WHO released Gujarat Declaration: Outcome Document of WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2023 The World Health Organization (WHO) released the outcome document of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2023 in the form of the “Gujarat Declaration”.

• This reaffirs the global commitments towards indigenous knowledges, biodiversity and traditional, complementary and integrative medicine.
• The pariticipants of the summit endrosed the outcomes of the summit based on the research and evidence-informed discussions and initiatives presented in the Summit’s 5 plenaries and 6 parallel sessions.

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

 

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released Capacity Building Plan for 3 Departments under Mission KarmayogiUnion Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship(MSDE) and Ministry of Education(MoE), released “Annual Capacity Building Plan (ACBP)”, “Know your Ministry Induction Module” of MSDE and “Training Module for Directors” of Department of Higher Education (DoHE), MoE.

• These initiative launched by the MSDE, DoHE, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) and Capacity Building Commission (CBC).
• All these initiatives are launched under Mission Karmayogi.
• These aims to enable the government officials with competence to become future ready and for efficient public service delivery.

Key people:
Minister of State (MoS) Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MSDE; Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE; among others were present during the launch.
About Mission Karmayogi:
i.It envisages capacity building of government employees by modernizing their thinking, approach and improves their skill set.  Click Here to Read about it
ii.CBC was also set up under this mission to create India’s own Civil Service Competency Framework.
About ACBP:
ACBP will help in rolling out various capacity building interventions for the officers in a planned manner.

• Praveen Singh Pardeshi, Member (Administration), CBC gave the presentation on ACBP of MSDE.
• Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Member (HR), CBC gave the presentation on ACBP of DoHE and DoSEL.

About Know Your Ministry – Induction Module of MSDE:
It is a first of its kind, digital Induction Training Module to boost citizen-centricity and MSDE functionality.

• This digital, interactive e-learning module is available on iGoT Mission Karmayogi platform  for ministry personnel.
• It aims to align individuals with ministry vision and enhance their contributions to the value chain.

About Training Module for Directors:
The Training Module for Directors of Academic Institutes of DoHE aligns with New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, fostering dynamic institutional leadership in Higher Education.

 

ASI Launches ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0′ Programme, ‘Indian Heritage’ App & e-permission portalThe Archeological Survey of India (ASI) launched the ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme to collaborate with corporate stakeholders for the preservation of monuments at Samvet Auditorium, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts(IGNCA), New Delhi, Delhi.

• The programme was launched by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region(DoNER), along with Minister of State(MoS) Meenakashi Lekhi,Ministry of Culture and External Affairs.
• The app named ‘Indian Heritage‘ and the e-permission portal were launched at the event.

Note: This is the revamped version of ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ scheme which was launched on World Tourism Day 2017 (27th September 2017).
Key People:
The event was also attended by Union Culture Secretary Govind Mohan and Director General of ASI, Kishore K. Basa
About ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’:
i.Under ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’, ASI invites corporate stakeholders to enhance amenities at Historical monuments by utilising their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.

• ASI has 3696 monuments under its protection across the country.

ii.The amenities will sought for different monuments as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains(AMASR) Act 1958.

• Interested stakeholders can apply to adopt a monument or specific amenity/ amenities at a monument through a dedicated web portal ‘www.indianheritage.gov.in’.
• The portal provides details of monuments sought for adoption along with gap analysis and financial estimation of amenities.

iv.The selected stakeholders will develop, provide and/or maintain amenities in hygiene, accessibility, safety and knowledge categories.

• The memorandum of understanding (MOU) with entities will be signed for a five-year period that can be extended for another five years.

About ‘Indian Heritage’ App:
i.‘Indian Heritage’ is a user-friendly mobile app that features information about the State-wise details of monuments along with photographs, a List of public amenities available, a Geo-tagged location, Feedback mechanism for citizens.
 About e-permission portal:
i.An e-permission portal will allow the users to get permission for photography, filming and developmental projects on monuments.
ii.The portal will fast-track the process for obtaining various permissions and solve operational and logistical bottlenecks involved.
About Archeological Survey of India (ASI);
Director General – Kishore K. Basa
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1861

 

Bajaj Auto Consumer Finance gets Certificate of Registration from RBI to Start NBFC OperationsBajaj Auto Consumer Finance Limitd (BACFL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bajaj Auto Limited, has received the Certificate of Registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start the business of Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC).

