Correct Answer :   Bengaluru

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Bengaluru claims the top spot for green office spaces in India, according to the CBRE-CII report 'Indian Real Estate: Taking Giant Strides - 2023 Mid-Year Outlook.' Over the last three and a half year.

In a significant development for India’s real estate sector, Bengaluru has emerged as the city with the highest green-certified office space. This achievement is part of a broader trend showcased in the ‘Indian Real Estate: Taking Giant Strides – 2023 Mid-Year Outlook’ report jointly released by real estate consultant CBRE and industry body CII during the CII Realty conference.


Green-Certified Office Space Growth :

The report highlights a remarkable 36% growth in green-certified office space across six major Indian cities over the past three and a half years. In 2019, the total green-certified office stock stood at 251 million square feet, but it has now surged to an impressive 342 million square feet.

Key Findings :

Bengaluru’s Leading Role : Bengaluru has taken the lead in this green revolution, showcasing the most significant growth in green office space. This trend underscores the city’s commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly workplaces.

Report Launch : The CBRE-CII report, titled ‘Indian Real Estate: Taking Giant Strides – 2023 Mid-Year Outlook,’ was unveiled during the CII Realty conference. It serves as a comprehensive overview of the real estate sector’s progress and prospects in the current year.

Green-Certified Office Stock : The report emphasizes the substantial expansion of green-certified office space from 2019 to 2023, reflecting a strong industry response to environmental concerns and evolving global and domestic Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) regulations.

Sustainable Business Practices : The report underscores the growing importance of ESG considerations among businesses, driving a “flight-to-quality” wave among occupiers. This shift reflects a preference for modern, premium, and sustainable office spaces in the medium to long term..

Source : Money Control

Correct Answer :   Gujarat

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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, graced the occasion commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. This prestigious event took place at Science City in Ahmedabad, a city that has witnessed the remarkable transformation of Vibrant Gujarat over the past two decades.

The Evolution of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit: A 20-Year Journey
The inception of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit occurred two decades ago, precisely on September 28, 2003, under the forward-thinking guidance of the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi. As years passed, it evolved into an internationally recognized event, establishing itself as one of India’s foremost business summits.


Leaders of Industry Share Their Insights

Distinguished leaders of industry gathered to reflect on the incredible journey of Vibrant Gujarat.


B K Goenka: A Role Model for States

B K Goenka, Chairman of Welspun lauded the summit as a global event that serves as a role model for other states. Mr. Goenka recalled Shri Modi’s advice during the first Vibrant Gujarat, which led to successful expansion in the Kutch region. Today, Kutch is poised to become a hub of green hydrogen production.


Takashi Suzuki: Japan’s Strong Partnership

Takashi Suzuki, Chief Director General of Jetro (South Asia), extended congratulations to the Gujarat Government for the summit’s 20th anniversary. He emphasized Japan’s significant contribution to the Make in India initiative and highlighted the deepening cultural and business ties between Japan and Gujarat. Suzuki credited Prime Minister Modi’s guidance for Jetro’s presence in Gujarat and invited a Japanese business delegation for future collaborations.


Lakshmi Mittal: Shaping India’s Investment Landscape

Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal, recognized Vibrant Gujarat as the trendsetter that inspired similar events across India. He commended Prime Minister Modi’s vision and leadership, highlighting Gujarat’s status as a leading industrial state. Mr. Mittal also provided insights into ArcelorMittal’s projects in Gujarat.

Prime Minister’s Vision for India’s Global Economic Leadership

The Prime Minister remarked, “When we initiated Vibrant Gujarat, our objective was to position this state as the catalyst for the nation’s advancement. He went on to mention that the 2014 goal of making India the world’s growth engine is gaining recognition among international organizations and experts.

Today, India stands as the fastest-growing economy globally. We are now at a pivotal juncture where India is poised to emerge as a major global economic force. Our aspiration is for India to claim the position of the third-largest economy in the world,” he stated.


Seeds of Transformation

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the challenging circumstances that Gujarat faced in the early 2000s, including the 2001 earthquake, drought, and the Madhavpura bank crisis. Despite these difficulties, he expressed his unwavering confidence in the people of Gujarat and pledged to lead the state out of its predicament.


