Current Affairs on 24 September for Competetive Exams

Current Affairs for Competetive Exams

National News

1. Railway has planned for 100% electrification of its broad gauge routs by 2023.
2. India conducted a successful night testfire of its indigenously developed nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur.
3. DRDO has testified successfully an indigenously developed laser-guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) at a firing range in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar. The ATGM has been developed by Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment.
4. India’s first-ever Tram Library is set to be inaugurated in Kolkata. This specially designed tram will run along the College street route.
5. The Ocean Services, Modelling, Applications, Resources, and Technology(O-SMART) Scheme has been implemented by The Ministry of Earth sciences. The scheme covers 16 sub-projects related to the Ocean development activities including resources, services, technology, observations, and sciences. The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre is also working under the O-SMART Scheme.
6. Investment firm KKR has decided to buy a 1.28% stake in RIL’s Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. unit for 5500 crores.
7. Bharat Biotech has entered into a licencing agreement with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for producing, developing, distributing and intranasal vaccine for COVID-19.
8. The centre extended the tenure of Uday Kotak as chairman of the scam-hit IL&FS till October 2, 2021.
9. One of the first medical device parks MedSpark is going to be established at the Life Science Park, Thonnakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The medical devices park is envisaged as a joint initiative of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), an institute of the DST, and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).
10. The President of India Ram Nath Kovind will confer the National Service Scheme (NSS) award for the year 2018-19 on 24th September 2020.
11. Rajya Sabha has passed the National Forensic Sciences University Bill 2020 that seeks to establish a National Forensic Sciences University by upgrading the Gujarat Forensic Sciences University. The National Forensic Sciences University Bill, 2020 was introduced by Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy.
12. On September 23, 2020, The Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of 100% equity shares of Medlife International Private Limited by APO Holdings Private Limited.
13. Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh from Varanasi has become the first woman fighter pilot to fly Rafale aircraft. It was formally inducted in the Indian Air Force on September 10, 2020, in the presence of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
14. The Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2020 was successfully passed in Lok Sabha on September 23, 2020 by replacing the Major Port Act, 1963. The passed bill seeks to provide regulation, operation, and planning of major ports in the country as well as providing greater autonomy to these ports.
15. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) has announced KRITAGYA (Krishi-Taknik-Gyan) Hackathon under National Agricultural Higher Education Project.
16. National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) under Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways has speeded up the detailed project report (DPR) work on the World’s Longest High-Altitude Shinkun La Tunnel (13.5 Km long) along with its approach roads in UT of Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. On completion of this tunnel, the Manali – Kargil highway will remain open throughout the year.

International News

1. Sri Lanka has tabled a 20th amendment bill in its parliament aiming to give more power to the President.
2. Palestine has quit the rotating presidency of the council of Arab League in protest over Israel deals.
3. Bougainville has elected Ishmael Toroama as the president of this country. Bougainville consists of a small cluster of islands and atolls that are, for now, part of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
4. Former Defence Minister of Mali, Bah N’Daw has been appointed as the new President of Mali for 18 months.
5. The security forces of Nepal and India have started a joint security patrol on 21st September 2020 at the Nepal-India border in Kapilvastu district, Nepal.
6. India’s International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology has signed an MoU with Israel’s Start-up Nation Centre to initiate a bilateral programme to boost innovation and technology Cooperation.
7. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host a global climate summit of the fifth anniversary of Paris Agreement.

State News

1. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved a Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation scheme to allow free bus travel to two members of a family to immerse ashes of their loved ones in the Ganga in Haridwar. The state road transport corporation would be the nodal agency to run the scheme, named ”Moksha Kalash Yojana-2020”.
2. The Kerala government has launched the e-Challan system for modernization of the traffic department.
3. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the mobile application “AP Police Seva” to lodge complaints online.
4. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to transfer Rs. 4000 into the bank accounts of farmers in the state in two equal instalments in a financial year. The benefit would be given to those who enrolled themselves under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme.

National and International Appointments

1. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has appointed Khusi Chindaliya from Gujrat as the Regional Ambassador for India.
2. Simanchala Dash has been appointed as an advisor to Executive Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC for a period of three years.
3. Odisha’s architectural marvel Krushi Bhawan has owned the people’s choice award in the social good category at AZ Awards,2020.

Awards and Honor

Colombian Journalist Jineth Bedoya Lima has been honoured with the prestigious Golden Pen of Freedom Award, an annual press freedom award of the World Association of News Publishers.

Books and Authors

The book titled “Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Creating Your Own Destiny” has been written by Sadhguru.

Obituaries and Retirement

1. Minister of State for Railways and Karnataka BJP MP Suresh Angari has passed away recently.
2. Theatre and Bollywood actor Bhupesh Pandya passed away.

Banking News (Domestic and International)

HDFC Life has entered into a Corporate Agency Agreement with Yes Bank to sell Insurance policies.

Economic Affairs

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has projected a contraction of 5.9% in India’s GDP in the year 2020.

Important Days

● World Maritime Day is observed globally on last Thursday of September. This year the day is 24th September.
Theme- Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet.