Correct Answer :   SUGAM REC

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REC Limited, the Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, has launched (6th Oct 2023) a mobile application, exclusively for current and future investors in REC’s 54EC Capital Gain Tax Exemption Bonds.

Named ‘SUGAM REC’, the mobile app will offer investors with complete details of their investment in REC 54EC Bonds.

Investors will be able to download their e-bond certificates, apply for fresh investment, download important forms related to updating of KYC, and also connect with REC’s Investor Cell via call / email / WhatsApp.

The mobile application can be downloaded free of charge, on Android and iOS platforms.

‘SUGAM REC’ is amongst one of REC’s many digital initiatives.

What are Section 54EC Bonds?

Section 54EC Bonds are a type of fixed income financial instruments which provide tax exemption under capital gains to investors, under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act.

Read more on this here.

More on REC’s 54EC Capital Gain Tax Exemption Bonds here.

Correct Answer :   MS Dhoni

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Reliance Retail’s JioMart has signed up Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s most iconic cricketer, as its brand ambassador. Dhoni’s association comes alongside the rebranding of their festive campaign JioMart to “JioUtsav, Celebrations Of India,” which is scheduled to launch on October 8, 2023.


JioUtsav: Celebrating India’s Culture, Festivals, and Dhoni’s Triumphs :

The JioUtsav campaign is designed to celebrate India’s vibrant culture, its people, and the various festivals that mark the country’s calendar. This campaign takes inspiration from Dhoni’s life, recognizing that he has given the nation numerous reasons to celebrate through his incredible cricketing achievements.

The campaign encourages everyone to celebrate all occasions of happiness, festivities, and special moments with loved ones. It positions shopping as an integral part of these celebrations, highlighting JioMart as the go-to platform for all shopping needs. The campaign also promises exciting shopping deals and discounts that will be available on the platform.

The Expanding Reach of JioMart :

JioMart has been steadily expanding its presence in the Indian e-commerce market. Whether it’s electronics, groceries, fashion, or home essentials, JioMart aims to provide a wide array of choices to cater to every customer’s needs.

Currently, the platform collaborates with over 1000 artisans and offers a diverse range of 150,000 unique products.

What’s particularly noteworthy is that non-metro regions contribute to approximately 60% of JioMart’s overall sales. This statistic underscores the platform’s successful efforts to democratize digital retail by reaching consumers in smaller cities and towns.


A Leap Towards Retail Excellence :

As JioMart continues to expand its reach and enhance its offerings, this collaboration is expected to strengthen its position in the competitive online retail landscape. Dhoni’s association with JioMart is a reflection of the brand’s commitment to excellence, trust, and reliability, and it signals exciting times ahead for both the brand and its customers..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Goa

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The inaugural edition of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) – NITI Aayog State Workshop Series on Enabling Women-led Development through Entrepreneurship was organized at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Auditorium, Goa on 3rd October 2023. The workshop was held in collaboration with the Government of Goa with a focus on the western region of the country.


A Gathering of Change-Makers : The workshop recorded over 500 participants, including women entrepreneurs, local self-help groups (SHGs) and clusters, government officials, industry representatives, incubators/accelerators, financial institutions, philanthropic foundations, and more. The primary focus was deliberating on a hub-and-spoke model aimed at extending women-led development to grassroots levels, covering the last mile.


Goa State Vision 2047 : Dr. Pramod Sawant, Honorable Chief Minister, Government of Goa, stated that the Goa State Vision 2047 will be prepared with help from NITI Aayog.

Swayampurna Goa initiative : Celebrating the three-year milestone of the Swayampurna Goa initiative, Dr. Sawant emphasized its focus on skill development and the deployment of “Swayampurna Grameen Mitras” for the doorstep delivery of government services in every block and Panchayat.


Swayampurna e-bazaar :  Furthermore, the Chief Minister reiterated the role of women in socio-economic progress, announcing the Swayampurna e-bazaar during Dussehra, aimed at expanding market access through Common Service Centres.