• The certification of registration was issued on 31st August 2023 under Section 45-IA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 to commence/carry on the business of the NBFC without accepting public deposits.

Background:
i.In October 2021, Bajaj Auto announced the setting up of a 100% captive finance subsidiary ‘Bajaj Auto Consumer Finance Ltd (BACFL)’, to offer financing solutions for vehicles manufactured or endorsed by Bajaj Auto and associated entities.
ii.In July 2023, Bajaj Auto Ltd. announced the establishment of BACFL and applied for a NBFC license with the RBI.
Key Points:
i.BACFL is the 2nd NBFC in the Bajaj group. Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending arm of Bajaj Finserv Limited is the other NBFC under the Bajaj Brand.
ii.The NBFC can potentially influence the Group company Bajaj Finance, which depends on the distribution network of Bajaj Auto to source two-wheeler, and new and used car loans.
About Bajaj Auto Consumer Finance Ltd (BACFL):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Rakesh Makkar
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Incorporated in– 2021

 

EPFO granted permission to invest in equities and related investmentsThe government has allowed the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to invest proceeds from the sale or redemption of investments in equities and related assets.A new clause was added on August 24, 2023, to amend below previous two notifications.
Background Notifications
i.April 23, 2015 Notification: Discusses investment of incremental accretions by EPFO.
ii.May 29, 2015 Notification: Defines instruments and limits for EPFO investments.
Insertions in Notification (dated September 1, 2023)
i.Added “sale or redemption of investment in equities and related investments” to the list of allowed actions.
ii.EPFO can invest a minimum of 5% and a maximum of 15% in equities and related instruments.
What is EPFO operation?

• EPFO is an organization under Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India that manages provident funds, which are retirement savings accounts for employees in India. It collects contributions from both employees and employers and invests these funds in various places.
• The aim is to generate returns on these investments, and part of these earnings is then distributed to the account holders as interest on their provident fund accounts.

About EPFO:
Central Provident Fund Commissioner(CPFO)/CEO – Ms. Neelam Shami Rao
Headquarters – New Delhi
Establishment –1952

 

PayNearby and Grameen Foundation Collaborated to Upskill 1.50 lakh Rural BCPayNearby in collaboration with Grameen Foundation for Social Impact (GFSI) launched ‘Scaling Agent Viability and Quality in India’ project to upskill 1.5 lakh business correspondents (BC) and enlist 15,000 women BCs through the required skills, knowledge and support in rural India .

• The project is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

About the collaboration:
i.The tenure of the project is two years.
ii.PayNearby’s Distribution-as-a-Service network (DaaS) will be utilised by Grameen Foundation to offer tailored digital and financial solutions across various domains such as commerce, education, entertainment, credit management, insurance, and more.
iii.The BCs will provide digital and financial services beyond cash-in/cash-out.

• BCs will be made aware of the financial advantage of a diversified product portfolio.

iv.The collaboration aims to boost women’s abilities in a connected business world, showcasing inclusive development, women’s empowerment, and involving key stakeholders.
Who are Business Correspondents(BC)?
Business correspondents assist villagers in opening accounts, conducting transactions, and processing loans. They earn commissions from the bank for these services. Using a mobile device, they help villagers with various banking tasks such as depositing money, withdrawing from savings accounts, and applying for loans.
About PayNearby:
Founder & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Anand Kumar Bajaj
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2016

 

Indian Bank Launched VISA Co-branded Metal Credit Card With OneCard Indian Bank in partnership with OneCard introduced state-of-the-art, mobile-first, contactless, VISA Signature metal co-branded credit cards to offer easy access to potential users in the wake of social distancing.

• This initiative brings features like tracking transactions in real-time, managing expenses, converting purchases into EMIs, redeeming rewards, making repayments, planning monthly budgets, adjusting credit limits, and facilitating seamless payments, all within a mobile application.
• State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) Bank, South Indian Bank, Catholic Syrian Bank(CSB), Federal Bank, Bank of Baroda Financial are some other OneCard Co-branded Card Issuers.

