September PDF

Compendium-September, 2018
National
International
Economics & Financial Awareness
Defence & Security - National/International
Appointments-National/International
Sports
Honours / Awards
Obituaries
Important Days
Foreign Visits / Foreign Visitors
National
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana: PM Launches World’s Largest Healthcare Scheme
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ambitious Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(PMJAY), under Ayushman Bharat umbrella at Ranchi, Jharkhand. The scheme aims to
provide annual health
insurance cover of Rs 5
lakh to 10.74 crore
beneficiary families i.e.
over 50 crore
beneficiaries across India.
 It is touted as world’s
largest healthcare scheme
that will serve beneficiary
population that equals 27-
28 European countries
and almost equal to
population of Canada,
Mexico and US put
together. The scheme will
become operational from
September 25, 2018 i.e. on
birth anniversary of
Deendayal Upadhyay.
 Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)
 PMJAY is government-sponsored health insurance scheme, that will provide free coverage
of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in any government or empanelled private hospitals all
over India. It will cover beneficiaries families identified on the basis of Socio Economic
Caste Survey (SECC) 2011 in 444 districts of 30 states/Union Territories.
 Note: Telangana, Odisha, Kerala, Punjab and Delhi (UT) are the states which have still not
signed MoUs for joining this schemes.
 National Health Agency (NHA) is the apex body for implementing this scheme. States will be
required to form State Health Agency (SHA) to implement scheme and at the district level
also structure for its implementation will be set up. Around 13000 hospitals both public
and private in the country have been coordinated for implementation of the scheme.
 PMJAY will be funded with 60% contribution from Centre and remaining from the states.
NITI Aayog will be working as partner for this scheme for operationalizing robust, modular
and interoperable IT platform which will involve a paperless and cashless transaction.
 Key Features of PMJAY
 PMJAY is entitlement based scheme with entitlement decided on basis of deprivation
criteria in the SECC database. There will be no cap on family size and age under this
scheme. The benefit cover under it also includes pre and post-hospitalisation expenses.
 It also takes into consideration all pre-existing medical conditions. It will provide
reimbursement for bed charges and drugs and diagnostics two days before, during and 15
days after hospitalisation. Beneficiary will be also paid transport allowance for
hospitalisation defined under it.
 The payment for treatment will be done on package rate which will be defined by
Government in advance basis. The package rates will include all costs associated with
treatment. States and UTs have flexibility to modify these rates within limited bandwidth.
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 PMJAY allows national portability i.e. resident of any part of country is entitled for free
hospitalization at empaneled hospital anywhere in the country. It will strengthen
healthcare services in India by targeting poor and vulnerable population of the country.
 The scheme allows beneficiary to take cashless benefits from any public or private
empanelled hospitals across the country. ID documentation required for verifying
beneficiary under this scheme may be Aadhaar card or election ID card or ration
card. Aadhaar is not mandatory. Beneficiaries will QR codes having letters for verification
through scanning.
OBC data to be collected as part of Census in 2021

 The Union Government has decided to collect data on other backward classes (OBCs) as
part of the 2021 Census in a decision which marks a concession to
the demand of the assertive.
 The decision could also potentially clear the way for sub-
categorisation of castes lumped under the OBC rubric.
 The decision marks the end of policy makers over restoring caste
as an index in population enumeration.
 The decision could also potentially clear the way for sub-
categorisation of castes lumped under the OBC rubric.
 The last time data on caste was collected as part of the decennial
Census was in 1931.
 It is envisaged to collect data on OBCs for the first time.
 This marks the end of policymakers’ squeamishness over restoring caste as an index in
population enumeration.
 Improvements in design and technological interventions be made to ensure finalisation of
Census data within three years of conducting the headcount.
 At present, this process can take as long as seven-eight years.
 The last time data on caste was collected as part of the decennial Census was in 1931.
 Although a socio-economic caste census (SECC) was conducted between 2011 and 2013 in
deference to the demand of the powerful OBC lobby, it was part of the rural development
ministry’s survey of socio-economic status of households.
Government Sets Up 8-Member Search Committee for Lokpal

 Government has constituted eight-member search committee headed by former Supreme
Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to recommend names for posts of Lokpal
chairperson and members.
 The selection process of Lokpal is underway as per guidelines of laid down in Lokpal and
Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
 Members of Lokpal Search Committee are
 Justice Sakha Ram Singh Yadav, former SBI Chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, retired IAS
officer Ranjit Kumar, former Gujarat Police head Lalit K Panwar, former judge of Allahabad
High Court Shabbirhusein S Khandwawala; Prasar Bharati chairperson A Surya Prakash and
ISRO Head AS Kiran Kumar.
 Committee’s Terms of Reference
 The search committee will start functioning soon.It will recommend names for Lokpal
chairperson and members. It can also consider names other than those recommended by
the search committee.
 Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013
 It was passed in 2013 to constitute statutory body to inquire into allegations of corruption
against public functionaries. Under it, the appointments to Lokpal is made by high-level
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selection committee comprising of Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Lok Sabha
Speaker, Leader of Opposition Party (LoP) and an eminent jurist chosen by them.
ARIIA: The New ranking based on innovation

 The Centre announced annual ranking of higher educational institutions, based on how
they fare in terms of innovation.
 The new ranking – named Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation
Achievements (ARIIA).
 It will be formally launched on October 15, the birth anniversary of
former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
 The first results will be declared on February 28, 2019, which is also
Science Day.
 Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar
announced the institution of the new ranking, which will work parallel to the overall
ranking of institutions captured by the annual National Institutional Ranking Framework.
 ARIIA is named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
 It will focus on: budget expenses and revenues generated; facilitating access to advance
centres; ideas of entrepreneurship; innovation ecosystems supported through teaching and
learning; and innovative solutions to improve governance of the institution.
Telangana State Legislative Assembly Dissolved For Fresh Election

 The Telangana Government headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao on 6
September 2018 dissolved the Telangana state legislative
assembly much ahead of its full 5-year term.
 The Assembly had its tenure June 2019.
 Chief Minister Rao handed over the cabinet resolution copy
recommending the dissolution of the state assembly to
Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on the same day.
 The Governor requested Rao and his council of ministers to
continue in the government.
 The Telangana government headed by K.Chandrasekhara
Rao was formed on 2 June 2014 on the day of formal division of the undivided Andhra
Pradesh while the elections were held in April-May period in the same year.
Supreme Court’s historic verdict on Section 377 - the colonial law criminalizing
homosexuality
 India's apex court SC on 6 September 2018 gave its historic verdict on Section 377 - the
colonial law criminalizing homosexuality in India by decriminalizing it.
 In the year 2013 a Supreme Court bench had overturned a
Delhi High Court order that had ruled in favour of
decriminalizing section 377.
 Section 377 criminalises sexual intercourse that is penile
and non-vaginal, deeming it “against the order of nature”.
 The law affects the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) population, in particular, but its
provisions can also be applied to heterosexual citizens.
 In 2009, the Delhi High Court had ruled in favour of decriminalising section 377, a decision
which was overturned only to by a two-judge Supreme Court bench in 2013, in the Suresh
Kumar Koushal versus Naz Foundation case.
 In a historic order on 6 September 2018, the Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra said
the LGBT community has same fundamental rights as other citizens.
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 The bench headed by him, however, made it clear that no one should be under the
impression that it will scrap section 377 altogether as it will lead to anarchy and rise in
crimes relating to forced unnatural acts.
Adultery: Supreme Court Declares Section 497 Of IPC Unconstitutional

 Supreme Court has unanimously struck down Section 497 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860
that makes adultery punishable offence for men.
 The judgment was given by five-judge bench of the Supreme Court
including Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on petition filed by non-
resident Keralite Joseph Shine. Justice Indu Malhotra was lone woman
judge on this bench.
 Section 497 of IPC
 Adultery: It says that whoever has sexual intercourse with person
who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be wife of
another man, without consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not
amounting to offence of rape, is guilty of offence of adultery.
 Such person shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for term which may
extend to five years or with fine, or with both.
 In such case the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor. Moreover, according to earlier
Delhi High Court in case of Brij Lal Bishnoi v/s State (1996) only sexual intercourse with
married woman will be considered adultery.
 Sexual relations with widow, sex worker or an unmarried woman would not attract this
section. Section 497 did not confer any right on women to prosecute adulterous husband or
woman with whom husband has indulged in sexual intercourse with. The husband solely
has been permitted to prosecute adulterer.
 SC Judgment
 158-year-old Section 497 of IPC is unconstitutional and fell foul of Article 21 (Right to life
and personal liberty) and Article 14 (Right to equality). It also declared Section 198(1) and
198(2) of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1974 which allows husband to bring charges
against man with whom his wife committed adultery, unconstitutional.
 The apex court held that adultery could be ground for civil issues, including dissolution of
marriage, but it could not be criminal offence. It also stated that husband is not the master
of wife or wife is not chattel of husband and legal sovereignty of one sex over other sex is
wrong.
 Section 497 of IPC was manifestly arbitrary and offends the dignity of women and is
violative of rights to equality and equal opportunity to women. The apex court held that if
any aggrieved spouse ended her life because of her partner’s adulterous relation, it could be
treated as abetment to suicide if evidence was produced,
 Section 497 also deprived a woman of her privacy and was clear violation of fundamental
rights granted in Constitution and there was no justification for the continuation of
provision. It was also violative of rights to equality and equal opportunity to women.
Odisha states plan to create a second House, Legislative Council

 During the ongoing monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly, the government is expected
to introduce a Bill for the creation of a Vidhan Parishad or Legislative Council, a second
House of legislature.
 This follows a report submitted last month by a panel of MLAs of various parties, which
examined the proposal.
 Why a second House:
 India has a bicameral system of legislature.
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 Just as Parliament has two Houses, the states can, if they choose, have a Legislative Council
in addition to the Legislative Assembly.
 The Constitution provides for this option under Article
171.
 As in Rajya Sabha, members of a Legislative Council are
not directly elected by voters.
 Opinion in the Constituent Assembly was divided on
the idea.
 Among the arguments in its favour, a second House can
help check hasty actions by the directly elected House,
and also enable non-elected individuals to contribute to the legislative process.
 The arguments against the idea: a Legislative Council can be used to delay legislation, and
to park leaders who have not been able to win an election.
Pakyong Airport: Pm Narendra Modi Inaugurates Sikkim’s First Airport

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sikkim’s first-ever airport at Pakyong. Prior to
this airport, Sikkim was only state in India remaining
without functional airport. Pakyong airport is India’s
100th functional airport and one of the country’s five
highest airports.
 Pakyong airport
 The airport is spread over 201 acres and was
constructed by Airports Authority of India (AAI). It is located on top of hill about two km
above Pakyong village at 4,500 feet above sea level. It was carved from mountain side using
massive geo technical ‘cut and fill’ engineering works.
 It is located around 60 km from Indo-China border and around 30km away from Gangtok,
capital city of Sikkim. It has 1.75 km long runway. It has capacity to handle 50 in-bound and
as many out-bound passengers flights.
 Initially, this airport will cater only to domestic flights, but later provide international flight
services connecting Sikkim with other countries (especially neighbouring) like Paro
(Bhutan), Kathmandu (Nepal) and Dhaka (Bangladesh).
 Significance
 Operationalization of Pakyong airport will give huge big boost to connectivity and tourism
to north-eastern state of Sikkim. It will cut down air travelling time to Sikkim by almost 5
hours because, earlier, nearest airport for connecting Sikkim was at Bagdogra in West
Bengal.
 It will be major booster for Sikkim’s tourism sector, as it will help to improve air
connectivity and save travel time for the tourists. Its location also makes it strategically
relevant from the country’s security point of view. Indian Air Force (IAF) can use this
airport for landing and taking off of its aircrafts during critical situations.
Bengaluru airport become Asia's first Airport set to use face recognition as ‘boarding
pass’
 Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru
is set to become the first airport in Asia next year to use
face recognition as the boarding procedure for
passengers to board flights and move across different
sections of the airport.
 The Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), which
operates KIA, and Miguel Leitmann, CEO of Vision Box,
a Portuguese software firm, signed an agreement to
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this effect in Lisbon on September 5 to introduce face recognition technology at the airport
from 2019.
 The agreement was signed in the presence of Indian-origin Portuguese Prime Minister
Antonio Costa and India’s Ambassador to Portugal Nandini Singla.
 Voice Box, according to its website, showcased the face recognition-based passage system
for the first time for Lufthansa passengers at kiosks at the Los Angeles airport in March this
year – Lufthansa passengers there used a biometric boarding procedure instead of
boarding passes.
 The goal of the programme is to simplify the journey by making it paperless from
registration to boarding.
 Biometric technology will identify passengers by their face as they move across the airport,
avoiding stops and the repeated presentation of boarding passes, passports or other
physical identity documents.
 The first implementation milestone at Kempegowda will be completed in the first quarter
of 2019, with Jet Airways, Air Asia and SpiceJet passengers as first users, Vision Box stated.
 This is the first end-to-end face recognition-based walk through experience in Asia and the
largest in the world.
 It is also one of the most significant steps towards the Digital India campaign endorsed by
the Government.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Jharsuguda Airport in Odisha

