Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 5th October 2024

1. India and the US inked a pact to expand and diversify the critical minerals supply chain. 

• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo participated in the 6th Commercial Dialogue. 
• India and the US signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand and diversify the critical minerals supply chain at a bilateral commercial dialogue. 
• Both sides also discussed semiconductor supply chains and collaboration in and with third countries. 
• The main aim of the MoU is to use the complementary strengths of both countries to ensure greater resilience in the critical minerals sector. 
• The focus will be identifying equipment, services, policies, and best practices to facilitate the mutually beneficial commercial development of U.S. and Indian critical minerals exploration. 
• In June 2023, India identified a set of 30 critical minerals for its national priorities. 
• India has also joined the Minerals Security Partnership. 

2. World Teachers Day 2024: 5 October 

• Every year on 5 October, World Teachers' Day or International Teachers’ Day is observed.
• It marks the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, which sets standards regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers.
• It is also celebrated to recognize the work of teachers, researchers, and professors and to honour teachers for their valuable contributions to society. 
• The theme of World Teachers' Day 2024 is "Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education." 
• In 1994, UNESCO declared 5 October as World Teachers’ Day. 
•  The day highlights the importance of quality teachers to guide or motivate students. 

3. Jal Hi Amrit Yojana was launched by the government and major metro projects were approved. 

• Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, on the 100 days achievements of the Ministry, said that the government has launched the Jal Hi Amrit Yojana in its first 100 days, which aims to promote efficient water management. 
• This initiative encourages States and Union Territories (UTs) to efficiently manage sewage treatment plants (STPs), ensuring production of good quality, recyclable treated water. 
• Urban local bodies (ULBs) and quasi-government agencies are currently nominating STPs from their respective areas for the scheme. 
• The Union Minister informed that as part of the 100-day achievements under AMRUT 2.0, 68 projects worth Rs 3,020 crore and 41 projects worth Rs 3,805 crore, totalling Rs 6,825 crore, will be implemented in 13 states. 
• In total, 263 projects worth Rs 9,352 crore will be inaugurated or laid the foundation stone during this period. 
• Three metro projects worth Rs 31,000 crore have been approved by the government in its first 100 days. 
• These include Bengaluru Metro Phase-3, Thane Internal Ring Road Metro Project, and southward extension of the Pune Metro Rail Project. 

4. A collaboration announced by Adani and Google to promote clean energy in India. 

• A partnership announced by Adani Group and Google with the aim of enhancing their sustainability efforts and contributing to the development of clean energy in India.
• The Adani Group said it will supply renewable energy generated from a new solar-wind hybrid project located in Khavda, Gujarat, which is home to the world's largest renewable energy facility. 
• The project is expected to start commercial operations in the third quarter of 2025. 
• This collaboration also aligns with Google’s ambitious goal of achieving 24/7 carbon-free energy for its operations worldwide. 
• The Google aims to reduce all its combined Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 50% by 2030. 
• In 2019, this initiative was launched by the company. 

5. The HSBC India Services PMI shows that the growth of the country's services sector has slowed to its lowest level since November 2023. 

• According to the survey, the sector's performance is still historically good, but its growth pace has slowed. S&P Global compiles the survey. 
• The index value decreased to 57.7 in September from 60.9 in August. 
• The PMI values are in the range of 0 to 100. 
• A figure that is higher than 50 denotes a rise from the previous month, while one that is lower than 50 denotes a fall. 
• A slower rate of growth in new export orders was one issue impeding overall sales growth. 
• In 2024, new export orders experienced the slowest rate of growth to date. 
• The manufacturing sector in India declined in September for a second consecutive month, according to earlier PMI data. 

6. India became the fourth country to have 700 billion dollars in Forex reserves. 

• India has become the fourth country to surpass 700 billion US dollars in foreign reserves. 
• China, Japan, and Switzerland are the other countries having more than 700 billion dollars in Forex reserves. 
• India’s foreign exchange reserves touched a new all-time high of 704.885 billion dollars for the week ending September 27. 
• The sharp increase in forex reserves will strengthen India’s ability to tackle global economic uncertainties. 
• It will also provide greater stability to its currency in the volatile international markets. 
• India’s gold reserves rose 2.184 billion to 65.796 billion dollars. 

7. International Film Festival on Environment & Wildlife ‘Vatavaran’ Inaugurated 

• The 12th edition of International Film Festival and Forum on Environment and Wildlife, Vatavaran has inaugurated at Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi. 
• The theme for the three-day film festival is “Wetlands for Life”, focusing on the awareness and conservation of the wetlands eco-system. 
• The festival uses films and documentaries to raise awareness about contemporary environmental issues and seeks to change the perception, practice, policy and governance regarding environmental issues. 
• CMS India organises the International Film Festival and Forum on Environment and Wildlife with support from the Union Ministry of Forest, Climate Change and Environment. 
• CMS is a multi-disciplinary research think tank in India. The first CMS Vatavaran was organised in 2002 and is held every two years. 