Nurturing Women-led Development : Highlighting NITI Aayog’s mandate for cooperative federalism, Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, emphasized the pivotal role of states in driving the nation’s growth. He emphasized three key priorities: maintaining the employment-to-education ratio, promoting women’s entrepreneurship, and restructuring the workforce.

Central Government’s Unwavering Commitment : NITI Aayog CEO, B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, emphasized NITI Aayog’s commitment to helping state governments establish entities akin to NITI Aayog within their respective states. These entities may not necessarily be standalone institutions; they could take the form of a department or utilize existing organizational structures. The key is to establish them as central hubs for future-oriented thinking and planning, with dedicated staff focused solely on their mission.

A Thriving Ecosystem for Women Entrepreneurs : A series of new collaborations were announced to support women entrepreneurs. Key highlights are the partnership between:

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform’s workshop in Goa marks a significant step towards fostering an environment where women-led development and entrepreneurship thrive, bringing about positive change not just in Goa but throughout the country. Through collaboration and dedicated efforts, India is taking strides towards a more inclusive and empowered future..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   6.5%

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RBI Monetary Policy Committee has kept the key policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. This is the fourth meeting on the trot that the MPC decided to maintain the status quo on the repo rate.

The MPC last raised this rate by 25 bps to 6.50% at its meeting in February 2023.

Announcing the bi-monthly monetary policy, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the transmission of 250 bps repo rate cut is still incomplete.

The Real GDP growth projection for FY24 remains unchanged at 6.5%. Similarly, inflation for FY24 is projected at 5.4%, unchanged from earlier.

Preventing food and fuel price shocks are non-negotiable necessities, the Governor said. RBI may have to consider open market operations (OMOs) with regard to G-secs to manage liquidity, Das added. In the post Monetary Policy press conference, Das said that OMO will be via auction..

Source : The Hindu Businessline

Correct Answer :   India

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In an unprecedented development where India had already served two terms as President, Asia- Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) General Conference (GC) from 2018 – 2021 and 2021 – 2023, India has been elected as President of AIBD GC for the 3rd successive term to lead the prestigious international organisation.

On the above achievement, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting stated that this milestone has happened for the first time in the history of AIBD, which is an organization of 50 years old and this shows the confidence of the broadcasting organizations across the Asia Pacific and the world on India and that India can - show the way, lead the way in providing a new value of the broadcasting.

AIBD, established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO, is a unique regional inter-governmental organisation, currently has 92 member organisations from across 44 countries, including 26 Government Members (countries) represented by 48 broadcasting authorities and broadcasters, and 44 Affiliates (organisations) of which represented by 28 countries and regions in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, Arab States and North America.

India is one of the founding members of AIBD and Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster is the representative body of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India at AIBD.

The 21st General Conference & Associated Meetings 2023 (GC 2023) of Asia- Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) was chaired by its President Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO Prasar Bharati and concluded successfully from 02-04 October, 2023 in Port Louis, Mauritius.

The two-day Conference is mandated to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia- Pacific region through policy and resource development.

Holding such prestigious post at an international broadcasting Institute not only reflects strong trust of the international media in India & Prasar Bharati but also lays the foundation for India to achieve strategically further milestones in the field of broadcasting..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Madhya Pradesh

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s first high-tech sports training centre for Divyangjan, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

This initiative aims to provide equal opportunities in sports, enhance talent, and encourage participation in various sports disciplines. Divyangjan from all over the country can practice and train in the Atal Bihari Training Center for Divyang Sports.

The Atal Bihari Training Centre for Disability Sports is set to witness a momentous occasion as the Honourable Prime Minister will inaugurate the facility on 2nd October. This significant initiative underscores our nation’s commitment to promoting sports inclusivity and accessibility for all.

The Atal Bihari Training Centre for Disability Sports represents a pivotal step towards providing equal opportunities in sports to individuals with disabilities, fostering their talents, and encouraging their participation in various sporting disciplines.

Facilities provided in the Atal Bihari Training Center :

The Atal Bihari Training Centre for Disability Sports is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to training and nurturing athletes with disabilities. It houses world-class infrastructure and coaching staff to provide the best possible training environment for differently-abled athletes.

