QCI & ONDC Launch DigiReady Certification Portal to Empower MSMEs & Small Retailers The Quality Council of India (QCI) and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) jointly introduced the DigiReady Certification (DRC) portal in a step towards fostering digital inclusion in the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

• OCI in coordiation with ONDC aims to assess and certify the digital readiness of MSME entities.
• This is in line with the objectives of the Forum for Internet Retailers, Sellers, and Traders (First India).

About DRC Portal:
i.DRC is a online self-assessment tool for Digital Readiness developed by QCI.
ii.This enables MSME businesses and small retailers to evaluate their preparedness to seamlessly intergrate into the ONDC platform, using software and other technologies and expand their digial capabilities.
iii.It consists of 7 modules – Pre-requisite; Digital Infrastructure; Product Catalogue; Catalogue Management; Packaging; Payment; & Grievance Redressal – that are required to be self-assessed by the entities.
Certification Process:
The certification process evaluates various aspects of digital readiness, such as,

• Necessary documentation for online operations;
• Proficiency in using software and technology;
• Integration with existing digitised workflows; and
• Efficient management of orders and catalogue offerings.

About Quality Council Of India (QCI):
QCI is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Chairman – Jaxay Shah
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Established in– 1997

Ministry of Education Launches APAAR in Remote Villages across India Ministry of Education (MoE) launched APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) through the Common Service Centres (CSCs) in remote villages of India.

• APAAR, conceptualized under the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), aims for ‘One Nation, One Student ID’.

Key People: APAAR was jointly launched by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, MoE; K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary, Higher Education, MoE; and Sanjay Rakesh, Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Common Service Centre Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC SPV).
Points to Note:
i.APAAR mandates all college/university students to register on the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) platform.
ii.Under the new policy, students must have an ABC ID to be admitted to any college or university.
iii.The suggestion to bring the ABC into education was given in the NEP 2020.
iv.APAAR ID allows future credit acquisition without the need for presenting certificates.
Note: APAAR ID will remain with the children for their entire lives.
Digital Integration for School Education:
i.All school children should be given provisional APAAR IDs, immediately authenticated with Aadhaar, and linked to Digi Locker.
ii.Consideration for a business model involving Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), envisages enhanced transparency and ease in school and higher education.
About Academic Bank of Credit (ABC):
i.ABC is a digital repository or digital storage designed for students and they can easily access it through the nearest CSC.
ii.ABC has been established on the lines of the National Academic Depository (NAD).
iii.All credits (the marks) scored by the students and their personal information will be stored in ABC. Universities can retrieve student data with using the unique ABC ID.
About Ministry of Education:
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha- Madhya Pradesh)
Ministers of State– Annapurna Devi (Constituency: Kodarma,Jharkhand); Dr. Subhas Sarkar (Constituency: Bankura, West Bengal); Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh (Constituency: Inner Manipur, Manipur)

World Defense Show 2024 Held in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaThe 2nd edition of the World Defence Show (WDS 2024) was held in in Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 4th to 8th February 2024.

• WDS 2024 was organised by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), the regulator, enabler, licensor for the military industry in Saudi Arabia.
• The Theme of WDS 2024 is “Equipped for Tomorrow”.

Inauguration: Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defence and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of GAMI inaugurated the WDS 2024.
Key Points:
i.Munitions India Limited (MIL) signed a contract worth USD 225 million for the supply of artillery ammunition to Saudi Arabia.
ii.Ajay Bhatt, MoS, MoD visited Riyadh to lead the Indian delegation at WDS 2024.
iii.Tri-Service Women Officers Represented Indian Armed Forces at WDS 2024
About Saudi Arabia:
Capital- Riyadh
Prime Minister- HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Currency- Saudi Riyal

PSB & WDRA signed MoU to offer Low Interest Rate to FarmersWarehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) to facilitate low-interest rate loans to farmers and traders.
Key Dignitaries: The MoU was exchanged by T.K. Manoj Kumar, Chairperson, WDRA; Swarup Kumar Saha, Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PSB in New Delhi, Delhi.
About the MoU:
i.The MoU aims to raise awareness and encourage funding against electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (e-NWRs) to improve agricultural pledge finance in India.
ii.As per the MoU, PSB will offer low-interest loans against e-NWRs with no requirement for collateral.
iii.Farmers can avail loans of up to Rs 75 lakh, while borrowers from other categories can access loans of up to Rs 5 crore under the agriculture sector.
What is eNWR?
i.Launched in 2018, eNWR is a digital warehousing receipt issued by registered warehouses regulated and governed by WDRA.
ii.The farmers were given e-NWRs once they stored their produce in scientific storage godowns authorised by WDRA and seek loan from e-NWRsbanks against their e-NWRs.
About Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA):
The WDRA is a Statutory Authority under the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution(MoCAF&PD).
Chairman – T K Manoj Kumar
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 2010
About Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB):
MD & CEO – Swarup Kumar Saha
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1908