Birth of Vibrant Gujarat

Vibrant Gujarat emerged as a means to uplift the state’s spirits and engage with the world. It showcased Gujarat’s decision-making prowess and the nation’s potential in various sectors. The summit also presented opportunities, talent, and India’s cultural richness on a global stage.

Prime Minister Modi detailed the summit’s growth from a few hundred participants in 2003 to over 40,000 participants from 135 countries in recent editions. He emphasized the importance of combining audacious ideas with effective implementation.

Prime Minister’s Reflections on the 20th Anniversary of Vibrant Gujarat

Speaking to the assembled audience, the Prime Minister observed that the efforts initiated two decades ago have blossomed into the vibrant and multifaceted phenomenon we now know as Vibrant Gujarat. He expressed his joy at being part of the 20th-anniversary festivities of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.

Emphasizing that Vibrant Gujarat isn’t just a branding exercise for the state but a means to fortify connections, the Prime Minister stressed that the summit symbolizes a strong and enduring link between himself and the abilities of the state’s 70 million residents.


A Catalyst for Development

Vibrant Gujarat’s success stories include substantial growth in investments, employment, and exports across sectors like textiles, automobiles, agro-processing, medical devices, diamonds, ceramics, and defense manufacturing. Prime Minister Modi noted that it had transformed Gujarat into an industrial and manufacturing hub.


Towards a Self-Reliant India

The Prime Minister urged industrialists to focus on sectors that could propel India’s growth. He emphasized the need to nurture the startup ecosystem, promote agri-tech, and boost food processing. He also highlighted the increasing relevance of GiFT City for financial cooperation.


Looking to the Future

Prime Minister Modi concluded by stating that the next 20 years are crucial, as India aspires to become a developed and self-reliant nation by its centenary of independence in 2047. He expressed hope that Vibrant Gujarat would continue to move in this direction.

Correct Answer :   Manish Jain

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Yes Bank on Wednesday (27th Sep 2023) announced Manish Jain as the Country Head- Wholesale Banking with immediate effect. Jain will succeed Ravi Thota, according to stock the statement by the bank to the stock exchanges.

Thota has tendered his resignation on account of personal and other professional commitments.

In his role as Country Head-Whilesale Banking, Jain will be responsible for spearheading the wholesale banking business at Yes Bank, comprising large corporates, the bank said.

Jain is a senior banking professional with three decades of work experience which includes 23 years in Standard Chartered Bank.

He has worked in diverse geographical locations throughout India serving all client segments like Large Local Corporates, Strategic Groups, Middle Market Companies, Supply Chain Finance, Transaction Banking sales, Multinational Corporates, Financial Institutions, and SMEs.

Prior to Standard Chartered Bank, Jain worked with Ernst & Young Consulting India, GE India, and Maruti Suzuki.

Jain holds a Master of Business Administration from IIM Bangalore and a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Delhi.

Yes Bank stock traded at ₹17.45 apiece, up by 0.58% at the time of writing..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   2018-Everyone is a Hero

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The Film Federation of India has nominated the Malayalam film "2018: Everyone is a Hero", based on the Kerala floods, as India's official entry for the Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2024.

'2018' is the first Malayalam film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark and the fastest. Now this film will lead India in the Academy Awards.

Survival drama "2018-Everyone is a Hero", based on the Kerala floods that year, is India's official entry to the Academy Awards 2024, the Film Federation of India announced here on Wednesday (27th Sep 2023).

Addressing a press conference, Girish Kasaravalli, noted filmmaker and chairperson of the selection committee, said the 16-member jury unanimously selected the Malayalam film to represent the country.

Kasaravalli, a renowned voice in Kannada cinema, said they had a lengthy discussion before choosing "2018" to represent India at the 2024 Academy Awards.

"It was a pan-Indian selection. And we were happy that we were 16 members and we watched 22 films in one week's time. It was a difficult decision because there were so many good films and we had to analyse to find out which film had better merit. Finally, we decided on '2018 - Everyone is a Hero'," the filmmaker said.

According to Kasaravalli, the Jude Anthany Joseph-directed film highlights "Indian ethos, situation and people".

"It's a film that talks about a calamity that Kerala faced in 2018. It not only represents India but also the calamity that's happening around the world. The film also excels cinematically and technically," he said.

"Such messages are linked to climate change and the so-called development," he added.

Lead star Tovino Thomas, who is currently in Amsterdam for the Septimius Awards where he won the best Asian Actor trophy for "2018", said it was time for celebration for the team.

