Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 13th October 2024

 

1. Union Government releases 15th Finance Commission Grants for Rural Local Bodies in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan

• The Union Government has released the first instalment of the 15th Finance Commission grants for the FY 2024–25 to the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. 
• Andhra Pradesh has received untied grants amounting to ₹395.5091 crores and tied grants totalling ₹593.2639 crores. 
• These funds are for duly elected 9 eligible District Panchayats, 615 eligible Block Panchayats, and 12,853 eligible Gram Panchayats in Andhra Pradesh. 
• While in Rajasthan, untied grants of ₹507.1177 crores and tied grants of ₹760.6769 crores have been released for the duly elected 22 eligible District Panchayats, 287 eligible Block Panchayats and 9,068 eligible Gram Panchayat in the state. 
• The untied grants will enable Panchayats to address specific local needs across 29 subjects under the 11th Schedule of the Constitution of India, ranging from agriculture and rural housing to education and sanitation. These funds, however, cannot be used for salaries or establishment costs. 
• The tied grants will focus on core services such as sanitation, maintenance of open-defecation free (ODF) status and water management, including rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and treatment of household waste. 
• In line with Article 243G of the Indian Constitution, these funds empower Panchayats to manage essential services and infrastructure. 
• Government of India through Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation) recommends release of 15th-FC Grants to States for Rural Local Bodies which are then released by Ministry of Finance. The allocated Grants are recommended and released in 2 instalments in a financial year. 

2. WTO cuts 2025 world merchandise trade growth forecast to 3% from 3.3% 

• The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has reduced its growth forecast for the volume of global merchandise trade in 2025 to 3 per cent from 3.3 per cent, amid escalating conflict in the West Asia region, which has blocked the crucial Red Sea shipping route for nearly a year. 
• For 2024, the WTO revised upwards its forecast for merchandise trade growth to 2.7 per cent, up from the previous estimate of 2.6 per cent. 
• The trade body warned that an intensification of the conflict in West Asia could have adverse consequences for global and regional trade flows, with effects also being felt in other regions. These may include “further disruptions” to shipping and rising energy prices due to higher risk premiums. 

3. PM Modi attended the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) held in Vientiane, Laos PDR. 
• The Prime Minister emphasized the important part that ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plays in shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific. 
• He mentioned India’s vision for the region, known as the Pacific Vision, which focuses on collaboration with countries like the Quad nations (India, Australia, Japan, and the United States) to promote peace and cooperation in the region. 

4. Srinivas gets additional charge as CEO of public procurement portal GeM 

• The government has given L Satya Srinivas, additional secretary in Department of Commerce, the additional charge of CEO of public procurement portal GeM. 
• The additional charge was given as the last CEO of the Government e Marketplace (GeM) P K Singh has been appointed as secretary in the renewable energy ministry. 
• Srinivas is an officer of the 1991 batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes). 
• The government has given L Satya Srinivas, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, the additional charge of CEO of public procurement portal GeM. 
• The GeM portal was launched on August 9, 2016, for online purchases of goods and services by all central government ministries and departments. 

Recent Appointment 

• MD of Nestlé India Limited – Manish Tiwary (replace Suresh Narayanan); effect from 1 August 2025 
• President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for 2024-25 – Prasanth Kumar 
• Head of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit – Sharad Kumar (replace KK Mishra) 
• First woman DG of Armed Forces Medical Services – Arti Sarin 
• CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) – Ajit Kumar Saxena (additional charge) 
• Chief of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) –Alok Ranjan 

5. Noel Tata succeeds Ratan Tata, appointed chairman of Tata Trusts 

• Noel Tata has been named the chairman of Tata Trusts, the charitable division of the Tata Group. He is the son of Naval H. Tata and Simone N. Tata. 
• Noel takes over from his half-brother, Ratan Tata, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 86. 
• Noel Tata is currently a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, which collectively own a substantial 66% stake in Tata Sons, the holding company of the diversified Tata Group. 
• Noel N. Tata is the Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Tata International Limited and has been associated with the Tata group for 40 years. 
• He holds various board positions within the group, including Chairman of Trent, Voltas, and Tata Investment Corporation, as well as Vice Chairman of Tata Steel and Titan Company Limited. 
• In his most recent executive role as Managing Director of Tata International Limited, he led the company through a period of significant growth, with revenue rising from $500 million to over $3 billion between August 2010 and November 2021. 

