Current Affairs | National | International | SSC

1. Government is likely to begin the census in 2025.

The government is planning to begin the long-delayed Census in 2025.
The process will start in 2025 and is expected to continue until 2026.
The census may also include sub-sect surveys within the General and SC-ST categories.
After the census, the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats will start and will likely be completed by 2028.
The census is conducted every ten years to update the National Population Register (NPR).
It was scheduled to be conducted in 2021 but was postponed due to the Covid pandemic.
The tenure of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India has also been extended till August 2026.
The first complete census was conducted in 1872 under Lord Mayo.

The 9th edition of India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise GARUD SHAKTI 24 is scheduled to be conducted from the 1st to the 12th of November 2024.
25 personnel of the Indian Army contingent departed for Cijantung, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) is representing the Indian contingent.
Indonesian contingent comprising 40 personnel is being represented by Indonesian Special Forces Kopassus.
The main purpose of the exercise is to familiarize both sides with each other’s operating procedures and enhance mutual understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies.
Planning and execution of special operations, orientation to advance special forces skills, and sharing of information on weapons, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques & procedures will be part of this exercise.
It also involves jointly practising Special Forces Operations in Jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps and a Validation Exercise.
The Exercise will provide an opportunity for both the contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices.

The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has surpassed 20 crore total client accounts.
Maharashtra (3.6 crore accounts) leads the state-wise distribution.
Maharashtra is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 2.2 crore and Gujarat with 1.8 crore.
Rajasthan and West Bengal have nearly 1.2 crore accounts each.
These top five states account about 50% of all client accounts.
NSE’s registered investor base crossed the ten crore milestone on 8 August 2024.
The growth in NSE accounts is attributable to digital transformation, mobile trading applications, and improved market access in tier 2, 3, and 4 cities.
In 1994, NSE pioneered electronic trading in India. NSE maintains its position as India’s largest stock exchange by equity turnover.
It ranks as the world’s largest derivative exchange by trading volume for 2023 as per the Futures Industry Association.
It holds the 3rd position globally in equity segment by number of trades, according to World Federation of Exchanges statistics.

He said this application will make birth and death registration seamless and hassle-free.
This will allow citizens to register at any time, from any place, and in their State’s official language.
According to The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, all reported births and deaths in the country occurring from October 1, 2023 are to be digitally registered through the Centre’s portal.
At the capital's Census Building, he also unveiled a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
For a variety of services, the digital birth certificates will serve as a single document proving the date of birth.
These services include marriage registration, government employment, and entrance to educational institutions.
Additionally, the centralized database would assist in updating the electoral rolls, ration cards, property registration, and National Population Register (NPR).

India’s Mansi Ahlawat won the bronze medal in the women’s 59 kg category at the Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania.
She defeated Laurence Beauregard of Canada with 5-0.
Risako Kinjo of Japan won the gold, and Tserenchimed Sukhee of Mongolia clinched the silver.
Elena Heike Brugger of Germany shared the Bronze with Mansi.
In the Men’s Freestyle 92 kg category, India’s Sandeep S Mann will take on Batyrbek Tsakulov of Slovakia in the Repechage round.
Bipasha lost to Anastasiya Alpyeyeva of Ukraine in the 72 kg qualification round.

UPAAR has ruled prepaid vouchers constitute supply of goods.
UPAAR has ruled that pre-paid vouchers are treated at par with Sodexo vouchers or gift vouchers issued by Kalyan Jewellers.
Accordingly, they will attract GST at the rate of 18%.
Supply of vouchers by the applicant is taxable at 9% CGST and 9% UPGST.
UPAAR said that the supply of vouchers by the applicant are taxable as a supply of goods.
The applicant was Noida-based Payline Technologies. It was involved in the business of selling and purchasing gift cards, vouchers or pre-paid vouchers.
Pre-paid vouchers ae vouchers against which goods or services can be purchased from specific brands on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, etc.
The applicant purchases the vouchers against the advance payments at discounted prices.
They are then supplied to clients. The clients can hand over them to anyone.