OneCard:
i.OneCard is a co-branded credit card issued by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved Banks and Financial Institutions in partnership with OneCard.

• OneCard is launched and managed by FPL Technologies on a full-stack proprietary technology platform.

ii.Currently available in Mumbai(Maharashtra), Delhi NCR(Nelhi), Bengaluru(Karnataka), Pune(Maharashtra), Hyderabad(Telangana), Chennai(Tamilnadu), Ahmedabad(Gujarat), Surat(Gujarat), Vadodara(Gujarat), Indore(Madhya Pradesh), Jaipur(Rajasthan) and Kolkata(West Bengal).
iii.The card is built with full-stack technology and backed by the principles of simplicity, transparency, and giving back control to the user.
iv.OneRewards is the Rewards Program of OneCard
Card Offerings:
i.The card offers numerous benefits like lifetime validity, Zero Joining Fees and  Annual Fees along with Zero Rewards Redemption Fees.

• The co-branded also offers seamless digital on-boarding and flexible Equated Monthly Instalments(EMI) options.

ii.The Cardholder can control all aspects of the credit card through OneCard mobile application.
About Indian Bank:
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) –  Shanti Lal Jain
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Established in  – 1907
About Onecard:
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Anurag Sinha
Headquarters – Pune, Maharashtra

 

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Rated ‘A+’ in Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023
United States of America (US)-based Global Finance magazine has rated Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as A+ in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023.

• Along with Shaktikanta Das, Thomas J Jordan Chairperson of the Swiss National Bank, Switzerland and Nguyen Thi Hong, Governor of State Bank of Vietnam, Vietnam were rated A+.
• The grades are based on a scale from A to F for success in inflation control, economic growth goals, currency stability, and interest rate management. An ‘A’ represents an excellent performance and an ‘F’ stands for an outright failure.
• The Central Banker Report Cards, published annually by Global Finance since 1994, grade the central bank governors of 101 key countries, territories and districts, including the European Union, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Bank of Central African States, and the Central Bank of West African States.

Note: In June 2023, Shaktikanta Das was conferred the award of ‘Governor of the Year at the 10th annual Central Banking Awards 2023 at London, the United Kingdom (UK).

Dipak Gupta took over as Interim MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank; Uday Kotak Resigned Dipak Gupta, Joint Managing Director (MD) of the Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited took over as the Interim MD and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the bank till 31st December 2023. He will hold the position till Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposes its successor.

• The appointment of Dipak Gupate follows the early resignation of Uday Kotak from the position of MD & CEO with effect from 1st September 2023. His tenure as MD & CEO expires on 31st Devember 2023.
• Uday Kotak will continue as a part of Kotak Mahindra Bank as a non-Executive director.

Note: The leadership change were announced during the meeting of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s board of Directors.
About Dipak Gupta:
i.Dipak Gupta joined the Kotak Group in 1992, prior to that he worked with the consultancy division of A.F. Ferguson & Co.
ii.He has been the whole time Director of the Kotak Mahindra Bank (previusly known as “Kotal Mahindra Finance Limited (KMFL) since 1999.
iii.He has been serving as the Joint MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank since January 2012.
iii.He was instrumental in accomplishing the partnership between KMFL and Ford Credit International and was the first MD of Kotak Mahindra Primus Limited (now Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited).
iv.He also chairs functions of Internal Audit and Information Technology (IT) including Cyber Security and Digital Initiatives, at the Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.
About Uday Kotak:
i.Uday Kotak is the Founder and Promoter  of the Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.
ii.He has been the MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited since August 2002.
iii.He currently Co-Chairs the Indo-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP) and servs as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corporate Insolvency and Liquidation (Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India).
About Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL):
Incorporated in 1985 as “Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd”.
Receivd Banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) in 2003 and Became the 1st Non-Banking Finance Company (NFBC) in India to be converted into a bank. It was then renamed as “Kotak Mahindra Bank”.
MD & CEO– Dipak Gupta (Interim)
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

 

Former CJI NV Ramana Appointed International Mediation Panel Member of SIMC
Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana (NV Ramana), Former Chief Justice of India (CJI), has been appointed member of the International Mediation Panel of the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC). A letter of appointment was presented to him by George Lim, Chairman of SIMC, in Singapore.