6. Indian Naval Ship Shardul arrives in UAE 

• The Indian Naval Ship Shardul, part of the First Training Squadron of the Indian Navy, arrived at Port Mina Rashid, Dubai, UAE, as part of its Long Range Training Deployment. 
• This visit marks a significant milestone in strengthening maritime cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between India and UAE. 
• Shardul is scheduled to engage in various activities designed to enhance maritime security and interoperability. These include harbour interactions and joint exercises including visit to the Naval Officers Training Academy and UAE Naval Ship. 

7. 12 October – World Arthritis Day 

• World Arthritis Day is observed annually on October 12th to raise awareness about arthritis, a condition affecting millions worldwide. 
• Arthritis primarily affects the joints, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling. Joint pain is a common symptom of arthritis due to the inflammation or degradation of the cartilage that cushions joints. 
• While there is no cure for arthritis, exercise plays a significant role in reducing joint pain by strengthening the muscles around the joints, improving flexibility, and maintaining overall mobility. 

8. 10 October 2024 – World Sight Day 

• World Sight Day is observed every year on the second Thursday of October. This year is falls on 10 October.
• Objective – To raise awareness about the preventive measures to avoid blindness, promote eye health and ensure equitable access to quality vision care. 
• Theme 2024 – Children, Love Your Eyes 
• World Sight Day was started as part of the “Sight First” campaign which was organised by the Lions Club International Foundation in 1988. 
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) partnered with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in 1999 to officially establish World Sight Day, and it was first observed on October 12, 2000. 

9. New BJP govt. in Haryana to be sworn in on Oct. 17 

• After recording its third straight win in the just-con-cluded Haryana Assembly election, the BJP will form a new government in the State on October 17. 
• "The swearing-in ceremony of the Haryana government will be held on October 17 at 10 a.m. at the Dussehra ground in Panchkula Sector 5," said a statement from the Haryana unit of the BJP. 
• PM to attend Senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of some other States, will attend the cere- mony, the statement said. 
• Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers would take oath on that day. "We have received the nod of the Prime Minister. The oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers will take place in Panchkula on October 17," the Union Minister said. 
• The ruling BJP retained its decade-long hold on the State by winning 48 seats in the 90-member State Assembly. The party later got a boost with all three Independents announcing their support, effectively bringing the BJP's numbers in the newly constituted House to 51. 
• Incumbent Nayab Singh Saini, who was appointed Chief Minister by replacing Mr. Khattar earlier this year, will in all probability head the Haryana government again. Mr. Saini's name, however, will be for- mally decided by the BJP's Parliamentary Board. 
• After the electoral victory, the Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli and party leaders from the State had met top leaders, including BJP president J.P. Nadda. 

10. Rajnath launches 75 infra projects across 11 States and UT.s 

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday inaugurated through virtual mode 75 infrastructure projects 22 roads, 51 bridges, and two other miscellaneous projects constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of 2,236 crore and spread across 11 border States and Union Territories from the headquarters of 33 Corps at Sukna Military Station in West Bengal. 
• Of the 75 projects, 19 are in Jammu & Kashmir, 18 in Arunachal Pradesh, 11 in Ladakh, nine in Uttarakhand, six in Sikkim, five in Himachal Pradesh, two each in West Bengal and Rajasthan and one each in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. One of the main highlights was the inauguration of the Kupup-Sherathang Road in Sikkim which serves as a crucial link between Jawaharlal Nehru Marg and Zuluk axis, a Defence Ministry statement said. 
• On Friday, Mr. Singh vir- tually addressed the Phase-1 of the Army Commanders Conference from Darjeeling. 
• These 75 projects, BRO has completed a total of 111 infrastructure projects in 2024 at an overall cost of *3,751 crore, the statement said. Last year, 125 infrastructure projects of BRO were dedicated to the nation at a cost of ₹3,611 crore . 
• Referring to the increased allocation of *6,500 crore for BRO in the Union Budget, Mr. Singh expressed hope that it would not only contribute to strategic infrastructure development, but will also prove helpful in socio-economic progress in the border areas, including the Northeast region. "In the past decade, we have built a vast network of roads from villages to cities, which has resulted in the country witnessing progress at an unprecedented pace." He assured the people that new dimensions will be added to the developed of border areas.