C-DOT & CSIR-NPL Signed an Agreement for Development of NavIC Based IST Traceable PRTC for Telecom Sector Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)  and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR)-National Physical laboratory (NPL) in New Delhi, Delhi signed an agreement to develop Indian Standard Time (IST) traceable Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC) to synchronise all the telecom services with one reference time.

• The time clock will be based on a regional navigation satellite system called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).
• The agreement was signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of the Department of Telecommunication(DoT).
• The agreement was signed in the presence of Rajkumar Upadhyay, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of  C-DOT

: C-DOT is an autonomous telecom Research & Development(R&D) centre under the Department of Telecommunication under the Ministry of Communications.
About Primary Reference Time Clock (PRTC):
i.The device aims to provide direct IST traceability to all the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) within ± 20 nanoseconds.
ii.The device provides several benefits such as reducing the dependency on Global Positioning System (GPS), shifting to NavIC (formerly known as Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)), Improving digital forensic analysis of transactions along with increased cyber secure networks and reduced call drops.
Why PRTC?
i.Time synchronisation of TSPs and ISPs  is essential for a nation’s cybersecurity, as all financial transactions, stock market trades, and communication are routed through them.
ii.The development of the PRTC is also an important step towards achieving the objective of “One nation One time“.

• This is because it will ensure that all telecom networks in India are synchronised with the same time source.

About Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme:
TTDF Scheme was launched in 2022 by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), a body under the DoT.

• TTDF Scheme (TTDF) aims to fund R&D in rural-specific communication technology applications.
• It brings together academia, startups, research institutes, and industry to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.

Additional Info:
i.Indian R&D has the potential to develop innovative solutions for the future.
ii.To achieve the goal of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), the collaboration in areas of mutual interest is needed.
About Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT):
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rajkumar Upadhyay
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1984
About Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) – National Physical laboratory (NPL):
The National Physics Laboratory(NPL) was the first among the chain of national laboratories to be set up under CSIR.
Director – Venugopal Achanta
Located in – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1950

MSDE Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches ‘Skills on Wheels’ with NSDC and IndusInd Bank to Promote SkillingUnion Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched ‘Skills on Wheels’ initiative in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and IndusInd Bank.MSDE minister and Shri Om Birla,Speaker, Lok Sabha have jointly launched the initiative during the inauguration of the program ceremony.
Aim:
To equip rural youth, especially women, with key digital skills and make them job and future-ready
About Initiative:
i.This initiative will empower 60,000 youth over a period of 5 years with relevant skills training to improving the livelihood of rural households.
ii.To bring the Skill India Mission to the farthest areas of India, a specially equipped bus with retrofitted tools and resources known as ‘Skills On Wheels’ will travel to remote areas.
iii.It will also spreading awareness at grass root level about free skill training programs.
iv.It will empower youth with industry-relevant skill training, enhancing both theoretical and practical knowledge.

• It will align candidates’ academic backgrounds, aptitudes, and skill sets with the right courses, thereby bridging the industry’s skill gap and reducing youth unemployment.

About Skill India Mission:

• Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi launched the Skill India Mission in 2015 in accordance with his vision to help India become ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant).
• This initiative was aimed to create and implement comprehensive skill development training programmes that would help bridge the gap between industry demands and skill requirements.

About National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC):
NSDC was set up by Ministry of Finance as Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. The Government of India through Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) holds 49% of the share capital of NSDC, while the private sector has the balance 51% of the share capital.
It is a not-for-profit public limited company under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (corresponding to section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013).
CEO– Ved Mani Tiwari
Establishment– 2008
Headquarters– New delhi, Delhi

Global Report on Hypertension: WHO Released 1st Report on the Impacts of Hypetension & Ways to Stop It The World Health Organization (WHO) released it’s first-ever report on the global impact of hypertension (high Blood Pressure –BP) titled, “Global Report on Hypertension: the race against a silent killer”, along with recommendations on the effective hypertension care to save lives.

• Hypertension, also known as high or raised blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure.
• This comprehensive report features statistics underscoring the consequences of uncontrolled hypertension, ranging from heart attacks, strokes, and premature death to substantial economic loss.

About World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director-General- Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established on- 7 April 1948

ISO and UNDP Partnership to enhance achievement of SDGThe International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a Statement of Intent(SoI) to use International Standards as a tool in advancing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).

• The collaboration also aims to develop the first international standard for the SDGs based on UNDP’s SDG Impact Standards and relevant ISO standards.
• The partnership is in alignment with SDG17 – Partnerships for Goals.

About the partnership:
i.The collaboration will develop a common basis for documentation and certification, making it easier for organizations and companies to align their efforts and document progress toward the SDGs.
ii.The collaboration will design New management standards for the benefit of  businesses and investors.