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated new airport in Jharsuguda – also known as the
powerhouse of Odisha. PM also flagged off the UDAN flight on Jharsuguda-Raipur sector. It
is first airport in Odisha to provide necessary connectivity to Bhubaneswar, Raipur and
Ranchi under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik)
Scheme.
 Other than Jharsuguda, three more airports are being developed in Odisha namely, Jeypore
(Koraput District), Rourkela (Sundargarh District) and Utkela (Kalahandi District) to
provide connectivity to remote and far flung areas of coastal state under Regional
Connectivity Scheme.
 Jharsuguda Airport
 Jharsuguda is the second airport of Odisha after Bhubaneswar to become operational. It has
been developed by Airports Authority of India (AAI)
in collaboration with Odisha Government. The
airport is spread across over 1027.5 acres of land.
Area of its terminal Building is around 4000 sqm.
 The airport has 2390 metre-long runway and has
been developed for all weather operations including
night operations for A-320 type of aircraft.
 It is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger
facilities. Interiors of its building depict local
handicrafts, artwork and tourist destinations of state highlighting rich ethos and culture of
region. The airport will play significant role in development of Western Odisha and will give
impetus to the growing tourism industry in the region.
 UDAN is flagship scheme of Central Government introduced to enable air operations on
unserved routes, connecting regional areas, to promote balanced regional growth and to
make flying affordable for masses.
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Cabinet approves 4 New National Institutes Of Design
 Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved proposal for
introduction of Bill in Parliament for amendment of National
Institute.of Design (NID) Act, 2014 for establishing four new NIDs
across the country.
 Four new NIDs:
 Institute of Design, Amaravati/Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
 National Institute of Design, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
 National Institute of Design, Jorhat,
 Institute of Design, Kurukshetra, Haryana.
 The amendment will bring these four new NIDs within ambit NID Act, 2014 and to declare
them as Institutions of National Importance (INIs) at par with NID, Ahmedabad.
 The proposed Bill also brings makes some minor amendments to this Act such as to include
consequential amendments considered necessary to re-name NID Vijayawada as NID
Amaravati and nomenclature of Principal Designer as equivalent to Professor.
 Establishment of new NIDs as Institutions of National Importance in different geographical
regions of country will help produce highly skilled manpower in design sector which in
turn,.
 It will create job opportunities, both direct and indirect.
 It will also provide sustainable design interventions for crafts, handloom, rural technology,
small, medium and large scale enterprises; and outreach programmes for capacity,
capability and institution building.
Tamil Nadu Government Announces Scheme for Protection of Exotic Neela Kurinji Plants
 Tamil Nadu government has announced Scheme for protection of
exotic Neela kurinji (Strobilanthus kunthianus) plants that flower only
once in 12 years. This scheme comes following complaints that these
rare and ecologically unique flowers are being packaged and sold on
the commercial basis.
 Neelakurinji plant
 Neelakurinji is a tropical plant species. It is native to Shola forests in
Western Ghats. It is also seen in Shevroys Hills in Eastern Ghats,
Anamalai hills and Agali hills in Kerala and Sanduru hills in Karnataka.
 It grows at height of 30 to 60 cm on hills slopes at an altitude of 1300 to 2400 meters where
there is no tree forest. The flowers of Neelakurinji are purple-blue in colour and blooms
once in 12 years.
 The flower has no smell or any medicinal value. It is because of these flowers, Nilgiri hills in
southern tip of Western Ghats are called Blue Mountains. It is rarest of rare plant species
that grows in Western Ghats and does not grow in any other part of the world.
 It has been categorized as endangered species. In ancient Tamil literature, kurinji flowers
symbolize love. Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu use this flower bloom as reference
to calculate their age
EyeROV TUNA: India's first underwater robotic drone launched

 India's first underwater robotic drone launched on September 14, 2018.
 It can send real-time videos of ships and other underwater structures to help with their
repair and maintenance.
 It was and handed over to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of
DRDO.
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 The first commercial Remotedly Operated Vehicle (ROV)/underwater drone, named
EyeROV TUNA, was developed by EyeROV Technologies, a company incubating at
Kalamassery-based Maker Village, Kochi.
 It is to be the largest hardware incubator in the
country.
 NPOL, a laboratory of Delhi-headquartered Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),
made the first order of the product.
 Features:
 The robotic drone, developed by Johns T Mathai and
Kannappa Palaniappan P of EyeROV Technologies.
 It can be navigated up to a depth of 50 metres to take real-time HD video images to examine
ship hulls or undersea cables or bridge moorings, eliminating the need for costlier and
riskier manual inspection by divers.
 The remotely operated underwater vehicle, EyeROV TUNA, weighs less than 10 kilogram
and can be used for inspection of ship hulls, ports, dams and nuclear power plants
 EyeROV is a light rover which can be easily accessed and controlled with the supporting
attached and connected hardware such as laptops and joysticks.
 Purpose:
 The drone will be used by NPOL for research and development activities which in turn
would result in a commercial product for defense purposes.
 The product is also useful in various underwater research operations and is expected to be
sold to research institutes in this field.
 The development of the product of EyeROV was largely supported by Kerala Start Up
Mission (KSUM) through various schemes.
Uttarakhand Assembly Adopts Resolution to Declare Cow Rashtra Mata

 Uttarakhand Assembly has unanimously passed resolution seeking
status of “rashtra mata — mother of the nation” for cow.
 The status of rashtra mata to cow will strengthen efforts to conserve
the bovinae species across the country and ensure welfare of cow
progeny. The resolution now will be forwarded to the Centre.
 Background
 The resolution was moved in the assembly by State Animal Husbandry
Minister Rekha Arya and passed unanimously after it got support of
both Opposition and Ruling members.
 Unverified claims made by minister during introduction of the resolution include cow is
only animal that not only inhales oxygen, but also exhales it. Cow urine’s has medicinal
qualities and its milk is scientifically considered best for newborn after his mother’s milk.
ISRO Launches Two Satellites Novasar and S1-4 Using PSLV-C42

 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched two satellites—
NovaSAR and S1-4-belonging to United Kingdom (UK) based Surrey
Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL).
 Both satellites were injected into Sun Synchronous Orbit (pole-to-pole
orbit) at an altitude of 583 km after the launch.
 About launch
 These satellites were launched on board of Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV-C42) from first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space
Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This was the 44th flight of PSLV and the
12th flight of Core Alone version of the vehicle.
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 Core Alone version of PSLV is lightest version without six strap-on motors. It is used for
launching smaller payloads. It was ISRO’s first fully commercial trip of the year. This launch
helped Antrix Corporation, commercial arm of ISRO to earn more than Rs. 220 crore. As on
date, ISRO has launched 239 foreign satellites of 28 countries.
 Key Facts
 S1-4 Satellite: It is high resolution earth observation satellite meant for surveying
resources, environment monitoring, urban management and disaster monitoring.
 NovaSAR Sateillite: It carries S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Automatic
Identification Receiver payloads. It is technology demonstration mission designed to test
capabilities of new low cost S-band SAR platform.
 Its applications include forestry mapping, land use and ice cover monitoring, flood and
disaster monitoring and maritime missions. It will be operated from SSTL’s Spacecraft
Operations Centre in Guildford, UK.
SC appointed a three-member panel headed CJ for Nambi Narayanan

 Recently, country's apex court ,the Supreme Court has appointed a
three-member panel headed by its former judge to probe the
harrowing arrest and alleged torture of former space scientist
Nambi Narayanan in the ISRO spy scandal.
 In 1994, Narayanan was arrested in the alleged case.
 The charges on scientist Nambi Narayanan in the spy scandal case
turned out to be fake.
 He was in-charge of the cryogenics division in ISRO and was falsely
charged with espionage and arrested .
 The charges against him were dismissed by the CBI in 1996, and the
Supreme Court declared him not guilty in 1998.
 The three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also awarded Narayanan Rs. 50 lakh
in compensation for the "mental cruelty" he suffered all these years.
 The Supreme Court also appointed a three-member panel headed by Supreme Court judge
D.K. Jain to probe Narayanan’s wrongful arrest and torture.
Rajasthan’s First Lion Safari Inaugurated at Nahargarh Biological Park

 Rajasthan’s first lion safari was inaugurated at Nahargarh Biological Park. The park is
located on Delhi-Jaipur National Highway in the Aravalli foothills, nearly 12 kilometers
from state capital Jaipur (known as Pink City). It will be open for visitors from October
2018.
 Lion safari
 The lion safari project is located at biological park spread across 38 hectare. The park was
inaugurated by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in June 2016.
 Lions in this park were brought from Junagarh, Gujarat under an
exchange programme. Total of 10 lions will be released in the park in a
phased manner. The park will serve for breeding lions and also centre
of attraction for tourists. It will provide new habitat to lions and also
add tourism venue to the Pink City.
 Visitors will be able to see lions in their natural habitat in the park in
enclosed by a fence. They will be taken on a nearly 4 kilometer safari in closed bus. Apart
from lion, the park also hosts wolves, jackals, and hyenas.
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Country's biggest Cyclotron facility becomes operational in Kolkata
 India’s largest Cyclotron, a type of particle accelerator that produces radioisotopes, for
medical applications became operational last week in
Kolkata.
 According to the Department of Atomic Energy, the
facility called Cyclone-30 at the Variable Energy
Cyclotron Centre (VECC) in Kolkata will provide
affordable radioisotopes and related
radiopharmaceuticals.
 Cyclone-30 is in the first phase of production
generating Flourodeocyglucose (FDG), a radioisotope
used for date imaging and oncological tissue imaging.
 While the Dhruva reactor at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai also
produces this radioisotope, it is difficult to be transported to hospitals in far-off areas.
 This radioisotope can be used for imaging of lungs, brain and heart and gives more accurate
images. Since the radioisotope has a half-life of 110 minutes.
 It is economically viable to have such a machine close to the hospital.
 With the Cyclone-30 machine in VECC, it will be able to cater to all the cancer hospitals in
Kolkata and some in eastern India.
 The machine has a capacity of catering to 60 to 90 patients in a day.
Health Ministry notifies HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017
 Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued notification for bringing Human
Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
(Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 in force from 10th September,
2018.
 The Act safeguards rights of people living with HIV and affected by HIV.
It also addresses HIV-related discrimination, strengthen existing
programme by bringing in legal accountability and establish formal
mechanisms for inquiring into complaints and redressing grievances.
 Key Provisions of the Act
 The Act seeks to prevent and control spread of HIV and AIDS, prohibits discrimination
against persons with HIV and AIDS. It lists various grounds on which discrimination against
HIV positive persons and those living with them is prohibited.
 These discrimination grounds include denial, termination, discontinuation or unfair
treatment with regard to (i) employment (ii) educational establishments (iii) health care
services, (iv) standing for public or private office, (v) residing or renting property and (vi)
provision of insurance.
 It also prohibits requirement for HIV testing as pre-requisite for obtaining employment or
accessing health care or education. It mentions that every HIV infected or affected person
below age of 18 years has right to reside in shared household and enjoy facilities of
household.
 It also prohibits any individual from publishing information or advocating feelings of
hatred against HIV positive persons and those living with them. It gives right to every
person in care and custody of the state to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and counseling
services.
 It mentions that person between 12 to 18 years of age having sufficient maturity in
understanding and managing affairs of his HIV or AIDS affected family will be competent to
act as guardian of another sibling below 18 years of age.
 This will be applicable in matters relating to admission to educational establishments,
operating bank accounts, managing property, care and treatment, amongst others.
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Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor may achieve criticality in 2019

 The country's first indigenously developed 500-megawatt (mw) prototype-fast-breeder-
reactor Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu is expected to
achieve criticality next year.
 The project, which was earlier expected to be
commissioned in 2012, has missed several deadlines.
 The indigenously developed prototype fast breeder
reactor of 500 mw is now undergoing sodium
commissioning.
 Recently,the 62th General Conference of International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna.
 Achieving criticality means that the reactor is fully operational and safe.
 The design of the country's first fast breeder reactor, called Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
(PFBR), was done by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR).
 Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (Bhavini), a public sector company under DAE, has been
given the responsibility to build the fast breeder reactors in the country.
 India's plans to build 21 reactors by 2030 was well on track.
Supreme Court constitutes committee to look into jail reforms

 The bench was hearing a matter relating to inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons across
India.
 The Supreme Court constituted a three-member
committee headed by its former judge Justice Amitava
Roy to look into the aspect of jail reforms across the
country and suggest measures to deal with them.
 A bench is headed by Justice M B Lokur.
 The panel will look into the issues including over-
crowding in prisons.
 The Supreme court on August 27 had reserved its
order on the issue of constituting a committee to deal with issues pertaining to jails and
suggest reforms for prisons across the country.
 The committee will also look into the various issues concerning women prisoners.
 The bench was hearing a matter relating to inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons across
India.
 A committee should be set up to look into the issue on a day-to-day basis and suggest
measures to tackle the problems since it includes the issue of human rights of prisoners in
jails.
India only SAARC country to have a quit-line number for tobacco users
 India has become the first and only SAARC country to have a quit-line number on tobacco
products. The Union Health Ministry has already made 85% pictorial health warning
mandatory on both sides of packets containing cigarettes, bidis, and chewing tobacco.
 The quit-line number will be printed on all tobacco products manufactured after September
1, 2018.
 India is the fourth country in Asia after Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to have this
government helpline for those looking at quitting tobacco.
 At least 46 countries have quit-line numbers as part of health warning labels on tobacco
product packaging.
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 For smoking and smokeless forms of tobacco products, the words ‘Tobacco causes cancer’
and ‘Tobacco causes painful death’ shall appear in white font on a red background and the
words ‘Quit today call - 1800-11-2356’ shall appear in white font on a black background.
 The current pictorial warnings on both sides of packages of cigarettes, bidis and all forms of
chewing tobacco products in India came into effect from April 2016, following the direction
of the Rajasthan High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court.
Snow Leopard Spotted in Lippa-Asra Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh

 Snow leopard was spotted at height of about 4,000 metres in Lippa-Asra wildlife sanctuary
in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
 Its picture was captured by camera-trap installed by State Wildlife
Department. This findings have ascertained that snow leopards are
inhabiting new areas.
 Snow leopard
 Snow leopard (Panthera uncial) is large cat native to mountain ranges
of Central and South Asia- including Himalayas, and Russia’s remote
Altai mountains. It inhabits in alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500
m.
 In northern range countries, it is also found at lower elevations. It mostly feed on wild
animals, but also prey on livestock. It usually hunts at dawn and dusk and is able to kill prey
up to three times their own weight. In India, it is found in states of Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
 Threats: It is threatened by poaching for their fur, habitat destruction by infrastructure
developments and climate change.
 Protection Status: It has been listed in Schedule I under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972,
Appendix I of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and
Appendix I Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
 In September 2017, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had
downgraded conservation status of snow leopard to “vulnerable” from “endangered”. It is
National Heritage Animal of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
 Project Snow Leopard: It was launched in 2009 to safeguard and conserve Snow Leopard
(an unique natural heritage of high-altitude) and its habitats by promoting conservation
through participatory policies and actions.
Aadhaar mandatory for Filing of IT returns and allotment of PAN: SC

 The Supreme Court declared the Centre’s flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally
valid.
 The linking of Aadhaar for opening of bank accounts and for mobile connections is not
mandatory.
 However, it made Aadhaar mandatory for two purposes – Filing of IT returns and allotment
of PAN.
 In a landmark order on 26 September 2018, the Supreme
Court came out with three sets of judgements on the
question of validity of Aadhaar scheme.
 The first of the three verdicts was pronounced by Justice
A K Sikri who wrote the judgement for himself, CJI and
Justice A M Khanwilkar. Justice Sikri said robust data
protection regime has to be brought in place as early as
possible.
 His order said there has been minimal demographic and
biometric data collected by UIDAI for Aadhaar enrolment.
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 Supreme Court added that CBSE, NEET, UGC cannot make Aadhaar mandatory and it is not
compulsory for school admissions.
 The apex court also said the linking of Aadhaar for opening of bank accounts and for mobile
connections is not mandatory.
 However, it made Aadhaar mandatory for filing of IT returns and allotment of Permanent
Account Number.
Government Approves Jharkhand Govt’s Proposal to Rename Nagar Untari Town as

Banshidhar Nagar
 Union Ministry of Home Affairs has cleared proposal of Jharkhand Government to rename
Nagar Untari town and railway station as Banshidhar Nagar, after
Banshidhar Temple, which is dedicated to Krishna in Garhwa district of
state.
 It has granted No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to Jharkhand Government
after there were no adverse reports from Intelligence Bureau,
Geological Survey of India (GSI), Department of Post, Ministry of Earth
Sciences and Ministry of Railways for renaming Nagar Untari town and
railway station as Banshidhar Nagar.
 Key Facts
 The proposal was forwarded Jharkhand Government as part of its plant to include
Banshidhar Nagar part of Krishna circuit and develop it as major tourist attraction under
Swadesh Darshan Scheme. Under it, state government is planning to develop Nagar Untari
as Banshidhar Nagar and model it on the lines of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh.
 It is also examining proposals for tying-up with International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON) also for this.
 A Constitution bench of the Supreme Court held that scheduled castes or tribes can avail
benefit of reservation in government jobs only in their home states and can’t access quotas
in other states where they might have migrated.
 Election Commission (EC) has announced that Model Code of Conduct comes into force
immediately in states where legislative assemblies have been dissolved prematurely.
 It also held that after dissolution caretaker government as well as the central government is
barred from announcing new schemes in particular state from date of dissolution of
legislative assembly till new House is elected.
 National Mission on Government e Marketplace (GeM) launched on 5th September 2018 to
accelerate the adoption and use of GeM by major central Ministries, State Governments and
their agencies. The aim of the National Mission is to promote inclusiveness, transparency
and efficiency in public procurement and achieve cashless, contactless and paperless
transaction
 Citing health hazards, the Tamil Nadu government has banned the manufacturing, sale
distribution and use or possession of e-cigarettes under the category of Electronic Nicotine
Delivery Systems (ENDS).
 The Maharashtra Government has taken the first step towards setting up a varsity
dedicated to mitigating cyber threats. It has set aside Rs. 80 crore for the first round of its
funding and the proposal. The project will be tabled in the State cabinet’s consideration in
the first week of October. The new Cyber University will train 3,000 professionals to fight
online space cyber attacks, internet crimes, and conduct cyber forensics.
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 The government of India launched two separate portals to strengthen Women Safety. The
portal “cybercrime.gov.in” will receive complaints from citizens on objectionable online
content related to child pornography, child sexual abuse material, sexually explicit material
such as rape and gang rape.
 Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government has launched scheme for doorstep delivery of 40
essential government services like caste and marriage certificates, driving license and new
water connections. It is fist home delivery scheme of various essential government services
in the country.
 National Informatics Centre (NIC) & National Informatics Centre Services Incorporated
(NICSI) jointly set up a Centre of Excellence for data analytics to support Government
departments to unlock the hidden potential of the data that they are generating as part of
the governance processes & use it to improve the overall governance.
 India & UN signed the Government of India-United Nations Sustainable Development
Framework (UNSDF) for 2018-2022. It outlines the work of UN agencies in India, to
support the achievement of key development outcomes.
 Cabinet approved the new telecom policy, now named National Digital Communications
Policy (NDCP) 2018, which aims to attract USD 100 billion investment & create 4 million
jobs in the sector by 2022. According to the draft of the policy, NDCP is focused on
increasing high-speed broadband penetration, with use of modern technologies like 5G &
optical fibres across the country at affordable rates.
 India & France have signed implementation agreement on 'Mobilise Your City' (MYC) in the
presence of Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Hardeep
Singh Puri & Alexander Ziegler, Ambassador of France in India.
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International
Japan to Conduct World’s First Test of Space Elevator

 Japanese researchers from Shizuoka University will conduct world’s first experiment to test
small prototype of space elevator in space by using two mini satellites.
 The test equipment will be launched by Japan’s space agency on board of H-2B rocket from
southern island of Tanegashima.
 Key Facts
 In this experiment, two ultra-small cubic satellites developed
by Shizuoka University Faculty of Engineering will be used
for demonstration of space elevator technology. Each
satellite measures 10 centimeters each side. Roughly 10-
meter-long steel cable will be employed to connect twin
satellites.
 The pair of satellites will be released from International
Space Station (ISS) and container acting like elevator car will
be moved on cable connecting satellites using motor. The
movement of motorised elevator box will be monitored with
cameras in the satellites.
 Space elevator
 It is proposed type of planet-to-space transportation system.
Its components mainly are cable (also called tether)
anchored to surface of planet and extending into space.
 It will permit vehicles to travel along cable from planetary
surface, such as Earth’s, directly into space or orbit, without
use of large rockets. The idea of space elevator was first
proposed in 1895 by Russian scientist Konstantin
Tsiolkovsky after he saw Eiffel Tower in Paris and later it
was revisited nearly century later in novel by Arthur C.
Clarke.
 The one end of cable of space elevator will be attached near
to surface and the other end in space beyond geostationary
orbit (35,786 km altitude).
 The competing forces of gravity, which is stronger at lower end and outward or upward
centrifugal force, which is stronger at upper end, will result in the cable being held up,
under tension, and stationary over single position on Earth.
 Once cable (tether) is deployed at fixed position, climbers can repeatedly climb it to venture
into space by mechanical means, releasing their cargo to orbit. Climbers also can descend
ether to return cargo to surface from orbit.
International Women Entrepreneurs Summit gets underway in Nepal

 The International Women Entrepreneurs Summit
2018 is being held in capital of Nepal from September
3 to 5, 2018.
 The summit was inaugurated by Vice President of
Nepal Nanda Bahadur Pun.
 Pun emphasized upon empowering women in all
areas including social, political and economic.
 He also expressed concern over increasing violence
against women and highlighted the need for public
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efforts to eliminate it.
 Theme: The theme of 3-day event is “Equality begins with Economic Empowerment”.
 Objectives: The main objective of the summit is to bring together achievers, women
business leaders, professionals, international service providers, resource organizations,
experts, government representatives and other stakeholders with a focus on innovative
economic transformation through discussions and collaborations.
 According to organizers the delegates from the SAARC, ASEAN, EU, Africa, Arab countries
and China participating in the summit.
 The event is organised by the South Asian Women Development Forum.
 SAWDF is an autonomous, nonprofit organization based in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was
granted the status of SAARC Recognized Body by 36th Session of SAARC Council Ministers
at 18th SAARC Summit held in Kathmandu in 2014.
 It is first SAARC Recognized Body organisation working on women entrepreneurs issues.
 It represents national women entrepreneurs’ associations or organization.
Sixth East Asia Summit and 15th India-ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting held in
Singapore
 The 6th East Asia Summit-Economic Ministers’
Meeting (EAS-EMM) and 15th India-ASEAN Economic
Ministers’ Meeting (AEM) was held in Singapore.
 Singapore is currently holding the Chair of
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
 Sixth EAS-EMM :
 It was attended by Economic Ministers from 10
ASEAN countries and their 8 dialogue partners –
Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and United States.
 The meeting recognized importance of ongoing work to maximize opportunities of and
address challenges presented by digital economy and rise of regional and global value
chains as part of their efforts to promote economic growth and integration in the region.
 EMM was followed by the 15th India-ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting.
 It was co-chaired by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing and
India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu,.
 The meeting attended by Economic Ministers from 10 ASEAN countries.
"Typhoon Jebi” struck Japan, killed at least 11 deaths

 Typhoon Jebi, the deadly typhoon that struck Japan on 3-4 September 2018 and killed at
least 11 deaths amidst widespread destruction in the
Kansai region.
 Typhoon Jebi is considered to be the strongest
typhoon to strike Japan since Typhoon Yancy in
1993.
 It initiated as a slow weakening trend on 2 September
and made landfall over Shikoku and then the Kansai
region of Japan as a very strong typhoon on 4
September 2018.
 It affected Taiwan and Japan and brought very widespread destruction in Japan’s Kansai
area.
 More than 600 injuries were reported across the region. Kansai International Airport, one
of the most important transport hubs in Japan, was completely shut down because of
flooding.
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 Jebi had originated as the twenty-first named storm of the annual typhoon season on 28
August 2018 and is known as Typhoon Maymay in the Philippines.
 The highest speed attained by this typhoon in Japan was around 280 km/hr.
Qatar became the first Gulf country to make permanent residency an option for
foreigners
 Qatar became the first Gulf country to make permanent residency an option for foreigners,
after such decree was issued during September 2018.
 Qatar has officially made permanent residency an
option for a limited number of foreigners.
 This step is seen as a landmark development in the
energy-rich Gulf.
 Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on 4
September 2018 issued a decree allowing a maximum
of 100 expatriates to gain permanent residency each
year, giving them access to a generous welfare system and commercial rights.
 Expatriates make up more than 90% of Qatar’s 2.7 million people.
 It is worth mentioning that these rights were till now reserved only for citizens of Qatar. It
is the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas.
China-Maldives Friendship Bridge: First Cross-Sea Bridge in The Maldives Inaugurated

 China-Maldives Friendship Bridge was recently opened for traffic. It is first cross-sea bridge
to be built in Maldives. It was China’s flagship infrastructure project in
Maldives. It is considered as iconic project of China and Maldives
cooperation towards building 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
 China-Maldives Friendship Bridge
 It is 2.2 km long bridge and has four vehicle lanes and two pedestrian
lanes. It connects Maldives capital city Male and neighbouring Hulhule
island where island country’s main international airport is located.
 It will allow locals and tourists to transfer between the two islands on land within five
minutes. The bridge was built with Chinese grant of $116 million. Apart from the grant,
China also had provided $72 million as loan for 1.4 km Section Bridge as top up to the grant.
World Hindu Congress held in Chicago, USA

 The World Hindu Congress being held in Chicago, USA.
 The second World Hindu Congress is being held here
to mark the commemoration of the 125th anniversary
of Swami Vivekananda's historic speech at the
Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893 in
Chicago.
 Brief History:
 The World Hindu Congress (WHC) is a global platform
for Hindus to connect, share ideas, inspire one
another, and impact the common good.
 The World Hindu Congress is an informal organization organized by World Hindu
Foundation.
 It offers Hindus an opportunity to introspect towards improvement and tap into our
collective resources to seek tangible solutions to the most pressing issues of our age.
 Held once every four years, WHC’s seven parallel conferences showcase how the values,
creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of the global Hindu community find expression in a
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variety of spheres, including economic, education, media, organizational, and political, as
well as the unique leadership and contributions of Hindu women and youth.
 WHC also serves as a platform to address critical issues impacting Hindus worldwide,
including human rights, discrimination, and cultural assaults.
 WHC 2018:
 The second World Hindu Congress will be held in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. from September 7 -
9, 2018.
 Inspired by the Hindu principle, Sumantrite Suvikrante or THINK COLLECTIVELY, ACHIEVE
VALIANTLY, the World Hindu Congress 2018 promises to be a movement not to be missed.
 On the eve of the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic address to the
Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, Hindus from around the world and of all
backgrounds are invited to actively participate.
Global hunger on rise in insurgency: UN

