National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited

● Ministry of Cooperation
● To serve as an umbrella organization for the Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)
● It will raise capital to reach a capital base of Rs.300 crores.
● To modernize and strengthen the Urban Cooperative Banking Sector in India,
ultimately benefiting both the banks and their customers.
● It has received a Certificate of Registration (CoR) from the RBI to
▪ Operate as a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC)
▪ To operate as a Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for the sector
● Functions:
▪ It will offer liquidity and capital support to UCBs.
▪ It will set up a technology platform that can be shared by all UCBs, enabling them to
widen their range of services at a relatively lower cost.
▪ It will also offer fund management and other consultancy services.

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

● Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
● To install rooftop solar (RTS) and provide free electricity for up to 300 monthly units
for 1 Crore households.
● Total outlay: Rs. 75,021 crore
● One village will be developed in each district to act as a role model for the adoption
of RTS in rural areas.
● Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions will be incentivised to
promote RTS installations in their areas.

13th WTO Ministerial Conference

● In Abu Dhabi, UAE.
● Comoros and Timor Leste were acceded to WTO, bringing the total number of
WTO members to 166.
● Members agreed to extend the moratorium on customs duties for e-commerce
transactions for an additional 2 years, until the next ministerial conference.
● The deadlock continues on Agricultural and Fisheries Subsidies
● India and other G-33 members successfully defended the permanent peace clause,
which allows countries to exceed the minimum subsidy levels for staple crops
without facing WTO disputes.

The revolving fund is given to Self Help Groups (SHGs) to promote the lending of money
within SHGs on a rotational basis and increase the annual income of poor households by
promoting women-led micro-enterprises at the village level.

Maharashtra has launched the Modi Awaas Gharkul Yojana intending to construct 10
lakh houses from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26.
Textiles Committee, Government e-Marketplace and Standing Conference of Public
Enterprises have recently signed a tripartite MoU to promote upcycled products made
from textiles waste and scrap, at the ongoing Bharat Tex 2024.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd has launched India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel cell
ferry under the Harit Nauka initiative.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is implementing the Green Tug
Transition Programme (GTTP) intending to convert at least 50% of all tugs into Green
Tugs by 2030 and to have Green Tugs operating at all major ports.

Ministry of Education is organising “Mera Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye” campaign with an
aim to ensure universal enlightened participation of youth in elections.

Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (Important)

● Conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation every five years. .
● To generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure
(MPCE) and its distribution separately for the rural and urban sectors of the country
● Key Findings
➔ Rural and Urban average monthly consumption spending per person
increased to Rs.3,773 and Rs.6,459 per month (more than doubled since
2011-12).
➔ Reduction in Consumption Expenditure Gap in average monthly per capita
consumption expenditure (MPCE) between rural and urban households: It has
decreased to 71.2% in 2022-23 from 83.9% in 2011-12, indicating a narrowing
disparity.

Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity & Equality

● To bring together global best practices, knowledge sharing and investments in the
identified areas of women’s health, education, and enterprise.
● It was launched by India at the 54th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual
Meeting 2024 in Davos, Switzerland.
● Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development. It has unveiled the
logo and the website for the Alliance.
● Supported by: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
● Housed and anchored by (implementing Agency): CII Centre for Women Leadership.
● Network Partner: World Economic Forum
● Institutional Partner: Invest India
● It aligns with SDG 3,4,5, & 17
●
National Bank for Financing Infrastructure & Development (NaBFID)
● Set up in 2021 as the 5th All India Financial institution (NABARD, EXIM, NHB,
SIDBI)
● It is regulated by RBI
● It supports the country's infrastructure sector by bridging the financing gap in the
infrastructure sector.
● Authorised share capital: Rs. 1 lakh crore.

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying is implementing a Sub-mission

named ‘Fodder and Feed Development’ under the National Livestock Mission to address
the shortage of fodder in the country.

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions is implementing the Anubhav

Awards Scheme to incentivize and motivate retiring employees to submit their career
experiences on the ‘Anubhav Portal’ documenting the administrative history of India.

Madhya Pradesh has launched the Cyber Tehsil project to improve the delivery of
government services.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) was launched in 2020 by Ministry of Social
Justice & Empowerment in 272 identified most vulnerable districts and now it has been
extended to all districts across the country.

Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme

● Launched by the Ministry of Defence during the DefConnect 2024 held in New
Delhi.
● To develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed
timeframe.
● Tenure: 2023-24 to 2025-26
● Outlay: Rs.750 crores
● It will provide eligible startups grant up to 50% of the product development budget
with a cap of Rs. 25 Crore.

e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi

● Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
● It is a Digital Gateway of Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority
(WDRA)
● To facilitate farmers in obtaining post-harvest loans from banks against their
stocks stored in the WDRA-registered warehouses.
India's 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in Stainless Steel Sector
● It has been inaugurated at Jindal Stainless Limited (JSL), Hisar, Haryana.
● Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced from water electrolysis by using
renewable energy-powered electrolysers.
● It is the world’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless-steel industry
● It also the world’s first Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop & floating solar

Digital Intelligence Platform and Chakshu Facility

● Ministry of Communications has launched both to empower citizens to proactively
report suspected fraud communication.
● Digital Intelligence Platform - to curb misuse of telecom resources in cyber-crime
and financial frauds.
● Chakshu - It has been launched on the Sanchar Saathi portal to empower citizens to
proactively report suspected fraud communication. It facilitates citizens to report
suspected fraud communication received over call, SMS or WhatsApp with the
intention of defrauding on various grounds.