Yes Bank, LeRemitt partners for Cross-Border Transactions for MSMEs Yes Bank limited has partnered with the  Bengaluru Based fintech startup to create a cross-border platform to enable Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to conduct international transactions in key currencies, including USD and euro.

• It will also offers transparency, efficiency, and cost benefits for small businesses involved in global trade.
• LeRemitt serves as a cross-border remittance platform, assisting MSMEs in sending and receiving payments, besides other services.

About LeRemitt:
Cofounder and CEO– Sheetal Jain
Headquarter– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Establishment– 2022

HSBC in Partnership with Google Cloud Finances Climate Technology Firms
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in partnership with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) aims to offer financial support and technological resources to fast-growing climate technology firms.

• HSBC will be funding about USD 1 billion to climate tech companies selected by Google through its Google Cloud Ready-Sustainability (GCR-Sustainability) programme by 2030.
• The partnership could be a win-win for climate technology.

Shivalik Group receives SEBI approval for their Inaugural AIF 
Ahmedabad (Gujarat)-based real estate developer Shivalik Group has received regulatory approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for its inaugural fund- Shivalik Investment Fund as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF).

• The fund aims to raise Rs.300 crore through private placement including Rs.150 Crore Green Shoe Option.
• The fund is sponsored & managed Shivalik Investment Fund Private Limited
• The fund will be invested in the fast-developing regions of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts of Gujarat thereby generating superior long-term capital appreciation from investment in the real estate sector.

CBT hiked EPF Interest Rate to a Three-Year High of 8.25% for FY24The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has hiked the interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) deposits to a three-year high of 8.25% from 8.15% for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24).

• The decision was taken in the 235th CBT meeting chaired by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE).
• CBT is the apex decision-making body of the EPFO functioning under MoLE.

Key Points:
i.The interest rate hike is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
ii.About 29 crore total subscribers will be benefitted from this decision.
iii.CBT will be distributing about Rs 1,07,000 crore as interest on a total principal amount of about Rs 13 lakh crore in FY24.
iv.Comparing previous financial years, the income has grown by more than 17.39%, while the principal amount has increased by 17.97%.
Previous Interest Rate:
i.In FY22, the interest rate was reduced to 8.1% from 8.5%. The rate increased marginally to 8.15% for FY23.
ii.The 8.5% interest rate on EPF deposits for 2020-21 was decided by CBT in March 2021.
What is EPF?
i.EPF is a retirement savings scheme in India mandated by the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
ii.Both employer and employee contribute 12% of the employee’s basic salary towards the EPF.
iii.Employees’ full contribution is deposited to the EPF account, whereas only 3.67% of the employer share is deposited to the EPF account and the remaining 8.33% is forwarded to the Employees’ Pension Scheme.
About Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):
Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) – Neelam Shami Rao
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 1952

Former PM Alexander Stubb Elected as 13th President of Finland  Finland’s former Prime Minister (PM) Alexander Stubb of the National Coalition Party (NCP) won the run-off presidential election, securing 51.6% of the vote, and became the 13th President of Finland.

• He defeated Pekka Haavisto, an independent candidate of the Green Party and former Foreign Minister, who secured 48.4% of votes.
• Alexander Stubb will replace incumbent President Sauli Niinisto, who is required to step down after serving 2 six-year terms since 2012.