 According to the United Nations report, the number of hungry people in the world is
growing in large extent.
 The main cause is due to climate change that is
wreaking havoc on crop production in much of the
developing world,
 The number of hungry people facing chronic food
deprivation increased to 821 million in 2017 from 804
million in 2016, reversing recent downward trends.
 South America and Africa showed the worst increase.
 Climate variability, extreme drought and floods are
already undermining production of wheat, rice and maize in tropical and temperate
regions, and that the trend is expected to worsen as temperatures increase and become
more extreme.
 With hunger on the rise for the past three years, the report called for policies to target
groups most vulnerable to malnutrition, including infants, children, adolescent girls and
women.
 It called for greater efforts to promote policies that help communities build resilience.
 If the world is failing today with a population at 7.5 billion and all the wealth and
technology that is available.
 But 30 years from now when world have 10 billion people, when people in London, in
Washington, D.C., and Chicago and Paris don’t have enough to eat.
Sri Lanka to ban animal sacrifices at Hindu temples

 The government of Sri Lanka to ban animal sacrifices at Hindu temples.
 Animal sacrifices at Hindu temples could be banned
in Sri Lanka under new plans,after growing protests
over the rituals from the country's Buddhist majority
as well as moderate Hindus.
 The cabinet approved a proposal put forward by the
Hindu Religious Affairs minister to outlaw the
ancient practice that is still observed at several
temples across the country.
 The legal draughtsman was asked to prepare a bill to
ban animal and bird sacrifices at Hindu temples.
 During religious festivals, some devout Hindus sacrifice goats, chickens and buffalos,
expecting good fortune in return.
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 Hindus constitute about 12 % of Sri Lanka's 21 million population, which is mainly
Buddhist.
 Muslims, the third largest religious group in the country, also conduct ritualistic animal
sacrifices - although it appears the law would apply only to Hindus.
 The country has experienced waves of religious tension in recent years, with anti-Muslim
riots in March leaving three people dead and hundreds of mosques, homes and businesses
reduced to ashes.
7th UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism

 The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is organizing the 7th UNWTO Global Summit on
Urban Tourism: A 2030 Vision for Urban Tourism, on
16-19 September.
 The Summit is being held in Seoul, Republic of Korea,
jointly with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and
supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Tourism
Organization and the Seoul Tourism Organization.
 The Summit provides a unique platform to discuss the
key issues shaping the future of urban tourism in the context of the 2030 Urban Agenda.
 It brings together high-level representatives from National Tourism Administrations, city
authorities and related stakeholders, serving as a platform to exchange experiences and
expertise and set a shared vision on urban tourism that embraces innovation, digital
transformation and sustainability.
 The theme of the summit was ‘A 2030 Vision for Urban Tourism’.
 UNWTO is United Nations agency responsible for promotion of responsible, sustainable and
universally accessible tourism.
 It is leading international organization in the field of tourism, which promotes tourism as
driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.
Germany Rolls Out World's First Hydrogen Train on Steam and Water
 Germany has rolled out the world's first hydrogen-powered train.
 It has signalled the start of a push to challenge the might of polluting diesel trains with
costlier but more eco-friendly technology.
 Two bright blue Coradia iLint trains, built by French
TGV-maker Alstom, began running a 100-kilometre
(62-mile) route between the towns and cities of
Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervoerde and
Buxtehude in northern Germany - a stretch normally
plied by diesel trains.
 It plans to deliver another 14 of the zero-emissions
trains to Lower Saxony state by 2021, with other
German states also expressing an interest.
 Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity through a combination
of hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam and water as the only emissions.
 Excess energy is stored in ion lithium batteries on board the train.
 The Coradia iLint trains can run for around 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen,
similar to the range of diesel trains.
 Alstom is betting on the technology as a greener, quieter alternative to diesel on non-
electrified railway lines - an attractive prospect to many German cities scrambling to
combat air pollution.
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 Other countries are also looking into hydrogen trains, including Britain, the Netherlands,
Denmark, Norway, Italy and Canada.
 France wants the first hydrogen train to be on the rails by 2022.
First General Assembly of International Solar Alliance on October 2

 The International Solar Alliance aims to bring all countries together for cooperation on
solar energy.
 The inaugural General Assembly of the International
Solar Alliance (ISA) will take place on October 2 in
Greater Noida.
 The Founding Conference of the ISA was jointly
hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French
President Emmanuel Macron in March this year.
 The ISA, formation of which was initiated by India and
France, aims to bring all countries together for
cooperation on solar energy.
 During the founding conference, PM Modi had announced India's commitment to extend
nearly USD 1.4 billion worth of lines of credit (LOCs) to cover 27 projects in 15 countries,
especially in Africa.
 In connection with the forthcoming first General Assembly, TS Tirumurti, the Secretary
(Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry, chaired a meeting on for more than
50 resident foreign missions.
 Anand Kumar, the Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE),
introduced the programme outline for the First General Assembly and also introduced the
Second RE-INVEST and Indian Ocean Rim Association Energy Ministers Meeting which
would also take place concurrently till October 5.
 Upendra Tripathy, the Interim Director General of the ISA, shared the efforts being taken by
the ISA Secretariat for the first General Assembly.
The Boeing 747 completed 50 years of its launch on 30 September

 The Boeing 747, one of the most significant machines ever built, completed 50 years of its
launch.
 This is a landmark milestone was completed by the Boeing 747 aircraft on 30 September
2018.
 The plane, the original “jumbo-jet” rolled out of the
hangar on 30 September, 1968.
 The Boeing 747, which changed aviation industry
forever, was actually originally designed for the US Air
Force.
 This plane provided economies of scale to airline
companies with higher passenger carrying capacity.
 It was one of the aircraft responsible for shifting air travel from being a mode available only
for the wealthy to a mode affordable to the masses.
WWF Tx2 Programme: Nepal Becomes First Country to Double Its Tiger Population
 Nepal become first country in the world to double its tiger population in a decade as part of
World Wildlife Foundation’s (WWF) ‘Tx2’ programme which aims to double number of
tigers in the world all over the world by 2022.
 There are now estimated 235 wild tigers in Nepal in comparison to an estimated 121 back
in 2009. This trend is against global tend where number of tigers in many countries is
witnessing a decline.
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 Key Facts
 The success of Nepal in doubling tiger numbers has been largely attributed to its political
commitment and adoption of innovative tools and approaches towards tiger conservation.
Nepal was the first country to achieve global standards in managing tiger conservation
areas, an accreditation scheme governed by Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS).
 Tx2 programme
 It was launched by World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) at the 2010 St Petersburg Tiger
Summit held in Russia. Under it, 13 tiger range countries had agreed to double the world
tiger population by 2022, which is the year of tiger in Chinese calendar. These 13 countries
are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
 It aims at driving political momentum to ensure tigers remain top priority for world
leaders, professionalise wildlife protection by training rangers, developing conservation
standards (CA|TS) and technology (SMART) to achieve zero poaching, tackle illegal wildlife
trade through partnership with TRAFFIC, focus efforts in key tiger landscapes and ensure
there is space for both tigers and people in future.
 President Ram Nath Kovind will hand-over the India- developed Sittwe port in Rakhine to a
state-designated operator in Myanmar in December. The port has been waiting for nearly
two decades for launching.
 Canada agreed to sign a trade deal with the United States & Mexico, revamping the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new deal has been named the United States-
Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
 Argentina has received $57.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the
biggest loan package ever from the global body aimed at boosting the country's struggling
economy.
 India has contributed one million US dollars for the installation of solar panels on the roof
of the imposing UN building at the world body's headquarters in New York.
 PM Modi, his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, & CMs of West Bengal Mamata
Banerjee & Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb jointly inaugurated three projects in Bangladesh via
video conferencing. These include: 500 MW additional power supply from India to
Bangladesh, Akhaura – Agartala Rail Link, & Rehabilitation of the Kulaura-Shahbazpur
section of Bangladesh Railways. Note: Akhaura-Agartala rail project is about 12 km long of
which 5.5 km would be laid in India while 6.5 km would be in Bangladesh.
 India, Iran & Afghanistan held their first tripartite meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan during
which implementation of the Chabahar port project & a host of other issues including ways
to deepen counter-terror cooperation were discussed.
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Economics & Financial Awareness
Narendra Modi launches the India Post Payments Bank

 IPPB will be launched by PM Modi and will go live with 650 branches in addition to 3,250
access points co-located at post offices.
 Two pilot IPPB branches were inaugurated on January
30, 2017 at Raipur and Ranchi.
 Suresh Sethi is the managing director and chief
executive officer of IPPB.
 India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will focus on
providing banking and financial services to people in
rural areas.
 It will link all the 1.55 lakh post office branches
(nearly 2.5 times the bank network) with IPPB services by the end of 2018.
 Around 11,000 postmen both in rural and urban areas will provide doorstep banking
services.
 What is IPPB:
 The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) is a public sector company under the department of
posts and ministry of communication with a 100 % equity of the government of India, and
governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
 It will focus on providing banking and financial services to people in rural areas, by linking
all the 1.55 lakh post office branches with India Post Payments Bank services by the end of
2018.
 IPPB will offer a range of products such as savings and current accounts, money transfer,
direct benefit transfers, bill and utility payments, and enterprise and merchant payments.
 Earlier this week, the cabinet had approved 80 per cent increase in spending for IPPB to Rs
1,435 crore, a move that will arm it with additional ammunition to compete aggressively
with existing players like Airtel Payments Bank and Paytm Payments Bank.
 How it will function:
 It will focus on providing banking and financial services to people in rural areas, by linking
all the 1.55 lakh post office branches (that’s nearly 2.5 times the bank network) with India
Post Payments Bank services by the end of 2018.
 Around 11,000 postmen both in rural and urban areas will provide doorstep banking
services.
 This will create the country’s largest banking network with a direct presence at the village
level. IPPB has been allowed to link around 17 crore postal savings bank accounts with its
accounts.
 IPPB offers three types of savings accounts: regular savings accounts, digital savings
accounts and basic savings accounts.
 The annual interest rates on all three are fixed at 4%.
 IPPB can also accept deposits up to Rs 1 lakh per account from individuals and small
businesses, and facilitate money transfer to other bank accounts, among other services. In
addition, you can also pay for services of around 100 firms (including phone and DTH
recharges) that are present on the Bharat Bill payments system of the National Payments
Corporation of India.
Vodafone Idea Ltd. replacing Bharti Airtel became India’s mobile space
 Vodafone Idea Ltd. telecom entity became the new leader in India’s mobile space with an
effective customer base of 408 million and thus replacing Bharti Airtel.
 India now has a new leader in the mobile operator segment with the merger of Vodafone
India and Idea Cellular officially announced on 31 August 2018.
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 This merger became effective after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) gave its
approval to this mega-merger.
 To be called Vodafone Idea Ltd, the operator has a subscriber base of over 408 million
overtaking Bharti Airtel.
 The new board of directors of the company comprises
of 12 directors (including 6 independent directors) has
been constituted, with Kumar Mangalam Birla as the
Chairman.
 The board has appointed Balesh Sharma as the CEO.
 The merged entity has a pan India revenue market share of 32.2%.
 It has a large spectrum portfolio of ~1850 MHz and an adequate number of broadband
carriers and distribution reach with over 1.7 million retailers and around 15,000 branded
stores to service customers.
Mahindra Company launched “Marazzo”, a new multi-purpose vehicle (MPV)

 Mahindra company launched “Marazzo”, a new multi-
purpose vehicle (MPV) that it pitted against some of the
most popular MPVs on Indian roads like Toyota Innova
Crysta and Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.
 This new offering is pitted against established contenders in
the segment like the Toyota Innova Crysta, Maruti Suzuki
Ertiga, Honda Mobilio and Tata Hexa.
 It has a 1.5 litre four-cylinder diesel engine, 6-speed manual
gearbox and has been developed from scratch by Mahindra in collaboration with
Pininfarina in Italy.
 The company has spent almost $200 million for the same.
India’s first-ever Artificial intelligence (AI)-based supermarket “Watasale” opened in

Kochi
 India’s first-ever Artificial intelligence (AI)-based supermarket, that is capable of operating
unmanned 24/7 with the help of a combination of
Artificial Intelligence, camera technology and other
sensors, was opened on 3 September 2018 in Kochi
(Kerala).
 Watasale – is the name of India’s first automated
supermarket that offers the facility of shopping
without any human interface.
 It was opened at Kochi’s Gold Souk Grande Mall.
 To pay, all one has to do is install the Watasale app on one’s phone – it automatically scans
the QR code when one enters.
 The customer can choose any product that will be virtually added to the cart in the app or
removed if one wishes to return the product.
 There are sensors installed to do this for the customers. And once a customer walks out, the
store debits the amount from their card.
Government launches Financial Inclusion Index

 Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley launched Financial Inclusion
Index in New Delhi. It was launched after his Annual Performance Review Meeting with
CEOs of Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
 Financial Inclusion Index (FII)
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 The annual FII will be released by Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of
Finance. It will be measure of access and usage of basket of formal financial products and
services that includes savings, remittances, credit, insurance and pension products.
 The index has three measurement dimensions (i) Access to financial services (ii) Usage of
financial services and (3) Quality.
 It will serve as single composite index that will give snap shot of level of financial inclusion
which will guide Macro Policy perspective.
 Significance of index: Its various components will help to measure financial services for
use of internal policy making. It can be used directly as composite measure in development
indicators. It will also enable to fulfil G20 Financial Inclusion Indicators requirements.
 It will also facilitate researchers to study the impact of financial inclusion and other macro-
economic variables.
IL&FS has defaulted on a loan repayment to SIDBI