"I was very happy last night and woke up even happier to this exciting news as our film '2018' has been selected as India's official entry (to Oscars). We worked in extreme conditions but it's all paying off. This movie is now getting international acclaim. It's great," Thomas told PTI over phone from Amsterdam.

"I’m not with the team to celebrate this moment. But this definitely calls for a celebration," he added.

Joseph said the announcement came as a happy surprise.

"It was such a happiness that our film is going for the Oscars as the country's official entry," he added.

Ravi Kottarakara, FFI president, said as many as 22 titles including Hindi films "The Kerala Story", "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani", "Gadar 2", "Zwigato", "The Vaccine War", "Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway" as well as "Balagam" (Telugu), "Vaalvi" (Marathi), "Baaplyok" (Marathi) and "August 16, 1947" (Tamil) were also in the running. But the jury unanimously chose "2018".

"2018" also stars Tanvi Ram, Kunchako Boban and Aparna Balamurali. In June, the makers claimed that the film had crossed over Rs 200 crore at the box office to become the highest grossing film in Malayalam cinema..

Source : Telegraph India

Correct Answer :   Google

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Earthquakes are one of the most common natural disasters in the world, and an early warning can be pivotal in helping people prepare and get themselves and their loved ones to safety. That's why we’ve developed the Android Earthquake Alerts System, which uses sensors in Android smartphones to detect and estimate earthquakes. This is already deployed in many countries around the world to provide people around the world with an early warning when earthquake shaking begins.

Today, in consultation with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, we’re introducing the Android Earthquake Alerts System in India. Through this launch, we strive to provide Android users automatic early warning alerts when there is an earthquake in their area.

Harnessing the Power of Android :

Each Android smartphone is equipped with tiny accelerometers that can act as mini seismometers. When a phone is plugged in and charging, it can detect the very beginnings of earthquake shaking. If many phones detect earthquake-like shaking around the same time, our server can use this information to estimate that an earthquake may be happening, as well as characteristics of the event - like its epicenter and magnitude. Then, our server can send alerts to nearby phones. Internet signals travel at the speed of light, much faster than the propagation of earthquake shaking through the ground, so the alerts often reach phones several seconds before severe shaking does.

Our alerts are designed to be easy to read and follow, and are available in Indian languages supported by Android.

How to use the system :

The Android Earthquake Alerts System1 is rolling out to all Android 5+ users in India during the coming week. To receive alerts, users must have Wi-Fi and/or cellular data connectivity, and both Android Earthquake Alerts and location settings enabled. Users who do not wish to receive these alerts can turn off Earthquake Alerts in device settings.

The system also provides information through Google Search about local seismic events and safety measures when people search for information with queries like “Earthquake near me.”

We hope to supplement the government’s efforts on earthquake alerts and provide people with the advance notice they need to stay safe. In India, we have been working closely with the NDMA to provide users with helpful safety information about natural disasters such as floods and cyclones on Google Search and Maps. We’re proud to further our association with the NDMA, along with the NCS, to bring the Android Earthquake Alerts system to India..


Source : Google

Correct Answer :   September 27

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World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27.

Aim : To promote tourism all over the globe.

Objective : At fostering awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value.

Theme 2023 : The theme for this year's World Tourism Day is 'Tourism and Green Investments'.

Tourism helps provide employment to millions of people to the extent that few countries are completely dependent on the tourism sector for financial stability.
 
In his Mann ki Baat programme on Sunday last, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that a very big aspect of tourism is related to employment, and if any sector generates maximum employment with minimum investment, it is the tourism sector..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Chhattisgarh

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Chhattisgarh received three national awards for its outstanding execution of the Ayushman Bharat scheme under the 'big states' category, achieving 100 per cent utilisation of allocated funds and ensuring 90 per cent of families possess an Ayushman card.

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and deputy CM cum health minister T S Singh Deo, lauded for the achievement and greeted state's officials involved in the scheme's implementation. Baghel mentioned that Chhattisgarh's people-centric approach to healthcare initiatives led to this prestigious national recognition.

CM Bhupesh Baghel said that Chhattisgarh has introduced several innovative schemes to enhance access to high-quality healthcare services in the past five years and the initiatives gained national acclaim.

