Correct Answer :   5

---

Five villages in the country won the ‘Gold’ award by the Union Government in the category of Best Rural Tourism Projects.

They are Dawar in Kashmir, Sarmoli in Uttarakhand, Reiek in Mizoram, Kanthalloor village in Kerala, and Mandla in MP.

Kanthalloor village in Idukki district, where the sustainable and inclusive STREET tourism project of the state Responsible Tourism Mission was successfully implemented, has won the ‘Gold’ award by the government of India in the best rural tourism project category.

State tourism director P B Nooh received the award from the Union ministry of tourism secretary V Vidyavathi at a ceremony held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on the World Tourism Day, on Wednesday (27th Sep 2023).

STREET, which stands for ‘Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism’, was implemented in selected places across the state, based on UNWTO’s theme ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’.

Kanthalloor was selected for the honour after an eight-month-long extensive evaluation of rural projects across the country. In all, 767 projects vied for honours, and five of them won ‘Gold’, 10 were selected for ‘Silver’ and 20 of them won ‘Bronze.’.

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   V.O. Chidambaranar Port

---

On September 23, 2023, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority , Tamil Nadu successfully handled 3x20 ISO Green Ammonia Containers, weighing 37.4 tons of Green Ammonia, from Damietta Port, Egypt, for M/s. Tuticorin Alkali Chemical and Fertilizers Ltd (TFL).

Conventionally, Grey Ammonia is utilized for soda ash production. As a Go Green initiative, TFL has imported Green ammonia to produce Green soda Ash, on a trial basis. Further, TFL is planned to import 2000 MT this year (2023) subject to the availability of Green Ammonia.

On 24.09.2023, V.O. Chidambaranar Port created a new record by handling 2,01,204 MT in a single day surpassing the earlier single day record of 2,00,642 MT on 26.08.2023.

The Major Cargos that contributed to the achievement are Container (1,03,528), Thermal coal (35,018), industrial coal (27,233), Limestone (12,868), Sulphuric acid (10,930) and Others (11,627).

Shri Bimal Kumar Jha, Chairman(i/c), V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, remarked “V.O. Chidambaranar Port has been a trendsetter amongst Major Ports of India in undertaking Green Port initiatives. Our Port Business Partners & Stakeholders have also undertaken various initiatives to use green products to reduce carbon footprint. On this special occasion, I take this opportunity to congratulate TFL for their green initiative and wish them all success in their future endeavors.”.

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Intel

---

Intel has announced Gokul Subramaniam as Intel India President on Wednesday (27th Sep 2023) and in his new role, Subramaniam will be responsible for Intel’s overall engineering and design operations in India, including driving innovation, cross-group efficiencies and execution of Intel products from the site.

Subramaniam has been with Intel for over 11 years, and during this period, he held several technical and business leadership positions in product and systems engineering.

Subramaniam is based in Bengaluru and is currently working as vice president in the Client Computing Group (CCG) and serves as general manager of Client Platforms and Systems within Intel. Subramaniam is taking over this new role of Intel India President in addition to his existing functional responsibility of leading Client Platforms and Systems in CCG.

“As a critical engineering and design centre for Intel, Intel India plays a vital role in our company’s transformation journey and the trajectory towards product leadership. I am excited about the engineering prowess we have at the site and the opportunities it brings to accelerate innovation and advance excellence in the execution of our engineering programs,” said Subramaniam.

When it comes to educational background, Subramaniam holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering from the University of Madras, a master’s degree in computer science and engineering from the University of Texas and completed an executive program in general management from MIT Sloan School of Management. He is the inventor of six patents, with an additional five filed in the areas of computing, wireless, power management, industrial design, systems and software.

Santhosh Viswanathan, Vice President and Managing Director-Sales, Marketing and Communications Group (SMG) for Intel India, will continue to be responsible for Intel’s overall business in India, including driving new revenue and growth opportunities..

Source : Business Today

Correct Answer :   40th

---

India has maintained its 40th rank in the latest Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023 released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), making it a leading position holder among the lower middle-income country group.

The country ranked first among the 37 lower-middle group income and first among the 10 economies in Central and South America.

“India maintains its 40th position overall and takes the helm in the lower middle-income group. It holds the record for overperforming on innovation for the 13th consecutive year. India holds top rankings in key indicators, including ICT services exports (at place 5), VC received (6), graduates in science and engineering (11) and global corporate R&D investors (13),” read a press state from the GII.

The GII tracks the innovation ecosystem performance of 132 global economies and the most recent global innovation trends. In 2015, India stood at the 81st spot and has been rising in the past eight years.

“The consistent improvement in the GII ranking is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant start-up ecosystem, and the amazing work done by the public and private research organizations. Innovation has been at the forefront of our battle against the unprecedented crisis created by the pandemic and will be pivotal in driving the country’s resilience, as enshrined in the Prime Minister’s clarion call on Atma Nirbhar Bharat,” NITI Aayog said in a statement on Thursday.

The GII is a reliable tool for governments across the world to assess the innovation-led social and economic changes in their respective countries.