 Facing intense liquidity pressures, Infrastructure
Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) has defaulted
on a loan repayment to Small Industries Development
Bank of India (SIDBI).
 Reports mentioned that it was a short-term loan
amounting to Rs 10 billion.
 This is the first-ever instance in India where a large
financial institution has defaulted on a loan
repayment.
 IL&FS is a leading infrastructure development and finance company with its headquarters
in Mumbai.
 Its projects includes India's longest tunnel, Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, which was opened for
traffic on 2 April 2017.
Dubai to host India-UAE Partnership Summit

 A two-day India-UAE Partnership Summit (IUPS) will be held in Dubai from October 30.
 It is the second IUPS being organised by the Business Leaders
Forum (BLF).
 Its objectives and agenda fit perfectly into efforts to
promote the strategic partnership between India and
the United Arab Emirates.
 The second edition of the IUPS is being organised by the BLF this year in partnership with
the consulate.
 The BLF did a good job in not treating the IUPS as a standalone meeting but following up on
the discussions at the first IUPS in the past 12 months.
India has third highest number of family-owned mega businesses: Credit Suisse
 According to Credit Suisse Research Institute’s latest CS Family
2018 report, India has the third highest number of publicly-
listed family-owned companies in the world.
 India has 111 listed family-owned companies.
 China tops the list with 159 companies, followed by the US at
121.
 Family Businesses are based on two criteria:
 Direct shareholding by founders or descendants is at least 20%,
and voting rights held by the founders or descendants are at
least 20%.
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 The survey looks at 1,015 family-owned companies around the world with a minimum
market capitalization of $250 million.
 By that measure, over 50% of the companies in the BSE 100, the top 100 companies by
market capitalization listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, are family-owned.
 That includes Reliance Industries Ltd, Dabur India Ltd and Emami Ltd.
 Almost 20% of the companies are government-owned.
 The number of Indian companies in the report increased from 108 in 2017 to 111 this year,
while in the case of China, the number declined to 159 in 2018 from 167 in the previous
year.
 The average market capitalisation of the family-owned companies was $7.6 billion
compared to $6.5 billion a year ago.
Center proposes merger of Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda

 The Central government announced the proposal of the consolidation of banks to ensure
better banking services in future.
 To meet the India’s massive bad loans mess, the government has decided to merge three
public sector banks Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda into one single entity,
which will be the third largest bank in India.
 The proposes merger of Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda; more banking reforms on
cards.
 The bank boards of the three banks will examine the amalgamation proposal and will help
improve the operational efficiency and customer services.
 The idea is to merge two good banks with one weak bank, without compromising with the
working conditions and services of the banks.
 The decision of amalgamation was recommended by the alternate mechanism.
 The fine print of the amalgamation is not yet final.
Marc Benioff agreed to buy iconic magazine “Time”

 Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff has agreed to buy
the iconic magazine “Time”.
 According to an announcement made on 16
September 2018, Time magazine is being sold by
Meredith Corp. to Marc Benioff, a co-founder of
Salesforce, and his wife.
 Meredith Corp. is selling the iconic magazine for $190
million in cash to Marc Benioff, one of four co-
founders of Salesforce, a cloud computing pioneer.
 The Benioffs are purchasing Time personally, and the transaction is unrelated to
Salesforce.com, where Benioff is chairman and co-CEO and co-founder.
 However, the Benioffs would not be involved in the day-to-day operations or journalistic
decisions at Time.
 Those decisions will continue to be made by Time’s current executive leadership team.
 Started by Yale University graduates Henry Luce and Briton Hadden, Time first went on
sale in March 1923.
Saudi Arabia to join CPEC as a strategic partner

 Saudi Arabia was set to join, with Beijing’s assent, the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor" CPEC project.
 Pakistan as its third major economic partner, a move apparently aimed at rescuing the
Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government from the perilous economic
condition faced by the country.
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 China has been taken into confidence over Saudi Arabia’s joining the CPEC project as a
strategic partner (sic).
 Beijing had been taken on board before formally
inviting Riyadh to join the mega venture.
 CPEC is a bilateral project in which induction of any
other country has to have the concurrence of both
sides.
 A high-level coordination committee has been
constituted and it has the complete backing of the
Saudi king.
 A high-level Saudi delegation comprising ministers for finance and energy as well as
business heads will visit Pakistan in the first week of October to work out the details of a
grand economic partnership.
Andhra Pradesh tops Ease of Living Index rankings under AMRUT

 Andhra Pradesh has topped Ease of Living Index rankings under AMRUT (Atal Mission for
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation).
 It was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
 The three states were awarded best-performing states
at National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living
Index, 2018 held in New AMRUT.
 It is an urban transformation scheme with the focus of
the urban renewal projects to establish infrastructure
that could ensure adequate robustsewage networks,
water supply and other infrastructure to improve the quality of life of people in urban
areas.
 Ease of Living Index :
 The index was conceived by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in June 2017.
 It aims to help cities assess their liveability vis-a-vis global and national benchmarks and
encourage them to move towards ‘outcome-based’ approach to urban planning and
management.
 It was launched to rank 116 cities that are smart city contenders, capital cities and cities
with population of 1 million plus based on the liveability parameters.
 The first edition of index released in January 2018 had ranked 111 Indian cities and was
topped by Pune.
 It captures quality of life based on data collected from urban local bodies on four
parameters, which were further broken down into 15 categories.
 It seeks to help cities undertake 360-degree assessment of their strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats.
 The four parameters include institutional (governance), social (identity, education, health,
security), economic ( economy, employment) and physical factors (waste water and solid
waste management, pollution, housing/ inclusiveness, mixed land use, power and water
supply, transport, public public open spaces).
 Institutional and social parameters carry 25 points each, physical factors have weightage of
45 points and economic factors 5 pototalling to 100 mark scale on which cities were
evaluated.
RBI barred Bandhan Bank from opening new branches

 RBI barred Bandhan Bank, private sector bank from opening new branches without its
approval.
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 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) barred Bandhan Bank from opening new branches without
its approval and ordered the bank to freeze the
salary of its chief executive Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
over its failure to meet shareholding rules.
 This information was disclosed by the bank on 28
September 2018.
 According to RBI’s new bank licencing guidelines, the
bank’s promoter, Bandhan Financial Holdings Ltd,
has to reduce its stake from 82% to 40% within three years of commencing the business.
 The deadline for Bandhan Bank was on 23 August 2018.
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty of Rs. 1 crore each on Union Bank of
India (UBI), Bank of India and Bank of Maharashtra three banks for delay in fraud
detection. A total penalty of Rs. 3 crore (Rs. 1 crore each) on three state-run banks.
 Hyderabad Metro Rail is now become second largest metro network in India. Governor
E.S.L. Narasimhan flagged off the metro train from the Ameerpet metro interchange station
towards L.B.Nagar in the city suburb. With the opening of this 16 km stretch, the entire
Corridor One of Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) project of 29 km from Miyapur to L.B.Nagar
has been completed.
 Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance & National Informatics Centre
(NIC) jointly developed a mobile app called Jan Dhan Darshak as a part of financial
inclusion (FI) initiative. This app will act as a guide for the common people in locating a
financial service touch point at a given location in the country.
 FDI in the telecom sector has jumped nearly five times in the last three years – from USD
1.3 Billion in 2015-16 to USD 6.2 Billion in 2017-18.
 Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved a new scheme- Atal Bimit
Vyakti Kalyan Yojna for Insured Persons covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Act.
 Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced that no withholding tax will apply on
interest payments made by an Indian company or a business trust to a non-resident in
respect of offshore rupee-denominated bonds issued between September 17, 2018 & March
31, 2019.
 Union Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) approved a proposal by the
Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to increase the wages of artisans by over
36%. With this, the wages will be increased from Rs 5.50 per hank previously to Rs 7.50 per
hank.
 State-run telecom firm BSNL has inked a pact with Japan’s Softbank & NTT
Communications to roll out 5G & internet of things (IoT) technology in India.
 Infosys has acquired Finnish company Fluido, a top consulting partner of Salesforce, for 65
million euros (about Rs 545 crore).
 After launching the world's largest mobile phone-manufacturing factory in Noida in July
2018, Samsung has now opened its biggest experience centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
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Defence & Security - National/International
COMCASA: India, US sign Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement

 India and United States has signed Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement
(COMCASA) that will lead to a new generation of bilateral military
partnership. It was signed at end of inaugural India-US ‘2+2’ Ministerial
Dialogue held in New Delhi.
Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA)
 COMCASA is one of the four foundational agreements that guide US high
technology cooperation in defence sector with other countries. It was
earlier called Communication and Information on Security
Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) before name was changed to reflect its India-specific
nature. Other two agreements are Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement
(LEMOA) and BECA. COMCASA will be valid for 10 years and came into force immediately it
was signed.
 COMCASA is meant to facilitate use of high-end secured communication equipment to be
installed on military platforms being sold to India by US to fully exploit their potential.
 It essentially provides legal framework for transfer of communication security equipment
from US to India that will facilitate interoperability between armed forces of both countries
and potentially with other militaries that use US-origin systems for secure data links.
 Interoperability in this case means that there will be access to encrypted and secret
technologies or communications.
 Significance
 By signing COMCASA, India has concluded three of four foundational agreements with US
that had been planned for years. It will facilitate use of high-end secured communication
equipment to be installed on military platforms being sold to India by US and fully exploit
their potential.
 These platforms include C-130 J, C-17, P-8I aircraft and Apache and Chinook helicopters.
This will also facilitate greater interoperability between forces and military hardware of
India and US, and also possibly with other countries that operate on US-origin platforms.
 COMCASA takes into consideration India’s security and national interests. It will provide
full access to relevant equipment and there will be no disruptions. Data acquired through
such systems will be not disclosed or transferred to any person or entity without India’s
consent. It will be implemented by both countries in manner consistent with national
security interests of the other.
 Foundational agreements
 They are meant to build basic ground work and promote interoperability between
militaries by creating common standards and systems. They also guide sale and transfer of
high-end technologies.
 US signs these agreements with countries with which it has close military ties. India has
already signed two of them — General Security of Military Information Agreement
(GSOMIA) in 2002 and Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016.
 Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA) is the
remaining agreement not yet signed by India and negotiations are yet to begin.
 GSOMIA: It allows sharing of classified information from US Government and American
companies with Indian government and defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) but not
with Indian private companies.
 LEMOA: It gives access to both countries and to designated military facilities on either side
for the purpose of refuelling and replenishment.
 BECA: It facilitates exchange of geospatial information between India and US for both
military and civilian use.
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India's first missile tracking ship is readying for sea trials

 Once ready, it will be India's first, a force multiplier and cruise the country into a global
elite club.
 Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) is gearing up to
undertake sea trials of India's first missile tracking
ship by the first week of October.
 The keel of the ship was laid on June 30, 2014.
 It is being built for the National Technical Research
Organisation, the technical intelligence agency
working directly under the supervision of the Prime
Minister's Office and the National Security Adviser.
 It is considered a "topmost secret project", a lot of confidentiality is being maintained in
executing the project costing about Rs.750 crore.
 It will be named after its induction into the Indian Navy. For now, it is simply referred as VC
11184.
 This will be the first of its kind ocean surveillance ship being built as part of the efforts
under the NDA government to strengthen the country's strategic weapons programme.
 The sea trials would be carried out either by September-end or the first week of October
and they were confident of handing over the vessel to the Indian Navy by the year-end.
 It has the capacity to carry 300-strong crew with hi-tech gadgets and communication
equipment, powered by two diesel engines, and a large deck capable of helicopter landing.
 Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) :
 HSL, set up in 1941, achieved a total income of Rs.651.67 crore and a value of production of
Rs.644.78 crore during 2017-18, the highest since inception.
 It is poised to get orders for construction of five fleet support ships costing Rs.9,000 crore
and finalise request for proposal for design collaborator for construction of two Special
Operation Vessels called mini submarines.
 It is also banking on the order for medium refit of Russia-made third Sindhughosh class
submarine INS Sindhuratna for which it has submitted technical bids.
India's first smart fence project along Pakistan border to be launch

