Current Affairs (01-15 September 2021)
National:-
The Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD), Smriti Zubin Irani presided over the National Conference, 2021. The conference was held on 30 and 31 August at Kevadia, Gujarat.
On September 3, 2021, India became the first Asian country to enter into a plastic agreement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on September 3, 2021.
The Center is set to sign the tripartite “Karbi Peace Agreement” on September 4, 2021.
External Affairs Minister (EAM), S Jaishankar co-chaired the fourth round of the ‘Indo-Danish Joint Commission Meeting (JCM)’ with his Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod in Copenhagen on September 5, 2021.
Supreme Court has ruled that Indian Railways should compensate passengers if trains run late.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on September 8, 2021, approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all mandatory Rabi crops.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) on September 9, 2021, listing the top universities and colleges across India.
On September 9, 2021, the Allahabad High Court stayed a Varanasi court order asking it to conduct a ‘comprehensive archaeological physical survey’ of the disputed Gyanvapi Masjid-Kashi Vishwanath temple complex.
On September 9, 2021, National Mission for Clean Ganga organized Himalaya Day in association with Naula Foundation as a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 9, 2021, virtually chaired the 13th BRICS summit.
The Ministry of Railways has closed the Indian Railways Alternative Fuel Organization (IROAF) with effect from September 7, 2021.
India and Japan held their 6th Maritime Affairs Dialogue in a virtual format on September 10, 2021.
The Central Government on September 10, 2021, announced an Aadhaar-like authentication system to access the COVID vaccination status of an individual on the Cowin platform.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the state-of-the-art Sardardham Bhawan in Ahmedabad via video conference on September 11, 2021.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharti Praveen Pawar inaugurated the “Digital Population Clock” on September 10, 2021.
The Supreme Court has recently ruled that an employee cannot insist on transfer to a particular place and only the employer can transfer the employees after considering the requirement.
Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu called upon the states to increase the sales of solar PV and production of modules in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh on September 13, 2021.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the Quad Leaders Summit in Washington on 24 September.
The Madras High Court (HC) has set aside the central government’s 2018 notification that fixed the speed of 120 km/has a limit on highways and expressways.
The 7th Foreign Office Consultations between India and Chile was held in Santiago on 14 September 2021.
NITI Aayog in association with RMI and RMI India launched the Zero campaign on 15th September 2021.
Defense And National Security
The Indian Army contingent is set to participate in a two-week multinational military exercise ‘Zapad 2021’.
The Indian Navy signed a contract with Bharat Limited (BEL) for the supply of the first indigenous Comprehensive Naval Anti Drone System (NADS).
India and the United States had signed a project agreement for an ‘Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’ in late July 2021.
The Cabinet Committee on Safety (CCS) has approved the purchase of 56 transport aircraft from Airbus on September 8, 2021.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has handed over the first deliverable firing unit (FU) of the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) system to the Indian Air Force (IAF) on September 9, 2021.
Union Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh and Union Minister for Highways, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated an emergency landing facility on a national highway in Rajasthan on September 9, 2021.
India has proposed to institutionalize the “India Africa Defense Dialogue” during the successive defense exhibition to be held once in a period of two years.
Appointments And Resignation
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed Sherpa of India for the G20.
Bhupendra Patel took the oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on September 13, 2021.
Science And Technology:-
World’s first plant-based smart air-purifier called “Ubreath Life” by scientists from Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar and Kanpur and Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.
Recently, a mystery fever had emerged from some parts of Uttar Pradesh. It killed about 40 people in a week, mostly children. This viral fever was identified as scrub typhus.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) approved another indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate named CORBEVAX for two clinical trials.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have developed equipment to conduct microbial experiments in outer space.
According to Indian Space Research Organization’s chief K Sivan, India will soon come out with a new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for the space sector.
IIT-Bombay launched its “Project Udaan” on September 14, 2021, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas.
Government Initiatives
Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla inaugurated a parliamentary outreach program to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
A road connecting Leh to Pangong Lake was inaugurated by Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal on August 31, 2021.
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has decided to celebrate Poshan Maah for the entire month starting from September 1, 2021.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh launched the ‘Innovation Mission Punjab’ on September 1, 2021.
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on September 1, 2021, launched the rural enterprise acceleration program named ‘Saath’ for the women of Self Help Groups (SHGs).
Ladakh adopted two endangered species, the snow leopard and the black-necked crane, as its state animal and state bird respectively on September 1, 2021.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu launched two ambitious schemes on September 3, 2021.
The Ministry of AYUSH launched a campaign named “AYUSH Aapke Dwar” from around 45 locations across India on September 3, 2021.
The Tamil Nadu government recently announced its plan to set up India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay on the southeast coast.
The Governing Body of Vatan Prem Yojana held its first meeting on September 4, 2021.
Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav launched a portal named PRANA on September 7, 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Vidyanjali portal and several other initiatives in the education sector on September 7, 2021.
Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia launched the ‘Business Blasters’ program on September 7, 2021.
Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel launched “Swachh Survekshan Gramin 2021” under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Phase-II.
The Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia on September 9, 2021 announced a 100-day plan for the civil aviation sector of India.
The Government of Chhattisgarh launched the “Bajra Mission” on September 14, 2021 with an aim to make the state the millet center of India.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a bill on September 13, 2021, making encroachment of properties of religious institutions a cognizable and non-bailable offense.
