NATIONAL NEWS
SAFAR: India's First Framework for Air Quality Forecast Gets Global NodIndia's first official frameSAFAR: India's First Framework for Air Quality Forecast Gets Global Nod India's first officwork for air quality forecast, SAFAR, has been accepted internationally with peer-reviewed Elsevier Journal publishing its findings, founder project director Dr Gufran Beig said.
- The framework, mandated under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and developed under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is being used to make air quality forecasts in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.
- The findings of the framework incorporated in a research paper — India's maiden air quality forecasting framework for megacities of divergent environments.
- The research revealed that transport is the most dominating source of PM2.5 emissions. It accounts for 41 percent of PM2.5 pollution in Delhi, 40 percent in Pune, 35 percent in Ahmedabad and 31 percent in Mumbai. The share of biofuel emissions is highest in Mumbai (15.5 percent), followed by Pune (11.4 percent), Ahmedabad (10.2 percent) and Delhi (3 percent).
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying signed Memorandum of Understanding with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support India’s livestock sector.
- Both will work together on sustainably improving India’s livestock sector to support the nation’s food and nutritional security, and protect the economic wellbeing of small-scale livestock producers.
BANKING & FINANCE
Federal Bank partners OneCard for mobile-first credit cardFederal Bank announced a tie-up with OneCard for a mobile-first credit card that targets the country’s young, tech-savvy population.
- It will target young working professionals aged 23-35, primarily representing the millennials and Gen Z.
- The mobile-first credit card offers in-app on-boarding, whereby the virtual card can be activated and used instantly, while the metal card is delivered to the customer in three to five days. The cards will be powered by Visa.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Flipkart Launches Flipkart Xtra App, Aims To Create Over 4,000 Jobs This Festive SeasonWalmart-owned Flipkart said it is introducing a separate marketplace model ‘Flipkart Xtra’ to offer flexible earning opportunities to individuals, service agencies and technicians.
- Through the ‘Flipkart Xtra’ app on Google Play Store, Flipkart will provide a simple and seamless onboarding experience to interested individuals.
- The new platform will help bolster Flipkart’s supply chain to ensure seamless and faster delivery of shipments and service to consumers across India while creating part-time opportunities for individuals.
Learning platform Unacademy has topped the 2021 LinkedIn Top Startups India list followed by B2B e-commerce platform Udaan, and fintech firm CRED, as a predominantly remote reality during the pandemic accelerated digital transformation for firms and consumers alike.
- Determined by the actions of more than 76 million professionals in India on the platform, the annual LinkedIn Top Startups list reveals 25 young, emerging companies where India wants to work now.
- Unacademy took the pole position on the list, with its valuation soaring to USD 3.44 billion as the platform explored new learning paths for upskilling, hiring, and creator-led courses.
- With these top three unicorns, and nearly 60 per cent of the 2021 LinkedIn Top Startups India List based out of Bengaluru, the city has reinforced its reputation as the “Silicon Valley of India". Others in the top 10 include upGrad (4th), Razorpay (5th), Meesho (6th), Skyroot Aerospace (7th), boAt (8th), Urban Company (9th) and Agnikul Cosmos (10th).
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Zee to merge with Sony; Punit Goenka will be CEO & MD of combined entityZee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) announced that its board of directors at a meeting held, unanimously provided an in-principle approval for the merger with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). Shares of Zee surged more than 20% on the BSE in trade post the deal announcement.
- As part of the transaction, Punit Goenka will continue to be the Managing Director and CEO of the merged entity.
- The shareholders of Sony Pictures will hold a majority stake in the merged entity. They will also infuse growth capital into SPNI as part of the merger such that SPNI has approximately $1.575 billion at closing, for use in pursuing other growth opportunities.
SPORTS
Shiva Thapa, Sanjeet, Deepak, Rohit Win Gold in Men’s Boxing NationalsStar boxers Shiva Thapa and Sanjeet booked their places for next month's World Championships by winning gold medals in their respective weight categories at the Men's National Boxing Championships in Bellary.
- Meanwhile, Rohit Mor stunned defending champion Mohammad Hussamuddin to win the gold in the 57kg category.
- All the winners of the national boxing championships will qualify for the world championships, which will be held in Belgrade, Serbia from October 24 to November 6.
- Deepak Kumar (51kg), Akash (54kg), Akash (67), Sumit (75kg), Sachin Kumar (80kg), Lakshya (86kg) and Narender (+92kg) also secured gold medals by winning their respective final bouts at the Inspire Institute of Sports. All of them are from Services team.
Star Indian cueist Pankaj Advani grabbed his 24th world title when he triumphed at the IBSF 6-Red Snooker World Cup with a victory over Pakistan’s Babar Masih in the final.