8. India & Jamaica sign 4 MoU to boost ties during Jamacia PM visit 

• India and Jamaica signed four MoU to strengthen and boost their bilateral relationships. The agreement was signed during Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s visit to India. 
• Prime Minister Andrew Holness is the first Prime Minister of Jamaica to visit India. 

Four MoUs are as follows: 

1. Sharing of Successful Indian Digital Public Infrastructure with Jamaica to Promote Financial Inclusion and Social and Economic Transformation. 
2. Cooperation between NPCI International Payments Limited and Egov Jamaica Limited. 
3. Cultural Exchange Programme between the two countries years for 2024-2029. 
4. Cooperation in Sports. 

About Jamaica 

• Capital- Kingston 
• Currency- Jamaican Dollar 
• Prime Minister- Andrew Holness 

9. PM Modi launch Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Jharkhand 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. 
• PM also laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs 83,000 crore. It included Eklavya Model Residential Schools and the foundation stones of various developmental projects under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), targeting the tribal communities. 

About Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan 

• Tribal Affairs Ministry has launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. 
• The Abhiyan aims to fill critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 intervention schemes implemented by 17 central government Ministries and the Department of Government of India. 
• The scheme’s total expenditure is Rs 79,150 crore. 
• The Abhiyan will cover around 63,000 villages in 549 districts and 2,740 blocks across 30 States and Union Territories. 
• It is expected to benefit more than 5 crore tribal people in the targeted areas. 

10. BPCL and Mumbai Port Authority to launch India’s first green fuel ecosystem 

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has an MoU with the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) and the Mumbai Port Sustainability Foundation (MPSF) to create a state-of-the-art green fuel ecosystem at Mumbai Port. 
• This MoU represents a crucial advancement in India’s shift toward cleaner energy alternatives. With a focus on innovations in green fuel, the initiative seeks to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, thereby supporting the nation’s climate objectives. 
• BPCL, MbPA, and MPSF are dedicated to pioneering sustainable practices that align with India’s commitment to environmental stewardship. 

11. IIT Delhi, IAF join hands for AI-powered research on aviation textile 

• IIT Delhi and Headquarters Maintenance (HQ) Command, Indian Air Force, Nagpur, have signed an MoU to collaborate on advancing innovative technologies for aviation textiles focusing on parachutes and other safety equipment. 
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and HQ Maintenance will cooperate, collaborate and promote research and development in areas of obsolescence management, self-reliance, upgradations and digitisation through indigenisation in the field of aviation-grade textiles. 
• Some of the areas of interest for collaboration include raw material selection for various parachutes and safety equipment. 

IITs in News 

• DRDO and IIT Delhi developed light weight bullet proof jackets, named ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat), which offer 360-degree protection. 
• National Health Authority and IIT Kanpur sign MoU for development of digital public goods for AI in Healthcare 
• IIT Bhubaneswar inks pact with IG Drones on disaster management R&D 
• IIT Madras Partners with IDBI Bank to Launch Cybersecurity Lab 
• C-DOT partners with IIT Roorkee and Mandi to boost 6G standardization, connectivity 
• IIT Kanpur launched UDAAN programme to boost drone startups 

12. Govt Approves ₹10,103 Crore National Mission on Edible Oils to Boost Self-Reliance in Oilseed Production by 2030

• The government has approved the National Mission on Edible Oils and Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds) for 2024-25 to 2030-31 with an outlay of 10 thousand 103 crore rupees. 
• This has been done with an aim to make India self-reliant in oilseed production in the next seven years. 
• The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare will implement the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds). 
• The newly approved NMEO-Oilseeds will focus on enhancing the production of key primary oilseed crops such as rapeseed mustard, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, and sesamum. 
• It will also focus on increasing collection and extraction efficiency from secondary sources like cottonseed, rice bran, and tree-butter oils. 
• The mission aims to increase primary oilseed production from 39 million metric tonnes in 2022–23 to 69.7 million metric tonnes by 2030–31. He said that together with NMEO-OP (Oil Palm), the mission targets to increase domestic edible oil production to 25.45 million metric tonnes by 2030–31, meeting around 72% of the projected domestic requirement. 
• India is the world’s largest importer of edible oils and meets around 60-65 per cent of its requirements through imports. India sources most of its palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, while Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Ukraine are the major sources of soy oil and sunflower oil. 