India is endowed with 5th largest geological reserves of coal and is 2nd largest consumers
of coal.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched public-private partnership

known as Social Defence Fellowship in collaboration with The/Nudge Institute - a
Bangalore-based non-profit organization, aimed at empowering marginalized communities.

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) signed an MoU with

CSIR- CSIO for collaboration in the design, development, and manufacturing of
rehabilitation and assistive technology.

Mauritius became the first to adopt India’s Jan Aushadhi Scheme.

Ola Electric Technologies Pvt. Ltd became the first to be awarded the PLI – Automotive
Certificate under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobiles and
Auto Components.

Ministry of Defense has signed a tripartite MoU with BEML Limited, Bharat
Electronics Limited and Mishr Dhatu Nigam Limited for Indigenous development of an
Advanced Fuelling and Control System for Engines for heavy-duty applications.

NITI for States Platform

● To help strengthen cooperative federalism and empower data-driven governance.
● It will serve as a cross-sectoral knowledge platform designed to become a Digital
Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Policy and Good Governance.
 ● It consists of 7,500 curated best practices, 5,000 policy documents, 900+ datasets,
1,400 data profiles, and 350 NITI Aayog publications.
● It is available in 22 major Indian languages and 7 foreign languages.
● It is tailored with digital training modules for officials at various levels (block,
district, and state).
● It leverages data from the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for
comprehensive and actionable insights, fostering data-driven decision-making.

ICED
● Ministry of Jal Shakti has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore for 10 years.
● Establishing an International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED) under Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II and III.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

● Launch Year: 2016
● Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
● Eligible beneficiary: It provides deposit-free LPG connections to adult women of
poor households and not having LPG connections.
● Under it, financial support of Rs. 1600 for each LPG connection.
● Rs. 12,000 crores for financial year 2024-25.
● The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the targeted subsidy of Rs.300
per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year to be provided to the beneficiaries
of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during FY 2024-25.

IndiaAI Mission
● To establish a comprehensive ecosystem that catalyzes AI innovation through
strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors.
● Nodal Ministry: MeITY
● Budgetary Outlay: Rs.10,371.92 crore.
● It will be implemented by ‘IndiaAI’ Independent Business Division (IBD) under
Digital India Corporation (DIC).
● Components:-
IndiaAI Compute Capacity
IndiaAI Innovation Centre
IndiaAI Datasets Platform
IndiaAI Application Development Initiative
IndiaAI FutureSkills
IndiaAI Startup Financing
Safe & Trusted AI
Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme, 2024 (UNNATI – 2024)
● To generate gainful employment, which will lead to the area's overall
socio-economic development.
● Total cost: Rs.10,037 crore.
● Type: Central Sector Scheme
● Duration: 10 years (till 2034) along with 8 years for committed liabilities
● Ministry of Commerce and Industry
● Implemented by: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in
cooperation with the states.
● Eligibility: All new Industrial units and Expanding units.
▪ Maximum eligible benefits to one unit from all components: Rs. 250 Crore
▪ Green industries like EV charging stations are on the positive list, while cement,
plastic, and others are on the negative list.

Coal Gasification Mission

● It aims to gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030 through surface coal/lignite
gasification projects.

NITI Aayog in partnership with Rajasthan and UNDP recently organised the ‘National
Conference on Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals’

India's first Supercritical Thermal Power Plant - North Karanpura Super Thermal Power
Project (600 MW) equipped with Air Cooled Condenser technology been inaugurated at
Jharkhand.

Ministry of Rural Development has organised the 4th edition of SARAS Mela in Noida,
Uttar Pradesh.

Ministry of Science and Technology has launched

(i) Indian Nucleotide Data Archive –Controlled Access (INDA-CA) portal
(ii) Indian Crop Phenome Database Portal
(iii) Indian Metabolome Data Archive Portal

Coal CAPEX
● For FY 2023-24, the target of CAPEX is Rs.21,030 Crore. By Feb 2024, coal PSUs
have already surpassed the FY 2023-24 target by making record capex of Rs.
22448.24 Cr i.e. 106.74% of the annual target
● Other Achievements
➔ Best Engagement – Ministry of Coal
➔ Rising Star – Coal India Limited
➔ Timely Payments (CPSEs) – NLC India Limited
A memorandum of Agreement has been signed between CAPFIMS and AIIMS, New Delhi
to run the Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences (CAPFIMS) as a
campus of All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The budget of ₹2207.50 crore is
approved for it.

