated logistic support (ILS).
• The BvS10 vehicle on display at Defence and security equipment international (DSEI) in London features a Mobile Short Range Air Defense system (MSHORAD) configuration.
• Vehicle is currently in service in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom amongst others. It is also on order for the German Army.
• BAE Systems’ Beowulf, the unarmored variant of the BvS10, won the U.S. Army’s competition for its Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) program in August.
• The U.S. Army will receive 110 vehicles over a five-year period

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18. What is the recent initiative launched by Karnataka to benefit gig workers?
A) Rs. 1 lakh insurance cover
B) Rs. 2 lakh insurance cover
C) Rs. 3 lakh insurance cover
D) Rs. 4 lakh insurance cover
E) Rs. 5 lakh insurance cover
Answer: D) Rs. 4 lakh insurance cover

• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced implementation of insurance cover (The ‘Karnataka State Gig Workers Insurance Scheme’) worth Rs 4 lakh to each gig worker in Karnataka.
• The scheme would cover about 2.3 lakh gig workers
• In order to provide social security to the ‘Gig Workers’ in the unorganized sector, i.e., employed as full time/part time delivery personnel in e-commerce companies like Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, etc., insurance facility of total Rs.4 lakh will be provided which includes, life insurance of Rs. 2 lakh and accidental insurance of Rs. 2 lakh.
• The entire insurance premium will be borne by the government
• Bengaluru has an estimated 200,000 gig workers in Dunzo, Swiggy, Blinkit, and other delivery platforms.
• It will cover full-time and part-time workers with Swiggy, Zomato, and e-commerce companies such as Amazon, Flipkart, and BigBasket among others.
• Hospital expenses of up to Rs 1 lakh will be reimbursed and benefits are applicable in case of “accident on duty and off duty”, but only for active workers.
• They can apply within one year of the accident/ death.
• Gig workers registered on the government’s official web portal will benefit from the initiative. Legal heirs of the beneficiaries and siblings of unmarried workers are eligible for compensation.
• They can apply directly on the Seva Sindhu portal with the necessary documents, including E-Labour Identity Card number.
• The Karnataka State Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board created a financial fund by opening an account ‘Karnataka State Bus Workers Insurance Scheme’ in any branch of a nationalised bank to distribute benefits.
• The source of finance includes a grant from the state government or Central government if the subsidy is available.

ELIGIBILITY

• 18 to 60 years of age; should not be an income-tax payer, and those who do not avail of ESI and EPF
• Exceptions: Death by suicide, if in an inebriated state at the time of the accident
  The insanity of beneficiary, due to any violation of law with criminal intent, accident due to war, invasion, act of a foreign enemy, mutiny, revolution, military or usurpation, sequestration, detention, an accident caused by nuclear material
• A gig worker is disqualified in case of death/accident in a non-active gig occupation and working in a state other than Karnataka

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19. Who officially launched the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg Portal- www.upag.gov.in)?
A) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
B) Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
C) Union Home Minister Amit Shah
D) Member of NITI Aayog, Professor Ramesh Chand
E) Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal
Answer: D) Member of NITI Aayog, Professor Ramesh Chand

• Member of NITI Aayog, Professor Ramesh Chand officially launched the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg Portal- www.upag.gov.in).
• It is a groundbreaking move to address the complex governance challenges India’s agriculture sector is facing.
• This innovative platform, designed to streamline and enhance data management in the agricultural domain, marks a significant step towards a more efficient and responsive agricultural policy framework.
• The UPAg Portal is a crucial component of the Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture, aimed at harnessing the diversity of the agriculture sector and using data as a catalyst for growth.
• It is a pioneering initiative by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, to streamline data management in the agriculture sector.
• It aims to provide real-time, standardized, and verified data on agricultural commodities, facilitating data-driven decision-making for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders.
• This initiative aligns with the principles of e-governance, bringing smartness, transparency, and agility to India’s agriculture sector.

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