 The country’s first ‘smart fence’ pilot project will be formally launched by Home Minister
Rajnath Singh next week along the India-Pakistan
border.
 It entails deploying laser-activated fences and
technology-enabled barriers to plug vulnerable gaps
along borders.
 Mr.Singh will travel to Jammu to inaugurate the
ambitious project on September 17.
 The technology is being implemented by the Border
Security Force and senior officials of the paramilitary
will present a demo of the activation and response mechanism of the ‘smart fence’ before
the home minister during the visit.
 Such gadgetry will be deployed along 2,400 km of India’s border with Pakistan and
Bangladesh in the future.
 The initiative is part of the comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS)
proposed to be deployed at these two borders by the Modi government as part of its
decision to completely seal the two borders to stop infiltration and illegal migration.
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Aviaindra 18: India, Russia Air Force Joint Exercise Commences
 India and Russia joint air exercise Aviaindra 18 was held in Lipetsk, Russia from September
17 to 28, 2018. The second session of Aviaindra 18 will be conducted in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
(India) from December 10 Dec to 22, 2018
 Exercise Aviaindra-18
 Exercise Aviaindra is Air Force level exercise between
India and Russia. It was conducted for first time in
2014 and since then it is conducted bi-annually (twice
a year) in both countries.
 The aim of this exercise is focused towards anti-
terrorist operations in bi-lateral scenario. It also seeks
to further enhance co-operation and understanding between Air forces of both countries in
each other’s Concept of Operations.
 Aviaindra-18 saw participation of Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent comprising of 30
officers from different branches and streams of IAF including four women officers of Flying,
Admin and Medical Branch.
 IAF’s aircraft that participated in the exercise included Su-30 SM, Mig-29, Su-25, Mi-8 and
An-26. Apart from flying exercise, formal interactions, discussions, exchange of ideas and
friendly sports matches were also held to enhance bonhomie between two Air Forces.
India third worst hit in world by terror, after Iraq and Afghanistan: US data
 According to the data released by US department of
state, for second year in a row, India is the third
largest victim of terror attacks across the world after
Iraq and Afghanistan while CPI- Maoists, which
carried out 53% of the total attacks in India
 CPI- Maoists is the fourth deadliest terror group after
Islamic State, Taliban and Al-Shabaab, Till 2015,
Pakistan was the third most affected country in the
world.
 The national consortium for the study of terrorism and responses to terrorism, contracted
by the US department of state, has claimed that Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a 24%
increase in terror attacks in 2017 and an 89% increase in the number of people killed in
those attacks.
 Out of a total 860 terror attacks across India in 2017, 25% were reported from J&K alone.
 Maoists as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world, the US study has stated that it was
responsible for 53% attacks in India in 2017.
 The frequency of terrorist violence by Maoist extremists in India declined between 2016
and 2017 with respect to number of attacks (from 338 in 2016 to 295 in 2017); however,
the number of people killed increased 16%, and the number of people injured increased
50%.
 While Maoists were involved in 295 total attacks in India, only global outfits ahead of them
are Al-Shabaab with 353 attacks, Taliban with 703 attacks and Islamic State with 857
attacks.
MILEX-18: First Military Exercise of BIMSTEC Countries Held In Pune

 The first field training military exercise MILEX-18, as part of the Bay of Bengal initiative for
multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation (BIMSTEC) commenced at Foreign
Training Node at Aundh in Pune, Maharashtra. All member BIMSTEC countries, except
Thailand and Nepal will take active part in this exercise. Thailand and Nepal will only be
sending group of observers.
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 MILEX-18
 The theme of the exercise is counter-terrorism in semi-urban terrain. Its main aim is to
promote strategic alignment among member-states
and to share best practices in the area of counter-
terrorism.
 The exercise will include training in operations like
search-and-cordon operations, search and destroy
and handling and neutralisation of improvised
explosive devices (IEDs) among other things. Each
participating member country will be represented by
platoon sized contingents including around 30
soldiers (including five officers, 25 Junior
Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and personnel of other ranks).
 As part of this exercise, conclave of Army chiefs of all seven member-states is also being
planned. In it, army chiefs will debate challenge of terrorism and transnational crime, which
is major concern among all states and discuss ways to promote collective cooperation.
Abhilash Tomy an Indian naval officer second Asian complete a solo, unassisted, non-
stop circumnavigation under sail
 Indian naval officer Abhilash Tomy was rescued hundreds of kilometers
off the coast of Western Australia in his yacht by a French fishing vessel
after being injured while taking part in a solo yachting race.
 Abhilash Tomy is an Indian naval officer and is the first Indian, second
Asian, and seventy-ninth person to complete a solo, unassisted, non-stop
circumnavigation under sail.
 He was severely injured while participating in Golden Globe Race - the
nonstop, 30,000-mile solo yachting competition that started on 1 July
2018 from France.
SLINEX-2018: India And Sri Lanka Conducts Joint Naval Exercise At Trincomalee
 India, Sri Lanka joint naval exercise SLINEX-2018 was held at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from
September 7 to 13, 2018. SLINEX exercise started in 2005 was previously held once in two
years and now it has been converted to annual event this year onwards.
 SLINEX-2018
 The exercise was conducted in two phases, namely Harbour and Sea
Phase. These exercises involved joint training, exchange of expertise,
helicopter and maritime patrol aircraft operations, search and rescue,
and maneuvers at sea.
 The exercise also involved sports fixtures and cultural events to provide
opportunity for personnel from both navies to learn from each other
and to build individual bonds of friendship and camaraderie.
 The scope of exercise was significantly increased this year, as it saw participation of three
ships, two maritime patrol aircraft and one helicopter participating from Indian side. In
addition, Sri Lanka Air Force personnel also participated in the exercise for first time.
 PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Parakram Parv exhibition at the military station in Jodhpur
to mark the second anniversary of the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army
across the LoC.
 Indian Air Force successfully test fired the indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range
Air-to-Air Missile Astra from a Su-30 aircraft.
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 Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved procurement of 1,000 engines for fitment
in T-72 tanks of the Army at an approximate cost of over 2,300 crore rupees.
 DRDO successfully flight tested the indigenously developed surface-to-surface tactical
missile ‘Prahar’, from Launch Complex-III, ITR, Balasore, Odisha.
 Indigenously developed weapon system Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile
(MPATGM), was successfully flight tested for the second time from the Ahmednagar range,
Maharashtra.
 Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh inaugurated two Comprehensive Integrated
Border Management System (CIBMS) pilot projects along the India-Pakistan border in
Jammu region.
 The second edition of Nepal-China joint military exercise (JME) named Mt Everest
Friendship Exercise-2018 (Sagarmatha Friendship-2018) commenced in China’s
southwestern Sichuan province.
 As part of the ongoing Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training Exercise Yudh
Abhyas 2018 is scheduled to be conducted in the foothills of Himalayas at Chaubattia in
Uttarakhand. This will be the 14th edition of the joint military exercise.
 Indo-Mongolia joint exercise Nomadic Elephant-2018, commenced at Mongolian Armed
Forces (MAF) Five Hills Training Area, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia with a brief opening
ceremony.
 The first ever mid-air refuelling of the indigenously developed light combat aircraft Tejas
successfully carried out, placing India in an elite group of countries having air-to-air
refuelling capacity for military planes.
 India along with 23 other nations participated in a major Indian ocean-wide tsunami mock
drill which will involve evacuation of thousands of people from coastal areas in over half a
dozen coastal states. The exercise, known as 'IOWave18', is being organised by the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.
 Ukraine launched annual joint military exercise named Rapid Trident with the United
States & other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member countries. Its main goal
is to practice countering armed aggression in conditions of the hybrid war.
 Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Army Exercise 'KAZIND' will be conducted between the Indian &
Kazakhstan Army in Otar region, Kazakhstan. This is the third joint military exercise
between the two countries which have a history of extensive cooperation in the defence
arena.
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Appointments-National/International
Justice Ranjan Gogoi to be next Chief Justice of India (CJI)

 Justice Ranjan Gogoi will replace Justice Dipak Misra as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).
 His name was recommended by Justice Misra to the Union Government on 4 September
2018.
 Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra sent a letter to
the Central government recommending Justice Ranjan
Gogoi as his successor.
 Justice Gogoi will be sworn in as the next CJI on 3
October 2018.
 Justice Gogoi is the senior-most judge of the Supreme
Court. Justice Misra is retiring on 2 October 2018.
 Justice Gogoi is one of the four senior SC judges who
participated in an unprecedented press conference
against CJI Misra over “selective” case allocation.
 CJI Misra's recommendation keeps up the tradition of the most senior (SC) judge being
made CJI after the retirement of the incumbent one.
 In July, Justice Gogoi backed the need for “sometimes noisy judges and independent
journalists” to defend democracy.
 He called for the judiciary to “be on the front foot” adding the SC needs a revolution not a
reform. He was addressing a lecture organised by a media group.
Bimal Jalan heading the committee to select next Chief Economic Adviser (CEA)
 The Union Govt. appointed a committee under Bimal
Jalan to select the next Chief Economic Adviser (CEA)
in the Finance Ministry.
 He was the former Governor of RBI, the apex
regulatory body of India's finance sector.
 This committee was constituted two months after it
sought applications for the post.
 Apart from Jalan, secretary of the Department of
Personnel and Training C. Chandramouli and
Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg
are the other two members of the committee.
 It is noted that Arvind Subramanian resigned from his post before his tenure ended in May
2019 citing personal reasons.
 He has since joined as a visiting professor at Harvard University.
Top Scientist KN Vyas Appointed As Atomic Energy Commission Chief

 Renowned scientist Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas has been appointed the secretary of the
Department of Atomic Energy and chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission.
 The appointment committee of the cabinet has approved his
appointment till he attains the age of 64 years on May 3, 2021.
 Mr Vyas, who is at present Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(BARC), has been appointed in place of Shekhar Basu.
 Mr Basu was appointed to the post in October 2015 and his tenure was to
end in September 2016. He was, however, given two extensions of one
year each -- one in 2016 and another last year. His extended term ends today.
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 Mr Vyas is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from MS University, Vadodara. After
completion of training in BARC training school in 1979.
 He joined Fuel Design and Development Section of Reactor Engineering Division of BARC.
 Mr Vyas has worked for design and analysis of nuclear reactor fuels.
 He was also responsible for design and development of a novel fuel for strategic
applications.
 Mr Vyas has worked extensively in thermal hydraulics and stress analysis of critical reactor
core components.
 He has been conferred several awards, which include Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding
Service Award 2011, Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award 2006, Department of
Atomic Energy Awards in the years 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013.
 Mr Vyas is also a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih elected new president of Maldives

 Maldives' opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim
Mohamed Solih casts his vote at a polling station
during presidential election day in Male, Maldives, on
Sunday.
 Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, popularly known as Ibu, is all
set to become the President of the tiny Indian Ocean
archipelago, the Maldives.
 With over 97% of votes, Mr. Solih has already polled
58.3%.
 Mr. Solih will be only the sixth President in the country’s five-decade electoral history.
 Mr. Solih (56) became Maldivian Democratic Party’s presidential candidate after its other
top figures were jailed or exiled by Abdulla Yameen’s government.
 A democracy activist well known for his reform efforts, Mr. Solih, for most of his political
career as a lawmaker since 1994
Rajni Kant Misra Appointed BSF Chief, SS Deswal to Head SSB

 Senior IPS officers Rajni Kant Misra and S S Deswal were appointed director general of the
Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) respectively, according to
an official order.
 Misra, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present serving as the SSB
chief.
 He has been tasked to head the BSF for a period up to his superannuation on August 31,
2019 in place of K K Sharma, who retires this month end.
 Deswal, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, will head the SSB in place of Misra.
 He will hold the post for a period up to his superannuation on August 31, 2021, it said.
 About two-lakh strong BSF guards India's frontier with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
 The SSB, which has about 90,000 personnel, guards India's borders with Nepal and
Bangladesh.
Arif Alvi elected the new President of Pakistan

 Arif Alvi was elected the new President of Pakistan on 4 September 2018.
 He is a close ally of Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of the founding members of the
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
 He bagged 212 of the 430 votes.
 The 69-year old Alvi is a former dentist.
 He defeated Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Aitzaz Ahsan and Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee Maulana Fazlur Rehman to become the 13th President.
35 |
 N. Ravi elected the new Chairman of Press Trust of India, the country’s largest news agency,
on 29 September 2018. N Rav is the publisher of The Hindu Group of Newspapers, the
country’s largest news agency. He succeeded Viveck Goenka, Chairman and Managing
Director of the Express Group.
 Senior BJP leader L K Advani has been renominated as the chairman of the Ethics
Committee of the Lok Sabha by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The Committee examines
complaints related to any unethical conduct by members of the Lower House.
 BJP MP and former Minister Major General B.C. Khanduri was on 18 September 2018
removed as Chairman of the Standing committee on Defence. Former Union Minister Kalraj
Mishra replaced B.C. Khanduri as Chairman of the standing committee.
 Ajit Mohan was appointed the new Managing Director and Vice-President (MD &VP) of
Facebook India by Facebook Inc. Facebook Inc. announced the appointment of Ajit Mohan
as Managing Director and Vice-President (MD &VP) of Facebook India.
 Technology giant Google has appointed its privacy lawyer, Keith Enright, as Chief Privacy
Officer.
 Actors Varun Dhawan & Anushka Sharma has been signed on to promote & endorse the
Skill India Mission, chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
 Moutaz Mousa Abdallah has become Sudan’s new PM.
 India retained the top WHO position in South-East Asia Region with Dr Poonam Khetrapal
Singh unanimously re-elected as Regional Director for another five-year term beginning
February 2019.
 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) roped in Indian boxer MC Mary Kom as its brand
ambassador for two years.
 State Bank of India (SBI) has appointed Anshula Kant as Managing Director of the Bank. She
has been appointed to the post for 2 years. With this appointment, SBI now has four MDs -
PK Gupta, DK Khara & Arijit Basu.
 Axis Bank announced that Amitabh Chaudhry has been appointed as its managing director
& CEO from January 1, 2019, for a period of three years. Mr. Chaudhry, the MD & CEO of
HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company at present.
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Sports
US Open 2018
 Organised by United States Tennis Association (USTA).
 Held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
Centre in Queens, New York City.
 First held in 1881.
 US Open 2018 was the 138th edition of the tournament.
 This tournament is run by International Tennis
Federation.
 Only Grand Slam that uses tiebreakers in every set of a match.
Winners of US Open 2018

S. No. Category Winners Runner-Up
1. Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic(Serbia) Juan Martin del Potro