About the Presidential Election:
i.Alexander Stubb also won the first round of the election held on 28 January 2024 with 27.2% of the vote ahead of Haavisto with 25.8%.
ii.The run-off was held after the 1st round since no candidate obtained more than 50% of the votes required for direct election.
Note: This marks the first election since Finland joined as the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance in April 2023.
About Alexander Stubb:
i.From 2001-2003, he served as an advisor to the President of the European Commission.
ii.He served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2008 and served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland from 2008-2011.
iii.He served as a Member of Finland’s National Parliament (2011-2017) and as Minister for Europe and Foreign Trade(2011-2014).
iv.He served as PM of Finland from 2014 to 2015 and as as Minister of Finance from 2015-2016.
v.He was appointed as the Vice President of the European Investment Bank in 2017.
vi.Since 2020, he has been serving as the Director of the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute and professor in Florence, Italy.
About Finland:
Prime Minister– Petteri Orpo
Capital– Helsinki
Currency– The Euro

Padma Shri Awardee & Renowned Writer UshaKiran Khan Passed AwayPadma Shri Awardee and renowned Hindi and Maithili writer UshaKiran Khan passed away at the age of 78 in Patna, Bihar. She was born on 24th October 1945 at Laheriasarai in the Darbhanga district of Bihar.

• She was honoured with the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education in 2015.

Awards/Honours:
i.She was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2011 for her Maithili novel ‘Bhamati’, written in 2010, and published by Samayik Prakashan.
ii.She received the Kusumanjali Sahitya Samman from theKusumanjali Foundation for her Hindi novel ‘Sirjanhaar’ in 2012.
iii.She also received various for her literary contributions including the Mahadevi Verma Award, the Dinakar National Award, and the Bharat-Bharati, among others.
Literary Works:
i.She published her works in diverse fields including child literature, novels, and story collections.
ii.Her notable works include Doobdhaan, Geeli Paank, Kasavan, Jaldhar, Janam Awadhi, Chidia Chug Gayi Khet, and Shershah Suri.
Note:
Maithili was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as a recognised Indian language by the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 2003.

Sanjay Jaju, Secretary MIB, unveiled ‘India Year Book 2024’ & ‘Career Calling’ at World Book Fair in New Delhi
On 10th February 2024, Sanjay Jaju, the Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) inaugurated the Publications Division’s stall and unveiled its publications titled “India Year Book 2024” and “Career Calling” at the World Book Fair 2024 in New Delhi, Delhi
The World Book Fair 2024, organized by the National Book Trust of India, will take place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

• The fair is being held from February 10-18, 2024 on the theme ‘Multi Lingual India (Bahubhashi Bharat)’. It is the 51st edition of the fair.
• It is organized by National Book Trust, India under the Ministry of Education. India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce) is the co-organiser/venue partner of the fair.

Key Points:
i.The India Year Book 2024 is an annual reference book that offers an overview of India’s progress. Career Calling is a guide for informed choices.
ii.The Publications Division of MIB publishes non-fiction books about India’s heritage and panorama.

World Pulses Day 2024- February 10 The United Nations (UN) World Pulses Day (WPD) is annually observed across the globe on 10 February to recognise the significance of pulse crops like chickpeas, dry beans, and lentils as a global food.
The 2024 theme of WPD 2024 is: “Pulses: Nourishing Soils and People.”
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/73/251 on 20th December 2018, and proclaimed 10 February of every year as WPD.

• Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa proposed the observance of WPD.

ii.The day was established following the successful implementation of International Year of Pulses (IYP) in 2016 by FAO.
iii.The 1st ever WPD was observed on 10 February 2019.
About  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) :
Director-General– Qu Dongyu
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
Founded in 1945

National Deworming Day 2024 – February 10The National Deworming Day (NDD) is organised biannually in all states and Union Territories (UTs) across India to eradicate intestinal worms also referred to as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH), among children of age 1-19 years. The 1st round is conducted in February and the 2nd round is conducted in August.

• In 2024, the first round of NDD is observed on February 10, 2024, with a mop-up day (MUD) followed by the next day of NDD or on which the state government decides.

Background:
i.NDD is a flagship program of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which was launched in 2015.
ii.NDD was first observed on 10th February 2015.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW):
Union Minister – Mansukh Mandaviya (Rajya Sabha – Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS) – Bharati Pravin Pawar (Constituency – Dindori, Maharashtra), S. P. Singh Baghel (Constituency – Agra, Uttar Paresh)

First-Ever UN International Day of the Arabian Leopard 2024- February 10 The first-ever United Nations (UN)’s International Day of the Arabian Leopard was observed across the globe on 10th February 2024 to raise awareness about the critically endangered status of the Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr).

• The Day also highlights the conservation efforts and the challenges faced by the Arabian Leopard species