- Advani, who won his 11th Asian title last week, started the final with a comfortable 42-13 win in the opening frame.
- The 36-year-old won the third and fourth in quick succession to go 3-1 up.
APPOINTMENTS
RN Ravi resigns as Naga peace talks interlocutorR N Ravi resigned as the Centre’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks after serving in the post for several years, during which he negotiated with key insurgent groups for signing of the Naga Peace Accord.
- Ravi’s resignation comes days after he was moved out of Nagaland where he also held the post of governor. On September 9, government appointed him as Tamil Nadu Governor after two years of gubernatorial service in Nagaland.
Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal has been appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Bansal will replace the current Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, who retires on 30 September.
- K Rajaraman, Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Telecommunications. Rajaraman will take over the charge from Anshu Prakash who is due to superannuate on September 30.
- The Centre carried out a major top-level bureaucratic reshuffle. As per of the reshuffle, Steel Secretary Pradip Kumar Tripathi has been appointed as the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
- Govind Mohan, Additional Secretary in the Department of Home, will be Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
- Anurag Jain, Vice Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, has been appointed as the Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- K Sanjay Murthy, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited, will be Secretary, Department of Higher Education. Murthy, a 1989 batch IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, will take over the charge from Amit Khare, who retires on September 30.
- Devendra Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises will be Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation.
- Sunil Barthwal, who is currently Central Provident Fund Commissioner in the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, has been appointed as the Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment.
- Anuradha Prasad, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment will be Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Ansuli Arya, Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund, will be Secretary, Department of Official Language.
- Rajesh Aggarwal, currently Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, will be Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
AWARDS
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka bags 2021 Global Goalkeeper AwardThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced its annual Goalkeepers ‘Global Goals Awards’ 2021, as part of its annual Goalkeepers campaign. Goalkeepers are the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). The award were given in the following categories: 1.The 2021 Global Goalkeeper Award : Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former United Nations under-secretary-general and executive director of UN Women. She has been honoured for fighting for gender equality and her continued advocacy to address the Covid-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women and girls. 2.The 2021 Changemaker Award : Fairooz Faizah Beether from Bangladesh, for her work promoting good health and wellbeing 3.The 2021 Progress Award : Jenifer Colpas from Colombia, for her work which centres around improving access to clean water and sanitation. Bangladeshi Fairooz Faizah Beether gets 2021 Changemaker Award
Fairooz Faizah Beether of Bangladesh has been chosen for the 2021 Changemaker Award for her work promoting good health and well-being by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- The Award celebrates an individual who has inspired change using personal experience or from a position of leadership.
- The Changemaker Award is part of the Goalkeepers Global Goals award instituted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate progress towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.
OBITUARIES
Ex-Arunachal Guv & former Delhi top cop YS Dadwal passes awayFormer Commissioner of Delhi Police, Yudhvir Singh Dadwal, has passed away here at his residence in Chhattarpur. He was 70.
- Dadwal, an Indian Police Service officer of the 1974-batch, served as the 16th police commissioner of Delhi from July 2007 to November 2010. Notably, the Commonwealth Games were held in Delhi during his tenure.
Former Hindi Newsreader of All India Radio Ramanuj Prasad Singh passed away in Gurugram. He was 86.
- Mr Singh’s deep voice and relaxed style of reading endeared him to All India Radio listeners from the beginning. He served AIR for 3 decades and became a well-known name among the common people for his news reading for years.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Chetan Bhagat releases trailer for new book, ‘400 Days’Chetan Bhagat will release his new novel titled ‘400 Days’ on October 08, 2021. He has released the cover for the same. It is the third novel in the Keshav-Saurabh series, after ‘The Girl in Room 105’ and ‘One Arranged Murder’.
- The novel is a tale of suspense, human relationships, love, friendship, the crazy world we live in and, above all, a mother’s determination to never give up.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Rhino DayWorld Rhino Day is celebrated on September 22 every year to create awareness about the five species of - black and white (in Africa), and greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan (in Asia).
- The day aims to raise awareness about the African and Asian species of rhinos and encourage people to take steps for their conservation.
- The theme of World Rhino Day 2021 is 'Keep the Five Alive'.
The International Day of Sign Languages is observed on September 23 every year. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages "in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf".
- The World Federation of the Deaf declared the International Day of Sign Languages 2021 theme as “We Sign For Human Rights.”
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will observe 1 October as the National Pension System Diwas to promote pension and retirement planning. For this, the regulator has kickstarted a campaign under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, said PFRDA.
- The pension regulator aims to encourage every citizen – working professionals and self-employed professionals -- to plan towards creating a financial cushion to ensure for oneself a financially sound future after retirement.
- NPS subscribers will enjoy the benefits, power of compounding now and reap many of the benefits after retirement.
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