Other parameters where India performed fairly better include– cultural and creative services exports as percentage of trade (18th rank), intangible asset intensity (8th rank), and overall market sophistication (20th rank).

The broad areas where a lot of improvement needs to happen are infrastructure (84th rank), business sophistication (57) and institutions (56).

NITI Aayog said that it has been working tirelessly to ensure the optimisation of the national efforts for bringing policy-led innovation in different areas such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, alternative energy sources, etc.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has also been collaborating in India’s journey towards an innovation-driven economy, said the government think tank. This year, the NITI Aayog will virtually be hosting ‘the India Launch of the GII 2023’ in partnership with the CII and the WIPO.

Of the 21 economies that outperformed on innovation relative to their level of development, the majority are located in Sub-Saharan Africa and SouthEast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania.

Along with India, the Republic of Moldova and Vietnam have also been innovation overperformers for 13 years in a row and Indonesia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have maintained their overperformer status for a second year and Brazil for a third consecutive year, according to WIPO..

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Lucknow

---

Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav, a 75 day-long event to celebrate the Indian languages started 28th Sep 2023 in Lucknow.

Padma shree awardees and representatives of different Indian languages are taking part in the program which includes Bahubhashi Sangoshthi i.e. Multi-laguage conference and play based on Ramayana 28th Sep 2023.

The festival will continue from 28th Sep 2023 to 11 December 2023 which is birthday of Famous Tamil poet Subrahmanyam Bharti and celebrated as Indian Languages day.

The Additional Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar said on the occasion that central government has decided to celebrate Indian languages for 75 days under The Indian Languages Festival and many programs will be organised throughout the state to celebrate different Indian languages..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   United Nations

---

India and the United Nations launched a joint capacity-building initiative for the Global South on Sunday (24th Sep 2023). The “India-UN Capacity Building Initiative” aims to share India’s development experiences, best practices and expertise with partner countries in the Global South through capacity building and training programs.

The initiative was announced at the India-UN for the Global South in New York.
 
The India-UN initiative also complements the India-UN partnership in the form of “India-UN Development Partnership Fund” which has developed a portfolio of 75 development projects in 61 countries in the last 6 years.
 

As part of this initiative, the UN India team and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will partner to leverage India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation platform.

A Joint Declaration of Intent was exchanged today between the UN Resident Coordinator in India and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
 
This Initiative will also operationalise the development-relevant deliverables of India’s G20 Presidency. These include the G20 Action Plan for Accelerating Progress on the SDGs, technological transformation and building Digital Public Infrastructure..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   SIDBI

---

With an aim to enhance the economic and financial sustainability of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is in the process of launching an app-based 'invoice financing' loans platform 'GST Sahay', an official said.

This was announced by SIDBI, Chief General Manager (CGM), Rahul Priyadarshi at a customer outreach programme here on Wednesday (27th Sep 2023).

"The MSMEs are vital for the economic growth and development of India. They (MSMEs) create jobs and contribute enormously to the socio-economic development of the country. Although several measures for the MSMEs have been taken in the past few years by the government, the crunch in working capital credit is one of the major issues for them. Now, SIDBI is in the process of launching an app-based 'invoice financing' loans platform for them," he said."

The new invoice platform-GST Sahay will reduce the problem of delayed payments and consequential cash flows mismatches for the MSMEs. The GST Sahay will be an invoice-financing marketplace where MSMEs can use their unpaid invoices to get quick working capital loans", said Priyadarshi.

While speaking about industrial growth in Bihar, the CGM said, "There is no doubt that the industrial growth is taking place in the state, but SIDBI wants to take this region at a greater height. There is a lot of scope for agro-processing, medical and agri tourism in the state. We are always focused on such businesses and SIDBI wants this region to prosper further".

SIDBI wants to enhance its loan assistance further in the state, he said, adding the loan book of SIDBI's Patna region has grown at 35 per cent (from March 2023 till the date).

"The jump of 35 per cent in lending (of the Patna region), which is at Rs 232 crore now, is quite satisfactory. We want to increase it further. Now the accelerator of growth is on in this region", he said.


Transparency and trust is the principle on which SIDBI does its businesses, he said.

Anubha Prasad, Regional Head of SIDBI Patna, speaking at the event said, "SIDBI is dedicated to fostering strong relationships with its valued customers. SIDBI hopes to aid the development of the two states (Bihar and Jharkhand) through its credit-plus approach, and create stronger footprints for enterprise development at the grassroots level, creating employment and empowering entrepreneurs, as well as work with the two state governments to add value to their initiatives".

SIDBI has appraised 17 proposals involving assistance of approximately Rs 196 crore under Micro and Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) for Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) clusters in the state, she added.

Highlighting the bank's comprehensive range of offerings, Prasad said, " SIDBI is also providing financial assistance and support for green projects in the MSME sector as aligned to the nation's commitment to reduce the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions"..