• This is to make sustainability and the SDGs as intrinsic part of business instead of being as an add-on element.
• Better practices in business will lead to better outcomes for business.

About United Nations Development Programme(UNDP):
Administrator – Achim Steiner
Headquarters – New York, United States of America (USA)
Established in – 1966
About International Organization for Standardization (ISO):
President – Ulrika Francke
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Members – 169 national standards bodies.
Established – 1947

RBI: Household Savings fall to 5-decade Low at 5.1% in FY23, RBI Imposes Penalties on Four Cooperative BanksNet financial savings of households declined to a historically low level, reaching 5.1% of GDP in FY23. This marked a notable decrease from the previous fiscal year, where it stood at 7.2% (FY22), as per RBI data.

• National Financial Switch (NFS) usage was decreased from 11.5% in FY21 to 5.1% in FY23, as per data from RBI’s Flow of Financial Assets and Liabilities of Household released on September 2023.
• Household financial liabilities saw a substantial increase, rising to 5.8% of GDP in FY23, up from 3.8% in FY22. This indicates that households have increasingly relied on borrowing to meet their consumption needs.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposes monetary penalties on four cooperative banks Lalbaug Cooperative Bank Ltd (Gujarat), Cooperative Bank of Mehsana Ltd (Gujarat), Harij Nagrik Sahakari Bank Ltd (Gujarat),and National Cooperative Bank Ltd (Maharashtra) citing its authority under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, specifically Section 47 A (1) I in conjunction with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56.

About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – April 1, 1935

ADB lowers India’s GDP projection for FY23 to 6.3%; India Ratings revises India’s FY24 GDP growth to 6.2% The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2023 lowered India’s gross domestic product (GDP) projection by one percentage point for Fiscal 2022-2023 (FY23) to 6.3% from 6.4% (ADO April 2023 estimate).

• For FY 2023-2024 (FY24), the GDP projection is retained at 6.7%.

India Ratings Revises India’s FY24 GDP Growth Estimates to 6.2%
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) revised India‘s GDP growth estimate for FY24 to 6.2% from 5.9% projected in February 2023. .

• This increase is due to the sustained government capital expenditure, deleveraged balance sheet of India Inc and banks, and the prospect of a new private corporate capex cycle.

About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines,
Establishment– 1966

S&P Global raises India’s FY24 Growth Projection to 6.6%
On September 18, 2023, S&P (Standard & Poor’s) Global raised India’s growth prediction for FY24 to 6.6% from 5.9% predicted in August 2023 amid strong growth in the April-June quarter (Q1FY24).

• In FY25, it will increase at a rate of 6.2% as compared to 6.1% projected in August 2023.

Key Points:
i.India’s inflation rate will grow sharply to 6% in 2023 as compared to 5.1% prediction in August 2023.

• India’s inflation rate is anticipated to be high, at 5.3% in 2024.
• Global inflation will reach 5.7% in 2023 and over 4% in 2024.

ii.India’s economic growth momentum was buoyant in Q1FY24, growing at a pace of 7.8% year-on-year (y-o-y), supported by robust growth in domestic demand.
iii..The deceleration of global economic growth will exert pressure on India’s exports.

TCS Partners with BankID BankAxept AS to Enhance Norway’s Financial Infrastructure
Tata Consultancy Services(TCS), a part of the Tata group, has entered a partnership with BankID BankAxept AS, Norway’s national payment and electronic identity system, to set up and manage an operations command center that will enhance the resilience, security, and availability of Norway’s financial infrastructure.

• BankID is the Norwegian eID verification system, used by more than 90% of the population, banks, government agencies, and commercial enterprises.

i.As part of the agreement, TCS will build and manage a 24×7 operations command center in Oslo, Norway, for all BankID BankAxept AS users and clients.
ii.It will enable immediate responses to any service disruption, security issues, or client requests that are related to Norway’s essential national payments and electronic identity verification systems.
iii.TCS will operate a specialised monitoring platform at the new command center that can predict, respond, and prevent any issues in the value chain from affecting the larger financial services ecosystem.
About Norway:
Prime Minister(PM) – Jonas Gahr Støre
Capital – Oslo
Currency – Norwegian Krone

IAF Tested ‘Type V Heavy Drop System’ from Cargo AircraftThe Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully tested the indigenously developed ‘Type V Heavy Drop System’  from a cargo aircraft which is capable of paradropping  arms, ammunition, and other equipment to inaccessible places/battlefields.

• The design of this system has been developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• The parachute was developed under the ‘Make In India’ initiative.