One such initiative is the Mukhyamantri Haat Bazar Clinic Yojana, which extends free healthcare services to residents in remote forest areas of the state. This scheme has benefited over 1.4 crore people by providing free medicines, health check-ups, and treatment, CM said.

Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) equipped with teams of doctors regularly visit 1814 Haat Bazar across the state to attend to the health needs of rural villagers, ensuring that essenttial medical care reaches those who need it most..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   KN Madhusoodanan

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday (26th Sep 2023) cleared the appointment of K N Madhusoodanan as a part-time chairman of Kerala-based Dhanlaxmi Bank.

This comes after a period of 21 months during which the company was without a chairman, following the resignation of G Subramonia Iyer in December 2021 for personal reasons.

Madhusoodanan has been an independent director with the bank since 2022. This appointment also follows the RBI's rejection of a proposal to appoint G Rajagopalan Nair as its part-time chairman. Nair has also been an independent director with the bank since August 2020.

Madhusoodanan is a successful entrepreneur with business interests in diverse fields. He is the managing director of various private limited companies, including those in the MSME sector.

Madhusoodanan is also involved in social service activities aimed at improving the economic conditions of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in rural areas. He is associated with social service organisations in Kerala.

According to the company's website, he holds 491,360 equity shares of the bank (0.19 per cent), while Mavanal Granites, where he serves as both promoter and managing director, holds 433,210 equity shares of the bank (0.17 per cent)..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Katrina Kaif

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Japanese apparel retailer "Uniqlo" has appointed Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif as its first brand ambassador in India as and attempts to woo affluent shoppers and plans to add to more stores.

The 40-year-old actor will be seen in Uniqlo's campaign films across digital and offline channels, the retailer said on Tuesday. Kaif joins the ranks of tennis star Roger Federer, who was appointed as Uniqlo's global brand ambassador in 2018.

The one-year partnership will see the Bollywood actor endorse the brand’s Fall-Winter 2023 campaign, which will encompass all media channels including print, digital and outdoor, as well as in-store promotional material.

Uniqlo, which made its India debut in 2019, has 10 stores in the country at present and two more in the pipeline. Most of them are located in Delhi-NCR, with one each in Lucknow, Chandigarh, and Punjab’s Zirakpur. It is set to open stores in Mumbai. The brand draws consumers across age groups with its casual clothing lines.

Kaif said, "Uniqlo has been my go-to brand for daily essentials and over the years I have admired how functional and innovative their products are. Their simple, high-quality clothing is also very versatile, and perfect to build one’s everyday wardrobe with," she said. Kaif will next be seen in Bollywood film Tiger 3, scheduled for Diwali.

“We are extremely pleased to have Katrina Kaif join us as Uniqlo’s first brand endorser in India," said Tomohiko Sei, chief executive officer, Uniqlo India.

Uniqlo is part of Japan’s largest fashion group Fast Retailing. It is the largest of eight brands in the group, the others being GU, Theory, PLST Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand and Helmut Lan.

In FY22, Uniqlo India’s income surged 64% from the previous year to ₹391 crore, according to data from financial intelligence platform Tofler. The retailer is yet to disclose its FY23 financials..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   September 26

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World Contraception Day is an annual observation that falls on September 26 every day. The day is all about spreading awareness around the importance of contraception to foster a culture of empowerment where couples have to freedom to make choice for themselves as to when they want to become parents. It is important to make women aware how they can avoid unplanned motherhood.

In addition to family planning, contraception also prevents HIV AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Contraception or birth control is used to prevent pregnancies. Condom, birth control pills, emergency contraceptive pills), IUCD’s (Intra Uterine Contraceptive Devices) like Copper T and injectable contraceptives are some of popular contraceptives.

World Contraception Day Date and history :

World Contraception Day was first observed in 2007 on September 26 by 10 worldwide family planning agencies to spread awareness about contraception and to help couples decide when they can start a family.


World Contraception Day Significance :

Use of contraception can reduce maternal mortality by over 40%. Apart from the choice and freedom it offers, contraception can also help fight HIV and AIDS apart from other sexually transmitted infections. Contraception can also help shape the future of girls who can pursue education, build career and succeed in their career as they can prevent an unplanned motherhood. This can also help them have more control over their bodies.

The use of contraception can also reduce chances of maternal death and disability, newborn and child mortality and morbidity, unintended pregnancies, and abortion.

Types of contraceptives :

Source : Hindustan Times