13. Central Govt approves PM-RKVY and KY Schemes for Agriculture sector 

• The Union Cabinet has decided to merge all Central schemes in the agriculture sector into two new schemes, Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY). 
• With a projected expenditure of ₹ 1,01,321.61 crore, the schemes will have a Central share of ₹ 69,088.98 crore and the States will have to add the remaining ₹32,232.63 crore. 
• PM-RKVY, with an allocation of ₹57,074.72 crore, is aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and KY will address food security and agricultural self-sufficiency, with a fund of ₹44,246.89 crore. Both the schemes will be implemented through State governments. 
• The rationalisation of various schemes is to avoid duplication, ensure convergence and provide flexibility to States. Focusing on emergent challenges of agriculture such as nutrition security, sustainability, climate resilience, value chain development and private sector participation is also envisaged under two schemes. 
• State governments will be able to draw a comprehensive strategic plan suiting their requirements for agriculture sector. Annual Action Plan (AAP) of States can be approved in one go rather approving individual scheme-wise AAPs. 
• Schemes such as Soil Health Management, Rainfed Area Development, Agro Forestry, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana will be merged in the two new schemes. 

About Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) 

• The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) was launched by the central government in 2007-08. 
• The scheme provides incentives to the state government to draw up comprehensive agriculture development plans to ensure more inclusive and integrated development of agriculture and allied sectors.
• In the 2017 -18 fiscal year, the RKVY was converted into Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) with a major focus on pre and post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri – entrepreneurship, innovations and value addition. 
• Now, it has been replaced by Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY). 

The PM-RKVY scheme comprises the following central government schemes- 

• Accelerator Fund for Agri Startups 
• Agroforestry 
• Agricultural Mechanization, including Crop Residue Management 
• Crop Diversification Programme 
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana 
• Per Drop More Crop 
• Rainfed Area Development
• RKVY DPR component 
• Soil Health Management 

About Krishonnati Yojana 

• Krishonnati Yojana was launched in 2005, during the 10th five-year plan. 
• It is an umbrella scheme of 12 schemes/missions of the central government and centrally sponsored schemes related to the agriculture sector. 
• These schemes aim to develop the agriculture and allied sectors holistically and scientifically. 
• It aims to increase farmers’ income by enhancing production, productivity and better returns on produce. 

14. Bharat Electronics, Israel Aerospace Industries form joint venture firm 

• Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s leading aerospace and defence company, have established a joint venture company (JVC), which has been incorporated in the name of BEL IAI AeroSystems Private Ltd. 
• The JVC with its registered office in Delhi shall be the single point of contact (SPOC) for extending long-term product support to the Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) systems of India’s defence forces. 
• MRSAM is an advanced, path-breaking air and missile defence system that provides protection against a variety of aerial threats, according to the company. 
• It was jointly developed by IAI and DRDO for India’s defence forces and is currently used by the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy and also Israeli defence forces, it was noted. The system includes an Advanced Phased Array Radar, Command and Control shelter, mobile launchers and interceptors with an advanced RF seeker. 

15. Bharat Forge teams up with US defence giants for next-gen artillery systems 

• Bharat Forge subsidiary of Kalyani Strategic Systems has signed an agreement with US-based defence companies AM General and Mandus Group. The collaboration focuses on the development and production of advanced artillery gun platforms designed to meet the evolving needs of modern armies. 
• The companies aim to create compact, robust, lightweight, ruggedized, and mobile artillery systems capable of operating in all weather conditions and terrains.
• This initiative includes the development of 105mm and 155mm next-generation artillery platforms featuring disruptive technology that enhances responsiveness, survivability, and transportability. 
• This strategic collaboration aims to co-develop and co-produce the most versatile and innovative weapon systems. 

16. 4 October – Animal Welfare Day 

• Animal Welfare Day is observed annually on October 4. 
• The day aims to inform people about the essential protection and care of animals while striving to inculcate empathy toward them. 
• Theme 2024 – The World Is Their Home Too 
• World Animal Day was first celebrated in 1925 by Heinrich Zimmermann, a German writer and animal welfare activist. 
• Zimmermann initially held the event on March 24, 1925, in Berlin, attracting more than 5,000 attendees. By 1929, the date was moved to October 4 to align with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is known for his love and respect for animals. 

17. 4 – 10 October – World Space Week 

• World Space Week is an annual event celebrated from October 4 to 10, highlighting the benefits of space exploration and promoting international cooperation in space activities. 
• Theme 2024 – Space & Climate Change 
• In 1999, the UN General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week by resolution 54/68. 
• The main aim is to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.