About Type V Heavy Drop System:
i.The parachute is manufactured by  Airbornics Defence and Space Private Limited.
ii.It is a multi-stage parachute system comprises of eight Main canopies, three extractor parachutes and one drogue parachute.
iii.The parachute weighs up to 20 tons.
iv.It has a platform which is made up of a special Aluminium-based metal.
v.The parachute also has electrical, electronic and mechanical systems along with other latching accessories.
Can be used with: 
The Type V Heavy Drop System can be used with the Boeing C-17, Lockheed Martin C-130 and other C-series aircraft.
Additional Info:
i.With this testing, the preparations have been completed for the induction of the Type V Heavy Drop System into the Indian Armed Forces.
About Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE):
The ADRDE is a Research & Development(R&D) laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO).
Director – Manoj Kumar
Headquarters – Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Established in – 1969
About Indian Air Force (IAF)
Chief of the Air Staff – Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1932

GRSE Signed MoUs with Lloyd’s Register & Caterpillar Inc for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry & Medium-Speed EnginesThe Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited signed two non-binding Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with foreign companies during the Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) Exhibition in London, United Kingdom (UK) which took place from 12th – 15th September 2023 at the Excel in London’s Royal Victoria Dock.

• These MoUs are in line with India’s commitment to advance innovative green energy technologies and promote sustainable, cost-effective alternative fuels.

GRSE MoU’s with Foreign Companies:
The two non-binding and confidential in nature MoUs

• With Lloyd’s Register for the development of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry
• With Caterpillar Inc. for a potential collaboration in the production, sale, and service of medium-speed engines, particularly for the Indian Navy (IN) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

Note:

• GRSE is a Mini Ratna Category 1 Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence.
• Lloyd’s Register is a 260-year-old company that works towards finding sustainable solutions to maritime transportation.
• Caterpillar Inc. is an American construction, mining and other engineering equipment manufacturer.

Key Points:
i.GRSE has also entered into a MoU with Goa-based DEMPO Group to construct commercial vessels at its three premier shipyards of DEMPO at DSEPL Goa and Modest Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

• This represents GRSE’s first venture into commercial shipbuilding following their groundbreaking public-private partnerships in India’s warship-building sector.

ii.The Central Government also plans to build hydrogen-fueled electric vessels, in line with the Global Maritime Green Transitions initiative, in partnership with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Additional info:
i.Munition India Limited(MIL), Advanced Weapons & Equipment India Limited (AW&EIL), Yantra India Limited(YIL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited(BDL) were the other PSU’s that participated in DSEI exhibition.
ii.The Indian Pavilion in the exhibition was inaugurated by Vikram Doraiswami, India’s High Commissioner to the UK on 12th September 2023.
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited:
Chairman & Managing Director– Cmde PR Hari, IN Retd
Headquarter– Kolkata, West Bengal

ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Cup 2023 Rio de Janeiro: India Ends Campaign with Two MedalsInternational Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle/Pistol World Cup 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was held from 12th – 19th September 2023. India finished 5th in the medal tally with 2 medals (1 Gold and 1 Silver).

• The World Cup Rifle/Pistol 2023 Rio de Janeiro was the final stage of the ISSF World Cup for rifle and pistol shooters.

Note:
A total of 16 Indian shooters took part in the ISSF World Cup in Rio.
Medal Tally:

Oceanne Muller of France and Jiale Zhang of China won the silver and bronze medals respectively in the same event.

• This has been Elavenil’s second individual ISSF World Cup medal since she won the gold in the women’s 10m air rifle event in ISSF World Cup Rio in 2019.

ii.India’s Nischal won the silver medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions while Jeanette Hegg Duestad of Norway and Stephanie Laura Scurrah Grundsoee of Denmark won the gold and bronze medals respectively.

• This event marks Nischal’s  first senior World Cup appearance.

iii.The 19-year-old Nischal created a qualification national record in the Women’s 3 Positions event by shooting a solid 587 in relay one.

• Previously Anjum Moudgil and Ayushi Podder held qualification national record with a short in relay two.
• Anjum Moudgil and Ayushi Podder also participated in this event and finished 10th and 35th place respectively.

About ISSF World Cup:

• The 2023 ISSF World Cup comprised 13 stages including the final of competitions held across various cities in the world.
• The 2023 ISSF World Cup final will be held from 18th – 26th November 2023.

About the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF): 
ISSF is the governing body of the Olympic shooting events in rifle, pistol and shotgun (clay target) disciplines, and of several non-Olympic shooting sports events.
President– Luciano Rossi
Headquarters– Munich, Germany
Established – 1907

MIB Secretary Apurva Chandra released E-Book titled “People’s G20”, on India’s G20 Presidency
Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting(MIB) unveiled an ebook, titled “People’s G20”, which provides the comprehensive documentation of India‘s journey during its G20 Presidency, in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The e-book was prepared by research unit of Press Information Bureau(PIB).

The eBook is divided into three parts:

•  The 1st part focuses on the historic G20 Summit held in New Delhi from 9th -10th September 2023.
• The 2nd part offers a summary of the meetings conducted by various Working Groups under the Sherpa and Finance Track.
• The 3rd part presents a captivating photo essay that captures the essence of the Jan-Bhagidari events(awareness events about G20) held across India during India’s presidency.