Source : Zeebiz

Correct Answer :   28th Sep 2023

---

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (MS Swaminathan), legendary agricultural scientist and father of India’s ‘Green Revolution,’ died at the age of 98 in Chennai on Thursday (28th Sep 2023).

Born on August 7, 1925 in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, he was an agronomist, agricultural scientist, plant geneticist, administrator, and humanitarian who played a crucial role in developing high-yielding varieties of paddy that helped ensure India’s low-income farmers produce more yield.

Swaminathan started his career in 1949 researching on the genetics of potato, wheat, rice and jute. When India was on the verge of a mass famine leading to scarcity of food grains, Swaminathan along with Norman Borlaug and other scientists developed the high yield variety seeds of wheat.

Swaminathan, who is known as the "Father of Economic Ecology" by the United Nations Environment Programme, worked with agriculture ministers including C Subramaniam and Jagjivan Ram during 1960s and 70s for the success of the ‘Green Revolution,’ an initiative that paved the way for exponential rise in productivity of wheat and rice through adaptation of chemical-biological technology.

For developing and spearheading the introduction of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties into India, he was awarded the first World Food Prize in 1987 following which he set up the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai. Swaminathan was also awarded with Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986.

He had also been conferred with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. He is also the recipient of the H K Firodia award, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award and the Indira Gandhi Prize.

The Indian agriculturalist had also held administrative positions in various agricultural research laboratories. He served as the director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and later International Rice Research Institute. He also served as the principal secretary of the ministry of agriculture in 1979.

In 1988, Swaminathan became the president of the International Union of the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources. In 2004, he was appointed as chair of the National Commission on Farmers.

Beyond his work in the country, Swaminathan was an spectacular figure globally, contributing to various international agricultural and environmental initiatives. He was named one of the 20 most influential Asians of the 20th century by Time magazine.

He is survived by his three daughters Soumya, Madhura, and Nitya. His wife Mina died in 2022..

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Uttarakhand

---

The Uttarakhand government has signed a memorandum of understanding worth ₹2,000 crore with global ropeway construction firm Poma Group in London.

The MoU was signed by Uttarakhand's secretary (industries) Vinay Shankar Pandey on behalf of the state government.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said keeping in mind the geographical conditions of the state, there is immense potential for investment in the field of eco-friendly tourism in Uttarakhand.

The Poma Group has worked in Uttarakhand, having been associated with the Auli ropeway in Chamoli district of the state. The company is also also providing technical support in Dehradun-Mussoorie ropeway & Yamunotri ropeway projects, the government statement said.

“The Poma Group has expressed its desire to invest in providing technical support for ropeway & establishing a Center of Excellence in many other religious and tourist places including Haridwar”, Dhami said.

Dhami said that the focus of his government is also on ecology & economy, along with tourism. The chief minister said that the state government is looking for different ways of investment in which there is a balance between development & environment.

“In such a situation, on one hand, options like ropeway will provide convenience to the tourists in Uttarakhand, while on the other hand, it will prove to be better from the environmental point of view, along with increasing the livelihood opportunities of the local people”, the CM added.

Dhami also participated in the meetings organised at the London roadshow for the Global Investors Summit in Dehradun. He met many leading industrial houses of London and held detailed discussions about possibilities of investment in the hill state. Dhami also invited all the investors to Uttarakhand for the Global Investor Summit to be held in the month of December this year.

Dhami said that London is also a big center of service sector. He added that the Uttarakhand government’s aim is that global investors should come to the state, so that the industrial activities here can gain more momentum..

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   56th

---

India has slipped four spots to 56th position, compared to its 52nd position in 2022, in the 2023 World Talent Ranking, according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) release.

Though the report, released on 27 September 2023, acknowledges India's infrastructure improvements, it underscores the need for further enhancement in talent competitiveness.

However, the IMD praised India's talent pool for its agility, tech-savviness, and readiness for the future. "Indians are seen as well-prepared for global roles, thanks to their linguistic diversity and international exposure"

"Talent competitiveness, alongside substantial infrastructure investments, is crucial for a nation's long-term success," said IMD World Competitiveness Center Director Professor Arturo Bries.

The IMD World Talent Ranking considers various factors, including quality of life, statutory minimum wage, and primary and secondary education. India fares reasonably well in future readiness, ranking 29th. However, the report highlights India's weak educational system, ranking it second to last (63rd) in quality. This is attributed to unequal access to education, particularly in rural areas, and insufficient investment.

Professor Bries added, "Increasing investment in education is a straightforward solution that requires strong political commitment, as it is the most critical investment a country can make."

The IMD in its report mentions that India needs comprehensive policies, including salary increases and improvements in quality of life, safety, and environmental friendliness to retain talent domestically.

In the IMD World Talent Ranking 2023, Switzerland ranked on top, while Luxembourg was in second place, followed by Iceland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

The United States is ranked 15th, while China is at 41st place, and the UK ranks 35th. Brazil (63rd) and Mongolia (64th) occupy the bottom two spots.

In October, IMD is planning to release the Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index, while in November, it will release the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, following earlier releases of the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking and the IMD Smart City Index..

Source : Mint