It is an Autonomous body established by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India.

The Centre is registered as a society under the M.P Societies Registration Act, 1973 dated: 22.09.2021, with authorities being Governing Body & Executive committee supervising the activities of the Centre.

The Centre functions with the following Aims and Objectives :

* To establish a state-of-the-art international level Centre of Excellence for sports for para sportspersons (PwDs) with fully accessibility as per norms.
* To create specialized sports infrastructure so that the para sports persons can undergo rigorous and specialized training in the Centre.
* To provide training facilities for Divyang sportspersons at par with the latest such facilities available elsewhere in the world.
* To ensure participation of Divyangjan in sports activities in greater numbers and enable them to effectively compete in international events.
* To help build confidence and develop a sense of belonging in Divyangjan to facilitate their integration in Society.
* The cabinet has approved a budget of 151.16 cores, at an area of 34 acres, for setup of the Centre..

Source :Topstory

Correct Answer :   India

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India will raise all issues with the Canadian speaker of the Senate during the upcoming Parliament-20 meeting of the G20 nations' presiding officers scheduled here next week on 13 October 2023, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Friday (6th Oct 2023).

The presiding officers of 25 countries and 10 deputy speakers from the G20 member nations and invitee countries are expected to attend the P20 Summit that will be held at the India International Convention and Expo Centre -- Yashobhoomi -- at Dwarka from October 12 to 14, 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) on October 13, 2023.

Canada will be represented at the P20 Summit by Speaker of the Senate Raymonde Gagne. India's relations with Canada have been under severe strain after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

"We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally," Birla said when asked whether the matter of using the Canadian Parliament to level allegations against India will be raised with the Canadian presiding officer.

More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the three-day summit that will see the participation of 50 members of Parliament, 14 general secretaries, 26 vice-presidents, the International Parliamentary Union president and the president of the Pan-African Parliament.

"The main theme of the 9th P20 is proposed to be 'Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future'," Birla told a press conference here.

The P20 Summit will have four sessions on "Transformation in People's Lives through Public Digital Platforms", "Women-led Development", "Accelerating SDGs" and "Sustainable Energy Transition", he said.

"A pre-summit event, namely Parliamentary Forum on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), will be held on October 12 at Yashobhoomi. An exhibition titled 'Mother of Democracy' will also be organised to highlight India's ancient and participative democratic traditions," Birla said.

The P20 delegates will also be taken on a tour of the new Parliament house, followed by a cultural evening and dinner hosted by the speaker..

Source : Outlook India

Correct Answer :   India and UAE

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Abu Dhabi, UAE – October 5, 2023 - India and the United Arab Emirates  have taken a significant step towards strengthening their partnership in sustainable industrial development and advanced technologies.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was officially inked on Thursday (5th Oct 2023) in Abu Dhabi, solidifying the commitment to collaborative efforts in areas such as supply chain resilience, clean energy technology, healthcare, space, Industry 4.0, and industrial standards.

The MoU was signed by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, representing India, and Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, in the presence of  Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

The primary focus of this landmark agreement is to facilitate industrial investments, technology transfer, and the implementation of key innovations across various industries. The collaboration aims to yield mutual benefits, as both nations strive for joint industrial and technological advancements.

Al Jaber emphasized, "In line with the UAE leadership's vision, we are committed to strengthening bilateral relations to enhance sustainable and economic growth. Given the UAE's strong relationship with India across the economic, technological, and social domains, we are pleased to sign this MoU to further develop the industrial sector in line with advanced technology and sustainability standards."

The MoU covers a wide spectrum of cooperation, including advanced industries, energy transition solutions, healthcare, and space. It also seeks to develop innovative technological solutions that align with sustainability and climate neutrality goals.

Shri Goyal noted, "This MoU opens new doors to develop cooperation efforts and build an institutional framework in the fields of emerging technologies. It would help in promoting and developing bilateral cooperation in sectors such as Space, healthcare, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and many other vital areas."