• Justice Ramana took part in the ‘Singapore Convention Week’ (SC Week), the annual convention organised by Singapore Ministry of Law (MinLaw), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and over 20 partner organisations.
• India’s leading multinational corporations (MNCs) have come together to support a mediation initiative led by Justice Ramana. Top executives from various organizations, including SIMC and Indian corporate groups like Reliance, Aditya Birla, Tata, and Mahindra, collaborated to sign the ‘Declaration of Intent.’

Note: The 2023 theme of the SC Week was “Tomorrow’s World Today: Leading the Future of Dispute Resolution” and was a five-day event held from 28th August 2023 to 1st September 2023.

 

Swaraj Tractors Names MS Dhoni as Brand Ambassador 
Swaraj Tractors, a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Chaired by Mr. Anand Mahindra has named Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian captain as its new brand ambassador. The announcement was made during the launch of the company’s lightweight tractors.

• According to the Swaraj Tractors, the relationship would strengthen its dedication to offering Indian farmers cutting-edge and dependable mechanisation solutions.
• As the brand ambassador, MS Dhoni will feature on the newly launched advertising campaign for the brand.

Swaraj Tractors, a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Chaired by Mr. Anand Mahindra has named Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian captain as its new brand ambassador. The announcement was made during the launch of the company’s lightweight tractors.
About MS Dhoni:
i.MS Dhoni was captain of the Indian national team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2017 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014. He also captined the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
ii.He is the only captain in the history of cricket to have won all three International Cricket Council (ICC) trophies: Twenty20 (T20) World Cup 2007, 2011 ICC ODI World Cup 2011, and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy 2013

 

Max Verstappen won the Italian Grand Prix 2023; Sets Record for Most Consecutive F1 WinsOn September 3, 2023, Max Verstappen, Belgian-Dutch driver of Red Bull, won the 93rd edition of Italian Grand Prix, officially known as Formula 1(F1) Pirelli Gran Premio D’italia 2023 held in Monza Circuit, also known as the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, located in Monza, a town near Milan, Italy.

• Sergio Perez (Mexico) of Red Bull and Carlos Sainz Jr. (Spain) of Ferrari finished at 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

This victory marks Max Verstappen’s 10th consecutive win of the 2023 F1 season and sets the record of Most consecutive F1 Wins.

• The record was previously held by Sebastian Vettel(Germany) of Red Bull who won 9 consecutive titles in 2013.
• The next event (15th Round) will be F1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2023 which will be held from September 15-17, 2023 in Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore.

About Max Verstappen:
i.In 2021, after winning Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he became the first Dutch driver to win the F1 World Championship, and the 34th F1 World Drivers’ Champion. He also won his 2nd consecutive F1 championship in the 2022 season.
ii.As of the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, he achieved 47 victories and 28 pole positions.
iii.He also hold a record of Youngest driver to start a race at the age of 17 years, 166 days during 2015 Australian Grand Prix.
Points to note:
i.Red Bull has broke the record for Most consecutive wins by a constructor with 15 wins(2022-2023). The record was previously held by Ferrari (11).
ii.So far, Red bull has won every race of the 2023 season (10 by Max Verstappen and 2 by Sergio Perez).
About Italian Grand Prix:
It is the fifth oldest national Grand Prix (after the French Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix), having been held since 1922.

• Race length- 306.720 km (190.596 miles)
• Laps- 53

 

Football: Mohun Bagan Defeats East Bengal to Win Durand Cup 2023Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated East Bengal Football Club 1-0 to win the Durand Cup 2023 trophy held in Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan(Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata, West Bengal.

• Mohun Bagan became the first team to win the 17 titles in the Durand cup surpassing East Bengal with 16 titles.
• The Durand Cup2023 was held from 3rd August to 3rd September 2023.

Awards:
Golden Ball – Nandhakumar Sekar(East Bengal)
Golden Boot – David Lalhlansanga (Mohammedan SC)
Golden Glove – Vishal Kaith (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)
Prize Money – Rs 60,00,000
Highlights:
i.Dimitri Petratos’s lone goal in the finals paved the way for Mohun Bagan’s win.