(Argentina)
2. Women’s Singles Naomi Osaka(Japan) Serena Williams (USA)
3. Men’s Doubles Jack Sock (USA) & Mike Bryan Łukasz Kubot (Poland) &
(USA) Marcelo Melo (Brazil)
4. Women’s Doubles Ashleigh Barty (Australia) Kristina Mladenovic (France)

& Coco Vandeweghe (USA) & Timea Babos (Hungary)
5. Mixed Doubles Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) Nikola Mektić (Croatia)

& Jamie Murray (UK) & Alicja Rosolska (Poland)
Duleep Trophy 2017-18 : India Blue wins defeating India Red

 India Blue has won 2017-18 Duleep Trophy by
defeating defending champion India Red by an innings
and 187 runs in the final match.
 The final match played at NPR College.ground in
Dindigul, Tamilnadu.
 India Blue’s spinners Deepak Jagbir Hooda (5 for 56)
and Saurabh Kumar (5 for 51) were just needed10.5
overs on fourth day of final match to bundle out India
Red for 172 in second innings.
 Himachal Pradesh batsman Nikhil Gangta was named
man of match for his superb knock 130.
 About Duleep Trophy :
 It is a domestic first-class cricket tournament played between teams representing
geographical zones of India.
 This tournament was instituted in 1961-62 by BCCI.
 It is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of Nawanagar.
Vijay Hazare Trophy-2018: Shahbaz Nadeem breaks List a record with figures of 8/10
 Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem broke the List-A record for best bowling figures with an
astonishing 10-4-10-8 against Rajasthan in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
 Nadeem bettered Rahul Sanghvi’s 8/15 for Delhi against Himachal Pradesh (1997-98).
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 Both the bowlers had an identical number of wickets, Nadeem gave away five runs fewer
than Sanghvi’s 15.
 The record in ODI cricket still remains intact with
Chaminda Vaas who bagged 8/19 against Zimbabwe in
2001.
 Keith Boyce (8 for 26) was the first to take an eight-
wicket haul, back in 1971, in the early days of limited-
overs cricket.
 Courtesy of Nadeem’s stellar performance, Jharkhand
beat Rajasthan by seven wickets. Chasing a paltry 74,
Jharkhand reached the target in 15th over to claim four points.
 Shahbaz Nadeem has remained on the fringes for quite some time.
 Despite enjoying tremendous success in Ranji Trophy where he picked up more than 50
wickets in 2015-16 and 2016-17, he is yet to receive a national call-up.
Hima Das to Be Made First Sports Ambassador of Assam

 Sprinter Hima Das would be the first sports ambassador of
Assam state.
 Recently, she created history by winning gold at IAAF World
Under-20 Championships at Tampere in Finland.
 A reward of Rs 50 lakh would be given to her as per the
government's earlier announcement.
 Hima's victory has given renewed momentum to women empowerment in the country.
 Ankur Mittal claimed the men’s double trap gold medal in the ISSF World Championship in
Changwon . The multiple World Cup medallists shot 140 out of 150 to go into a shoot-off for
gold with China’s Yiyang Yang and Slovakia’s Hubert Andrzej.
 Yuvraj Wadhwani has won the 25th Asian junior individual squash championship title. He
defeated Anas Ali Shah of Pakistan.
 India has defeated Bangladesh to win the Unimoni Asia Cup Title 2018. This was India's
seventh Asia Cup triumph. Liton Das was the Player of the Match & Shikhar Dhawan was
declared as the Player of the Series.
 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship organised by Asian Yoga Federation held in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
 In Badminton, Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting beat Japan's Kento Momota to take the
Men's singles China Open title in Changzhou. Spain's Carolina Marin beat China's Chen Yufei
to take the women's singles title.
 The Women’s Boxing World Championships, to be hosted by India after more than a
decade, will be held from November 15-24, 2018, in New Delhi.
 India won 3 Gold, 3Silver & a Bronze on the opening day of the 5th Track Asia Cup Cycling
in New Delhi. Mayuri Lute won the country's first Gold in the Women's Junior 500 metres
race.
 India settled for the silver medal after losing to Pakistan 2-3 in the final of the Asian Team
Snooker Championship. Pankaj Advani & Malkeet Singh represented India.
 Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) confirmed that Hangzhou in China will host the fourth
edition of Asian Para Games in 2022.
 Lewis Hamilton won the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Singapore.
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 Indian five-time world boxing champion M C Mary Kom clinched her third gold medal of the
year in 48 kg category, while Jyoti Gulia picked up the country’s lone gold in 51 kg of the
youth category of the Silesian Open boxing Tournament for women in Gliwice, Poland.
 Maldives have lifted the 2018 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup.
 Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge set a new marathon world record in Berlin (Germany), smashing
the previous best as he clocked 2 hours 1 minute 39 second.
 Simranjit Kaur (64kg), Monika (48kg) & Bhagyabati Kachari (81kg) claimed gold medals at
the Ahmet Comert Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey.
 Sardar Singh has announced his retirement from international hockey.
 Sixteen-year-old Udhayveer Singh has won an individual Gold Medal in Junior Men’s 25
metre pistol event in the World Shooting Championships in South Korea.
 Triple jumper Arpinder Singh created history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in
the IAAF Continental Cup. At Ostrava in the Czech Republic, he clinched a bronze.
 England’s highest Test run-scorer Alastair Cook announced his retirement from
International cricket after final Test against India. He has scored 12,254 runs & made 32
centuries in 160 Tests all England records.
 Indian Pacer RP Singh announced his retirement from International Cricket, exactly 13
years after making his international debut.
 India’s Saurabh Chaudhary continued his brilliant run of form as he clinched the 10 metres
Air Pistol Junior gold at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shooting World
Championship in Changwon, South Korea.
 Indian shooter Hriday Hazarika notched up a gold medal in the 10 m air rifle junior men's
event of the ISSF World Championships in South Korea. The women's 10m air rifle team of
Elavenil Valarivan, Shreya Agarwal & Manini Kaushik then produced a sensational
performance to total 1880.7 for a gold with a world record to boot.
 Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has been named UEFA Men's Player of the Year for
2017/18.
39 |
Honours / Awards
National Sports Awards 2018

 National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the
spectacular and most outstanding performance in
the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period
of four year.
 Arjuna Award is given for consistency outstanding
performance for four years, Dronacharya Award
for coaches for producing medal winners at
prestigious International sports events.
 Dhyan Chand Award for life time contribution to sports development and Rashtriya Khel
Protsahan Puruskar is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector)
and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and
development.
 Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul
Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
S.No. Recipient Discipline
1. Ms. S Mirabai Chanu Weightlifting
2. Shri Virat Kohli Cricket
Arjuna Award
1. Shri Neeraj Chopra Athletics
2. Nb Sub Jinson Johnson Athletics
3. Ms. Hima Das Athletics
4. Ms. Nelakurthi Sikki Reddy Badminton
5. Subedar Satish Kumar Boxing
6. Ms. Smriti Mandhana Cricket
7. Shri Shubhankar Sharma Golf
8. Shri Manpreet Singh Hockey
9. Ms. Savita Hockey
10. Col. Ravi Rathore Polo
11. Ms. Rahi Sarnobat Shooting
12. Shri Ankur Mittal Shooting
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13. Ms. Shreyasi Singh Shooting
14. Ms. Manika Batra Table Tennis
15. Shri G. Sathiyan Table Tennis
16. Shri Rohan Bopanna Tennis
17. Shri Sumit Wrestling
18. Ms. Pooja Kadian Wushu
19. Shri Ankur Dhama Para-Athletics
20. Shri Manoj Sarkar Para-Badminton
Dhyan Chand Award
1. Shri Satyadev Prasad Archery
2. Shri Bharat Kumar Chetri Hockey
3. Ms. Bobby Alysius Athletics
4. Shri Chougale Dadu Dattatray Wrestling
Dronacharya Awards 2018

S. No. Name of the Coach Discipline
1. Subedar Chenanda Achaiah Kuttappa Boxing
2. Shri Vijay Sharma Weightlifting
3. Shri A. Srinivasa Rao Table Tennis
4. Shri Sukhdev Singh Pannu Athletics
5. Shri Clarence Lobo Hockey (Life Time)
6. Shri Tarak Sinha Cricket (Life Time)
7. Shri Jiwan Kumar Sharma Judo (Life Time)
8. Shri V.R. Beedu Athletics (Life Time)
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2018

S. No. Category Name of the entity
Rashtriya Ispat Nigam
1. Identification and Nurturing of Budding & Young Talent
Limited
Encouragement to Sports through Corporate Social
2. JSW Sports
Responsibility
3. Sports for Development Isha Outreach
41 |
 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2017-18: Guru Nanak Dev University,
Amritsar, Panjab.
Narendra Modi, Emmanuel Macron Jointly Awarded UN’s Champions of Earth Award
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly awarded
2018 Champions of the Earth award, UN’s highest
environmental honour.
 They were chosen in Policy Leadership category of the
award for their pioneering work in championing
International Solar Alliance (ISA) and promoting new
areas of levels of cooperation on environmental
action. It also PM Modi’s unprecedented pledge to
eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022.
 Background
 This year six of the world’s most outstanding
environmental changemakers were recognised with
the Champions of the Earth Award by United Nations
Environment Programme.
 They were recognised for combination of bold, innovative and tireless efforts to tackle
some of most urgent environmental issues of our times. The awards will be presented
during the Champions of the Earth Gala in New York City, on the sidelines of the 73rd UN
General Assembly.
Other winners of 2018 Champions of Earth awards
 India’s Cochin International Airport: It was awarded in Entrepreneurial Vision category
for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy. It is world’s first fully solar-powered
airport.
 Joan Carling: She was awarded lifetime achievement award for her work as one of the
world’s most prominent defenders of environmental and indigenous rights.
 Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods: They were jointly recognised in Science and
Innovation category for their revolutionary development of a popular, plant-based
alternative to beef, and for their efforts to educate consumers about environmentally
conscious alternatives.
 China’s Zhejiang’s Green Rural Revival Programme: It was awarded in inspiration and
action category for transformation of once heavily polluted area of rivers and streams in
East China’s Zhejiang province.
 Champions of the Earth award
 It is UN’s highest environmental recognition celebrating exceptional figures from public
and private sectors and from civil society, whose actions have had transformative positive
impact on the environment.
 It was established in 2005 by United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment).
This award programme is successor to UNEP’s Global 500 Roll of Honour.
 Past laureates include: Afroz Shah, who led world’s largest beach cleanup (2016), Rwandan
President Paul Kagame (2016), Ocean Cleanup CEO Boyan Slat (2014), scientist-explorer
Bertrand Piccard, developer of Google Earth Brian McClendon (2013), and former US Vice-
President Al Gore (2007).
2018 Man Booker Prize shortlist out for six novels

 This year the shortlist for the 2018 Man Booker Prize has been revealed.
 Anna Burns’ Milkman, Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black, Daisy Johnson’s Everything Under,
Rachel Kushner’s The Mars Room, Richard Powers’ The Overstory, and Robin Robertson’s
The Long Take made the cut.
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 Among the six shortlisted, three of them – Burns, Johnson, and Robertson are from the UK,
whereas two, Kushner and Powers, are from America. Edugyan is a Canadian author.
The shortlist of six novels:
"Everything Under" by Daisy Johnson
 At 27, the youngest ever shortlisted author has gone from her day job
as a bookseller to being a celebrated literary success.
 Her book talks about Gretel, a child, who lived on a canal boat with her
mother, and together they invented a language that was just their own.
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
 The American novelist went behind bars in US prisons to research her
tale of a former lap dancer serving a life sentence. In the book, she
brings the character of Romy Hall to life who is at the start of two
consecutive life sentences, plus six years, at Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility.
The Overstory by Richard Powers
 Set in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Powers’ novel is inspired by his own rural home
on the North Carolina-Tennessee border. In the book, nine strangers, each in different
ways, get summoned by trees and are brought together in the last stand to save the
continent’s few remaining acres of virgin forest.
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
 The Canadian writer lost out to Julian Barnes in 2011. Her new novel, about a child slave, is
based on a true story.
The Long Take by Robin Robertson
 London-based poet Robertson is the first to be shortlisted for the Booker with a verse
novel. It follows a D-Day veteran, Walker, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder;
and looks instead to the city for freedom, anonymity, and repair.
Milkman by Anna Burns
 This novel shows the protagonist as busy attempting to keep her mother from discovering
her potential boyfriend and keeping everyone in the dark about her encounter with
Milkman.
Kashmir state gets its first Muslim woman pilot

 Iram Habib has become the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to become a pilot.
 The Thirty-year-old Habib is yet to start her flying career as a commercial pilot and is
currently undergoing joining formalities at IndiGo as junior first officer.
 Iram succeeds Tanvi Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit, who joined Air India as the Valley’s first
woman pilot in 2016.
 In April last year, 21-year-old Ayesha Aziz, also from Kashmir, became India’s youngest
student pilot. Iram’s road to becoming a pilot was never easy since it passed through the
conservative Kashmiri Muslim society.
 Her father is a supplier of surgical equipment to government hospitals.
 In her pursuit, Iram even gave up her dream of achieving a doctorate in forestry to give
wings to her childhood ambition.
 Iram is presently taking classes in Delhi to get a commercial pilot license.
 She completed her training from Miami in the US in 2016.
Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa become SpaceX’s first moon traveller