International Day of Peace 2023- September 21 The United Nations (UN) International Day of Peace also known as “World Peace Day” is annually observed across the globe on 21 September and is dedicated to strengthening the principles of peace both within and among all nations and peoples, advocating for 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

• The 2023 theme of International Day of Peace (IDP) is, “Actions for peace: Our ambition for the #GlobalGoals“.

Background:
i.In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the 3rd Tuesday of September as International Day of Peace. This day coincided with the opening day of the regular annual sessions of the General Assembly.
ii.The first IDP was observed on 21 September 1982 (3rd Tuesday of September 1982).
iii.In 2001, the UNGA declared 21 September of every year as an official date for the IDP. The day will henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence.

• During the IDP, the UN invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities.

iv.The UN Peace bell is rung in the UN headquarters in New York City, the United States of America (USA), to signal the call for global peace.

World Alzheimer’s Day 2023- September 21World Alzheimer’s Day is annually observed across the globe on 21 September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type of dementia and other forms of dementia.

• The day also aims to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, and the importance of timely diagnosis and treatments.
• World Alzheimer’s Day is observed during the World Alzheimer’s Month.

Background:
i.World Alzheimer’s Day was launched during the opening of ADI’s annual conference in Edinburgh, Scotland on 21 September 1994 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ADI.
ii.In 2010, ADI launched the first awareness campaign, “World Alzheimer’s Month”, as a pilot campaign in 12 countries.

• Since 2012, World Alzheimer’s Month is annually observed during the month of September.

About Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI):
Chief Executive Officer– Paola Barbarino
Headquarters– London, UK
Founded in– 1984

UP Launched Instant Birth Registration for Newborns at Govt Health FacilitiesUttar Pradesh (UP) Government has integrated its Maa Navjaat Tracking app (MaNTrA) with the birth registration system, to enable the immediate issuance of birth registration certificates for newborns at the Government health facilities in UP.

• This will enhance citizen convenience and eliminate the need for parents to apply separately.
• With this development, UP has become the first state to implement ‘Suo Motu’ automatic birth registration for government health institutions verified through the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal.

Partners of the initiative:
The Directorate of Census Operations, Lucknow (UP), has partnered with the UP National Health Mission (NHM-UP), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the Office of the Registrar General of India, Delhi, aims to facilitate the generation of automatic birth registration certificates at government facilities.
MaNTrA app:
i.The MaNTrA app, originally developed in UP in collaboration with UNICEF, monitors the quality of services in the labour room and has been successfully deployed in public health facilities in UP.
ii.The seamless integration of the MaNTrA app with the birth registration system is a significant step towards increasing the ‘ease of living’ of a common citizen by creatively using digital technology architecture.
Note: In August 2023, the MaNTrA for Delivery Point Health Facilities, under the NHM-UP, received the “Silver Award” in the “Government Process Re-engineering for Digital Transformation” category of the National Awards for e-Governance Scheme 2023.
Process:
i.The CRS (Office of Registrar General, India) Application Programming Interface (API) retrieves data for 17 fields from the MaNTrA, managed by NHM-UP.
ii.The API is now acting as registrar in all government health institutions up to the primary healthcare level.

• A total of approximately 2,500 birth certificates have already been issued.

iii.The data is then configured into a birth certificate, digitally signed by the hospital registrar.
Note: The initiative has started in about 1,000 public health facilities, with plans to expand it to every government facility. The objective is to ensure that Automatic Birth Registration Certificates are issued on the spot in each case.
About Uttar Pradesh:
Chief Minister– Yogi Adityanath
Governor– Anandiben Patel
Stadiums– Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex (Greater Noida Cricket Stadium, Indoor) and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Sports Stadium (Outdoor)

Startup Odisha Launches Rs 100 Crore Startup Growth Fund
Startup Odisha, an initiative of the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME) Department of the Odisha government, launched “Odisha Startup Growth Fund (OSGF)” worth Rs 100 Crore in collaboration with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

• SIDBI will serve as the fund manager for the new fund and will be responsible for framing the investment strategy and managing the fund’s portfolio.

Odisha Startup Growth Fund operates a Fund-of-Funds vehicle to invest in state startups through a centralized tracking and implementation mechanism.

• The Odisha government will replenish the fund once Rs 100 crore gets exhausted.
•  The nature of the investments from the fund will be based on equity and quasi-equity.
• The fund will invest in startups of Odisha over five years through Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).

HP CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Launches Integrated Electricity Consumer Portal
Himachal Pradesh(HP) Chief Minister(CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the Integrated Electricity Consumer Portal of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) on the occasion of Engineer’s Day on 15th September 2023.