Business, Economy and Commerce
According to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, India’s economic growth reached a record high in the quarter till June 2021.
The ambitious Draft Regional Plan-2041 (DRP-2041) was discussed by the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) on August 31, 2021.
Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched a new initiative that enables Google Pay users to book Fixed Deposits (FDs) on Google Pay in just 2 minutes without opening a bank account.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has increased the allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) to India in line with India’s existing quota.
State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) has started a pilot project to replace diesel with LNG on September 1, 2021.
According to Pune-based researchers, Indian Royal Jelly overtakes vendors of high quality produced in Thailand and Taiwan.
On September 2, 2021, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) awarded a 5-star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification to Chandigarh Railway Station.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 24th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) on September 3, 2021 announced that it has raised Rs 4,000 crore through Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds.
Amazon India announced the launch of the Kisan Store. The store was launched by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on September 2, 2021.
Indian Railways introduced a new economy class in AC 3-tier trains.
On September 3, 2021, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $150 million loan for the Tamil Nadu Urban Poor Housing Project.
India’s leading fintech platform, PhonePe, which now has 300 million users, has introduced an interactive website called PhonePe Pulse, which features data, insights, and key trends on virtual payments.
The Union Government on September 8, 2021 has approved Rs 10,683 crore Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the textile sector.
The Finance Ministry on September 9, 2021 released the sixth monthly installment of revenue deficit grant of Rs.9871 crore to 17 states.
MoU
HDFC Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) to provide and strengthen credit support to MSMEs across India.
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $112 million loan to develop water supply infrastructure in the state of Jharkhand.
The state of Tamil Nadu and Denmark has planned to build an energy island in the Gulf of Manner that lies between the west coast of Sri Lanka and the south-eastern tip of India.
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $300 million loan to expand rural connectivity in Maharashtra on September 8, 2021.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Russia on cooperation in the field of Geology.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, and US Secretary of Energy, Ms. Jennifer Granholm, co-chaired a virtual ministerial meeting and launched the revised US-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP).
The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed five Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with private companies on September 14, 2021.
Award And Recognition
Avani Lekhara has become the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals in a single edition of Paralympics on September 3, 2021.
The present District Magistrate of Noida, Suhas Lalinakere has become the first IAS officer to win the Yetiraj Paralympic medal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the highest approval rating among the thirteen global leaders surveyed, according to the US-based global leader approval tracker Morning Consult.
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of reformist leader E V Ramasamy Periyar as “Social Justice Day”.
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to observe the death anniversary of a flamboyant poet and freedom fighter Subramaniam Bharathi as Mahakavi Diwas.
Important Days
Shikshak Parv-2021 will be celebrated from September 5, 2021.
International Charity Day is celebrated every year on 5 September with the celebration of Teacher’s Day.
The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is observed every year on 7 September.
International Literacy Day is observed every year on 8 September.
World EV Day is observed every year on 9 September.
The United Nations observed the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on September 9, 2021.
World Suicide Prevention Day was observed on 10 September 2021.
The International Day for South-South Cooperation is observed every year on 12 September by the United Nations.
Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year in India on 14th September.
Engineers Day 2021 being celebrated on 15th September.
International
The 8th meeting of agricultural experts from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries was organized by India on August 31, 2021.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), its ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met the head of the Taliban’s political office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanakzai, on August 31, 2021.
The United Nations observed the first International Day for People of African Origin on August 31, 2021, to celebrate the enormous contribution of the African Diasporas in the field of human endeavor.
Bangladeshi scientist, Dr. Firdausi Qadri won the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Twitter launched a long-promised “Super Follow” feature on September 1, 2021.
The central banks of Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Africa launched the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) scheme on August 2, 2021.
China has developed a prototype miniature helicopter for surveillance purposes on future Mars missions.
According to a report titled “Protected Areas in Central Africa 2020”, Central Africa can develop itself in a sustainable way if resources are shared equitably and its environment is protected.
Singapore has introduced “vaccinated travel lanes” for fully vaccinated travelers.
The Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raab has announced new sanctions against Myanmar on September 2, 2021.
US space agency NASA’s latest Mars rover has successfully collected the first rock sample to return to Earth.
The New Development Bank (NDB), a grouping of BRICS countries, has added the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Bangladesh as new members on September 2, 2021.
The World Social Security Report 2020-22 was released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) on September 1, 2021.
Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, will not seek re-election as party leader in September.
Big John, a giant Triceratops, is set to be auctioned in October 2021 and is expected to fetch big bucks on the auction block in France.
The government of Sri Lanka declared an economic emergency in the last week of August 2021 due to rising food prices, currency devaluation and depleting foreign exchange reserves.
The Taliban and opposition forces fought fiercely to control the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan on September 4, 2021.
According to a new IUCN Red List, the world’s shark and rays populations have seen a decline since 2014 and are now at risk of extinction.
The world’s largest plant designed to suck carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and turn it into rock was recently commissioned in Iceland.
Japan and Vietnam have recently signed a new agreement, which enables the export of Japanese-made defense equipment and technology to Vietnam.
On September 12, 2021, Iran agreed to allow nuclear surveillance by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The international community has announced about $1.2 billion in aid for the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis.