• It also marks Mohun Bagan’s first win since 2000.

ii.Previously, Mohun Bagan played in the finals of the 2004, 2009 and 2019 editions of the Durand Cup.
iii.’Derby’ means a match between local rivals in football, the match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan Super Giant is considered as the ‘Kolkata Derby’ which is locally known as “Boro Match” (or ‘Big Match’ in Bengali).
iv.2023 Durand Cup was sponsored by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
About Durand Cup:
i.The 132nd edition of the Durand Cup was played in following venues

• Salt Lake Stadium(Kolkata), Mohun Bagan Ground(Kolkata),  East Bengal Ground (Kolkata), Kishore Bharati Krirangan (Kolkata), Sports Authority of India Stadium (SAI)-Kokrajhar(Assam) and  Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati(Assam).

ii.The tournament witnessed the participation of 24 teams including teams from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, the foreign teams are taking part in the tournament after a gap of 27 years.
iii.The Durand Cup 2023 organised by the Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS)- a part of Indian Armed forces, in association with of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
iv.The first edition was held in 1888 as an army cup and it was named after its founder Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, then Foreign Secretary to Govt of India.

• The Durand Cup is the oldest football competition in India & Asia, and also the third oldest in the world.

Note: 
i. ATK Mohun Bagan won the ninth edition of the Indian Super League (ISL)2022-23 title by defeating Bengaluru FC in the finals in March 2023.
ii.ATK Mohun Bagan team changed into Mohun Bagan Super Giant in June 2023.

 

Indian Men’s Hockey Team beat Pakistan to win 1st edition of Men’s Hockey 5s Asia CupOn September 2, 2023, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team won the inaugural Men’s Hockey5s Asia Cup Salalah 2023 by defeating Pakistan with 4-4 (2-0) by a penalty shootout in the final in Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment – Pitch 1(Stadium), Salalah, Oman.

• With this win, India qualified for the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024.
• The championship held from 29 Aug – 2 Sep 2023 was for Senior Men category, and served as qualifying tournament for the FIH Men’s Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024.

Key Points:
i.This is the first time that India has beaten Pakistan in the Men’s Hockey 5s format.
ii.Hockey India announced Rs 2 Lakh for each player and Rs 1 Lakh for each support staff.
iii. KHAN Abdullah Ishtiaq Of Pakistan was named man of the match (Final).
Medal Winners:
Indian Men’s hockey team was given the Gold medal with a trophy and Pakistan got Silver medal and Oman won Bronze.
Participant Countries:
A total of 11 Asian countries participated in Men’s Hockey 5s Asia Cup – India, Pakistan, Oman, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iran, Kazakhstan, Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong China and Afghanistan.
Awards:

 

Heath Streak, Former Zimbabwe Cricket Captain Passed AwayOn 3rd September 2023, Heath Hilton Streak (Heath Streak), Former captain of the Zimbabwe Cricket team, passed away at the age of 49, in Matabeleland, in southwestern Zimbabwe. He was born on March 16, 1974, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
About Heath Streak:
Career:
i.Heath Streak represented Zimbabwe in 65 Tests and 189 One Day Internationals (ODIs) between 1993 and 2005.

• He made his ODI debut against South Africa in Bengaluru, Karnataka during the 1993 Hero Cup.
• He retired from international cricket at the age of 32 in 2005 and went on to play for the English County, Warwickshire County Cricket Club (CCC).

ii.He represented Zimbabwe in 65 Tests, making him their second-most capped Test player, and 189 ODIs between 1993 and 2005.
iii.He was appointed captain twice, first in 2000 and then again in 2002 to lead the team at the 2003 World Cup, the event co-hosted by Zimbabwe. He later resigned his captaincy in 2004.
iv.In 2021, ICC banned him from all forms of cricket for 8 years for breaching the anti-corruption code in 2018.
Records:
i.He was the leading bowler of Zimbabwe, with 216 Test wickets and 239 ODI wickets, and also the first Zimbabwean to reach 100 Test wickets.