The agreement's seven key areas of focus include supply chain resilience, renewable energy and energy efficiency, health and life sciences, space systems, AI, Industry 4.0, advanced technologies, and standardization and metrology.

To enhance supply chain resilience, the UAE and India will collaborate to identify opportunities for raw material supply and share best practices in industrial enablement and incentivization.

In the energy sector, the two countries will work together to advance energy storage technologies, Smart Grid deployment, and research and development in renewable energy and energy efficiency.Healthcare and life sciences collaboration will involve the development of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology utilization, and research and development in these areas.

The MoU also highlights the intent to bolster space industries through commercial development, small satellite launches, space exploration, and licensing of space-related materials. In the field of AI, both nations will cooperate in deploying AI technologies across various sectors, including space, energy, healthcare, and supply chains. They will work to advance machine learning and data analytics capabilities.Additionally, the agreement emphasizes the deployment of Industry 4.0 technologies, real-time data processing, autonomous robotics, and additive manufacturing in key industries.

Lastly, standardization, metrology, conformity assessment, accreditation, and Halal certification will be areas of cooperation, with the goal of harmonizing standards and mutual recognition of conformity assessment results. Under this MoU, industrial and academic collaborations, collaborative research and development projects, and the sharing of best practices in science and technology policies will be encouraged, further solidifying the comprehensive nature of the partnership.

This strategic MoU is expected to pave the way for significant advancements in both countries, promoting sustainable growth, competitiveness, and efficiency across various industries while fostering innovation and technological excellence..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Shaktikanta Das

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will unveil the fourth monetary policy of the financial year 2023-24 on Friday(6 October 2023), after a two-day review that began this week on October 4, 2023. Analysts on D-Street expect the central bank to keep rates unchanged and maintain its hawkish policy stance on 6 October 2023.

The review by the six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) led by Das will likely indicate the course RBI will adopt in the remainder of the financial year as it seeks to strike a fine balance between maintaining growth and keeping inflation under control amid high crude oil prices and surging US bond yields.

RBI MPC Expectations

“With inflation still above the target, the RBI MPC is on course to maintain a hawkish pause in October, besides keeping liquidity tight," said Radhika Rao, economist with DBS Group Holdings Ltd. The central bank’s outlook on growth and uncertainty over the US rate path will likely “keep the policy committee from exploring rate cuts this fiscal year," she said.

In the absence of a rate move, the RBI may shift its focus to liquidity management, with policy makers seeking to keep cash in the financial system relatively tight in order to control inflation pressures, according to analysts.

RBI MPC Meeting Date : The three-day meeting of the RBI's rate-setting panel started on Wednesday, October 4 and the outcome is due on Friday, October 6.

RBI MPC Meeting Timing : RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das will unveil the MPC decision around 10 am on Friday (October 6, 2023).

RBI MPC Meeting Schedule : After the MPC decision which starts around 10 am, RBI Governor Das will address a post-policy press conference at 12 noon..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Rajnath Singh

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Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched the Navy's updated indigenous programme Swavalamban 2.0, the two-day seminar of Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), which commenced in New Delhi on October 04, 2023.

The main highlight was the release of the fifth Positive Indigenisation List of Department of Military Affairs (DMA) comprising 98 items.

Highly complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition have been included in the list. All these items will be procured from indigenous sources as per provisions given in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 in staggered timeline.

Shri Rajnath Singh also launched 76 challenges for the industry under 10th Defence India Start-up Challenges (DISC 10) & DISC 10 PRIME of Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and five problem statements under iDEX for Fauji.

In addition, two INDUS X challenges under ‘INDUS-X Mutual Promotion of Advanced Collaborative Technologies’ (IMPACT) challenges jointly finalised by iDEX and United States Department of Defense (US DoD) were launched by the Raksha Mantri.

He also released the Indian Navy’s updated Indigenisation Roadmap ‘Swavlamban 2.0’. A special interactive session for the industry to explain the nuances of the roadmap is planned on Day 2 of the seminar.

Source : PIB