 Yusaku Maezawa is poised to become SpaceX’s first moon traveller, as was announced by
Elon Musk on 17 September 2018.
 He is a Japanese billionaire and online fashion tycoon, will be the first man to fly on a
monster SpaceX rocket around the Moon as early as 2023.
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 This announcement was made by SpaceX owner Elon Musk in
presence of Maezawa.
 The 42-year old Maezawa will be the first lunar traveller since
the last US Apollo mission in 1972.
 He paid an unspecified amount of money for the privilege.
 He is chief executive of Japan's largest online fashion mall, and is
the 18th richest person in Japan with a fortune of $3 billion.
Village Rockstars: Assamese Movie Is India’s Official Entry For Oscars 2019
 Assamese movie ‘Village Rockstars’ was selected as India’s official entry to the Oscars 2019
(91st Academy Awards) under Foreign Language Film category.
 It was selected by 12-member jury of Film Federation of India (FII),
led by Kannada producer-director SV Rajendra Singh Babu from 29
other films.
 Village Rockstars
 The film is written, edited, co-produced, and directed by Rima Das,
who is a self-taught filmmaker. It has been set in Das’ own village
Kalardiya in Chaygao district of Assam.
 Its story revolves around 10-year-old girl, Dhunu (played by child
actor Bhanita Das), who dreams to form her own rock band and goes
in search of electric guitar in her village.
 The film was made over period of four years, and was shot on hand-held camera and shoe-
string budget in rural Assam. Its casts include non-professional actors, sourced mostly from
Kalardiya village.
 Note: Norway has officially chose Bollywood actor Adil Hussain starrer What Will People
Say as its entry to Oscars in Foreign language film category. Hussain is from Goalpara
district in Assam. The 91st Academy Awards is scheduled to be held in February 2019.
Hyderabad International Airport: World No 1 Airport in 5-15 Million Passengers per

Annum Category
 Hyderabad International Airport (Rajiv Gandhi International Airport) was awarded
Airports Council International Airport Service Quality World no.1 airport awardin the 5-15
Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) category.
 This is for the second consecutive year Hyderabad airport has won this award. It was
adjudged World no 1 Airport in this category earlier in 2016. The award was bestowed in
recognition of airport’s relentless efforts towards service excellence and customer delight.
 Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
 It is international airport that serves Hyderabad, capital of Telangana. It is located in
Shamshabad, about 24 kilometres south of Hyderabad.
 It is operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, a public–private venture. It was
opened in March 2008 to replace Begumpet Airport as primary commercial airport for
Hyderabad.
 It is named after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. It is sixth busiest airport by
passenger traffic in India.
 Kerala Tourism confers two prestigious gold awards of the Pacific Asia Travel Association
(PATA) for its innovative marketing campaigns.It got the first gold for its 'Yalla Kerala'
travel advertisement print media campaign in the Gulf countries and second for an
innovative poster for Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The awards were presented at a glittering
function in Langkawi, Malaysia during PATA Travel Mart 2018.
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 The Nobel Medicine or Physiology Prize has been awarded to James P Allison & Tasaku
Honjo “for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.”
This is for the first time that no Literature Prize will be given in 70 years because of a
#MeToo scandal.
 Tourism Minister K J Alphons presented National Tourism Awards 2016-17 in New Delhi.
Andhra Pradesh bagged the first prize in state category for comprehensive development of
tourism.
 Union Transport Minister felicitated Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma during the 34th
anniversary of Priyadarshni Academy Global Award, in Mumbai. She received the Smita
Patil award for best actor.
 Chairman & MD, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., Dr Raghupati Singhania has been conferred with
'Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle', the highest honour accorded to non-nationals by the
Government of Mexico.
 All-women crew of INSV Tarini has bagged the prestigious Tenzing Norgay National
Adventure award for beating the odds in water with their enduring skills & sailing across
the world for eight long months.
 Actress Aishwarya Rai was honoured with the Meryl Streep Award for Excellence at the
Women in Film & Television (WIFT) India Award.
 Noted Odia poet Satrughna Pandav will be honoured with the prestigious 'Sarala Puraskar'
for his poetry collection 'Misra Dhrupad'.
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Obituaries
Jain Monk Tarun Sagar Dies At 51

 Jain monk Tarun Sagar died at Delhi's Radhapuri Jain temple after a prolonged illness.
 The 51-year-old monk, who was suffering from jaundice and other ailments.
 Tarun Sagar had a massive following in the Jain
community.
 A few days ago, he had decided to come to the
Radhapuri Temple in Krishna Nagar, where he died.
 He was born in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district on
June 26, 1967.
 Tarun Sagar's original name was Pawan Kumar Jain.
 Tarun Sagar was greatly respected by various
politicians including Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
 In 2016, Bollywood music composer Vishal Dadlani was criticised for his scathing remarks
questioning Tarun Sagar's lecture at Haryana Assembly.
 After a barrage of criticism and a court case, Mr Dadlani had tendered an apology to the Jain
monk on Twitter.
 His last rites will be performed in Uttar Pradesh's Muradnagar later in the day.
Economist Vijay Shankar Vyas passes away

 Vijay Shankar Vyas, an agricultural economist who had worked with two Prime Ministers as
a member of their Economic Advisory Councils (EAC), passed away after a brief illness at
the age of 87.
 Prof. Vyas was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2006.
 He was a member of the EAC during the tenures of former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari
Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.
 He was also Deputy Chairman of the first Rajasthan State Planning Board, apart from being
Professor emeritus and former Director of the Jaipur-based Institute of Development
Studies.
 He had also served as a Director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.
 Along with his family members, Prof. Vyas started the Ajit Foundation in his native town,
Bikaner, as an institution for the all-round development of youth and revived local libraries.
 Prof. Vyas was also associated with several social movements, including the Right to
Information movement, anti-displacement struggles, the Right to Food campaign and the
NREGA campaign, over three decades of his stay in Rajasthan, after his return from a stint
at the World Bank.
Anna Rajam Malhotra India’s first woman IAS officer after Independence passed away
 India’s first woman IAS officer after Independence, Anna Rajam Malhotra, passed away in
Mumbai at the age of 91.
 She joined the civil services in 1951 and opted for the Madras
cadre.
 She had served in the Madras State under then Chief Minister C.
Rajagopalachari and at the Central government.
 She also successfully executed the construction of India’s first
computerised port Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port) in
Mumbai as its chairperson.
 She was born in Kerala’s Ernakulam district in July 1927.
46 |
 She moved to Chennai after her schooling in Kozhikode to pursue higher education at the
University of Madras.
 She later married R.N. Malhotra, who served as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from
1985 to 1990.
Renowned filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi passed away

 Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi, well known for her films like Rudaali, Chingaari, Ek Pal and
Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence, died on 23 September, 2018, aged 64.
 Lajmi had been suffering from a kidney disease for a while. She has been undergoing
treatment at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital, where her end came. She was
known for making women-oriented films.
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang passed away

 Vietnam’s President, Tran Dai Quang, one of the three most powerful leaders in the country
despite his largely ceremonial role died at age 61, according to state media.
 Quang died in a military hospital in Hanoi after “utmost efforts to treat him by Vietnamese
and foreign doctors and professors,” said an announcement on state media. It did not
elaborate on his illness or the specific cause of his death.
 His death opens up a power vacuum in the communist country, which has no paramount
head of state. Power is shared among the president, the prime minister, the Communist
Party chief and the head of the legislature, the National Assembly.
 The Mumbai-based artist, Mehlli Gobhai has died at the age of 87 in a city hospital. He was
one of the last great original characters [in the art world].
 Renowned harmonium player Pandit Tulsidas Borkar passed away in Mumbai. He was 84.
 Legendary Chicago blues guitarist Otis Rush, whose passionate, a jazz-influenced sound
influenced generations of musicians, has died. He was 84.
 Former BCCI president Biswanath Dutt, best known in the Indian cricket fraternity as
Jagmohan Dalmiya’s mentor, passed away aged 92.
 Noted freedom fighter & former Odisha Minister Dolagobinda Pradhan passed away in
Bhubaneswar.
 Bhagwati Kumar Sharma, noted Gujarati language author & poet passed away in Surat at
the age of 84 years.
47 |
Important Days
 September 5 : Teacher's Day (Dr. S. Radhakrishnan's Birth Day)
 Theme of 2018 : No Theme
 September 8 : International Literacy Day(UNESCO)

 Theme of 2018 : Literacy and Skills Development
 September 10 : World Suicide Prevention Day

 Theme of 2018 : Working Together to Prevent Suicide
 September 14 : Hindi Day [India], World First Aid Day

 September 15 : International Day of Democracy (UN)

 Theme of 2018 : Democracy under Strain: Solutions for a Changing World
 September 16 : International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (UN)
 Theme of 2018 : Keep Cool and Carry On
 September 21 : International Day of Peace (UN),

 Theme of 2018 : The Right to Peace: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70
 September 21 : World Alzheimer's day

 September 23 : International Day of Sign Languages

 Theme of 2018 : With Sign Language, Everyone is Included
 September 27 : World Tourism Day (UNWTO)

 Theme of 2018 : Tourism and Ditigal Transformation
 September 27 : World Maritime Day (IMO) [Last Thursday of September]

 Theme of 2018 : IMO 70: Our Heritage Better Shipping for a Better Future
 September 29 : World Heart Day (WHF)

 Theme of 2018 : My Heart, Your Heart
48 |
Foreign Visits / Foreign Visitors
 Visit of External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj to New York, USA for 73rd UNGA in
between September 22-27, 2018.
 Visit of Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu to Serbia, Malta and Romania in between Sep
14-20, 2018.
 Visit of Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu to USA in between September 8-9, 2018.
 State Visit of President Shri Ram Nath Kovind to Cyprus, Bulgaria and Czech Republic in
 State Visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India in
between September 30 - October 01, 2018.
 Visit of Secretary of State of the United States of America Mr. Michael R. Pompeo to India in
Source of Information
 http://pib.nic.in
 http://india.gov.in
 http://www.ibef.org
 http://thehindu.com
 http://jagranjosh.com
 http://gktoday.in
49 |

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Compendium-September, 2018

OBC data to be collected as part of Census in 2021

Government Sets Up 8-Member Search Committee for Lokpal

ARIIA: The New ranking based on innovation

Telangana State Legislative Assembly Dissolved For Fresh Election

Adultery: Supreme Court Declares Section 497 Of IPC Unconstitutional

Odisha states plan to create a second House, Legislative Council

Pakyong Airport: Pm Narendra Modi Inaugurates Sikkim’s First Airport

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Jharsuguda Airport in Odisha

EyeROV TUNA: India's first underwater robotic drone launched

Uttarakhand Assembly Adopts Resolution to Declare Cow Rashtra Mata

ISRO Launches Two Satellites Novasar and S1-4 Using PSLV-C42

SC appointed a three-member panel headed CJ for Nambi Narayanan

Rajasthan’s First Lion Safari Inaugurated at Nahargarh Biological Park

Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor may achieve criticality in 2019

Supreme Court constitutes committee to look into jail reforms

Snow Leopard Spotted in Lippa-Asra Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh

Aadhaar mandatory for Filing of IT returns and allotment of PAN: SC

Government Approves Jharkhand Govt’s Proposal to Rename Nagar Untari Town as

Japan to Conduct World’s First Test of Space Elevator

International Women Entrepreneurs Summit gets underway in Nepal

"Typhoon Jebi” struck Japan, killed at least 11 deaths

China-Maldives Friendship Bridge: First Cross-Sea Bridge in The Maldives Inaugurated

World Hindu Congress held in Chicago, USA

Global hunger on rise in insurgency: UN

Sri Lanka to ban animal sacrifices at Hindu temples

7th UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism

First General Assembly of International Solar Alliance on October 2

The Boeing 747 completed 50 years of its launch on 30 September

Narendra Modi launches the India Post Payments Bank

Mahindra Company launched “Marazzo”, a new multi-purpose vehicle (MPV)

India’s first-ever Artificial intelligence (AI)-based supermarket “Watasale” opened in

Government launches Financial Inclusion Index

IL&FS has defaulted on a loan repayment to SIDBI

Dubai to host India-UAE Partnership Summit

Center proposes merger of Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda

Marc Benioff agreed to buy iconic magazine “Time”

Saudi Arabia to join CPEC as a strategic partner

Andhra Pradesh tops Ease of Living Index rankings under AMRUT

RBI barred Bandhan Bank from opening new branches

COMCASA: India, US sign Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement

India's first missile tracking ship is readying for sea trials

India's first smart fence project along Pakistan border to be launch

MILEX-18: First Military Exercise of BIMSTEC Countries Held In Pune

Justice Ranjan Gogoi to be next Chief Justice of India (CJI)

Top Scientist KN Vyas Appointed As Atomic Energy Commission Chief

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih elected new president of Maldives

Rajni Kant Misra Appointed BSF Chief, SS Deswal to Head SSB

Arif Alvi elected the new President of Pakistan

Winners of US Open 2018

1. Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic(Serbia) Juan Martin del Potro

2. Women’s Singles Naomi Osaka(Japan) Serena Williams (USA)

4. Women’s Doubles Ashleigh Barty (Australia) Kristina Mladenovic (France)

5. Mixed Doubles Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) Nikola Mektić (Croatia)

Duleep Trophy 2017-18 : India Blue wins defeating India Red

Hima Das to Be Made First Sports Ambassador of Assam

National Sports Awards 2018

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

S.No. Recipient Discipline

1. Ms. S Mirabai Chanu Weightlifting

2. Shri Virat Kohli Cricket

S.No. Recipient Discipline

1. Shri Neeraj Chopra Athletics