India-EFTA TEPA (Impt)

● India has signed such FTA with four development nations viz; Switzerland, Iceland,
Norway & Liechtenstein for the first time.
● It commits $100 Billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in India in the next 15
years.
● EFTA is offering 92.2% of its tariff lines which covers 99.6% of India’s exports.
● The EFTA’s market access offer covers 100% of non-agri products and tariff
concession on Processed Agricultural Products.

Rs.172 Crore has been allocated by the ministry of minority affairs for the Development of
‘Multidisciplinary Sports Complex’ and ‘Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Centres’ in
Nagaland.

Rajasthan government and NLC India Limited has signed an MoU for the Formation of
Joint Venture to set up 125 MW Lignite Based Power Plant and 1000 MW Solar Power
Plant.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has signed an MoU with SignAble
Communications to enhance communication and accessibility for visually and hearing
impaired Divyangjan.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has signed an MoU with the
Electronics Sector Skills Council of India for the skill development of persons with
disabilities.

PM Modi inaugurated the Barauni - Guwahati Pipeline under PM Urja Ganga Yojna to
the nation. This pipeline will benefit people from more than 30 districts of Bihar, West
Bengal and Assam.

Ministry of Communications has organized Sangam Digital Twin initiative at IIIT

Bangalore in collaboration with the Telecommunications Centres of Excellence.

Ministry of Agriculture has launched the Agriculture Integrated Command and Control
Centre to provide farmers the information about the reality of the farm and find out the real
challenges of the agriculture sector.

Revamped Pharmaceuticals Technology Upgradation Scheme

● Ministry of chemicals and fertilizers
● To help upgrade the technological capabilities of our pharmaceutical industry
 ● The eligibility has been expanded beyond MSMEs to include any pharmaceutical
manufacturing unit with a turnover of less than 500 crores that requires technology
and quality upgradation.

National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education

● Ministry of women and child development
● Prepared by the National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development
● National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children from
3-6 years.
● National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children - Birth to 3
Years.
● It aims to improve the quality of ECCE transacted at the Anganwadi Centre by
prioritizing competency-based lesson plans and activities.
● The curriculum consists of –
➔ 36 weeks of active learning
➔ 8 weeks of reinforcement and 4 weeks of initiation
➔ 5+1 days of play-based learning in one week
➔ Three blocks of activities in one day

12th edition of Integrated Ratings of DISCOMS

● Released by Ministry of Power
● Grades – A, A+, B, B-, C, C- and D
● The nodal agency to conduct the ratings – Power Finance Corporation
● The number of DISCOMs in the A+ category has gone up from 12 in the 10th edition
to 14 in the 12th edition.
● Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited is at the top position.

Vocal for Local by NITI Aayog

● To encourage a spirit of self-reliance in Aspirational Blocks, propelling them towards
sustainable growth and prosperity.
● ‘Aakanksha’ portal has been launched to encourage local products.

Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme

● Ministry of Heavy Industries
● To provide further impetus to the green mobility and development of electric vehicle
(EV) manufacturing eco-system in the country.
● Total Outlay – Rs.500 Crores
● Duration – 1st April 2024 till 31st July 2024

The government of India has signed a $181 million loan agreement with the Asian
Development Bank to build quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban
livability and mobility in the peri-urban areas of Ahmedabad city in Gujarat.
PM SURAJ (Samajik Utthan and Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan) portal was launched by the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to provide credit support to entrepreneurs
from disadvantaged sections of society.

India has signed a protocol with the Dominican Republic for the establishment of the Joint
Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).

National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute of the Ministry of Science and Technology

has inaugurated the first-of-its-kind "National Speed Breeding Crop Facility"

Under Dilli Gramoday Abhiyan, the Ministry of Home Affairs has inaugurated the
commencement of PNG facilities in 41 villages and various development projects in 178
villages with an outlay of Rs.383 crore.

BhuPRAHARI Project
● The Ministry of Rural Development has signed an MoU with the IIT Delhi.
● To leverage ground and space-based geospatial technologies along with AI to
monitor and manage assets under MGNREGA
● It will be executed by the HydroSense lab.

Credit Assistance Program for Jan Aushadhi Kendras

● To facilitate invoice-based financing to the entrepreneurs running the Jan Aushadhi
Kendras.
● Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the Pharmaceuticals and
Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) have recently signed two MoUs for this.
● Project Term loan assistance: Upto Rs 5 lakh for meeting the 80% of the project
cost of setting up a new store.
● Upto Rs 2 lakh for the purchase of stocks of medicine from PMBI using the GST
Sahay digital App of SIDBI.

India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor

● MoU to establish it was signed between India, the European Union, France, Germany,
Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the US at the New Delhi G20 summit.
● It comprises of two separate corridors
▪ East corridor connecting India to the Gulf
▪ Northern corridor connecting Gulf to Europe

Prasar Bharti - Shared Audio Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination (PB SHABD)
● It is a platform designed to provide daily news feeds in video, audio, text, photo,
and other formats to subscribers from the media landscape.
● Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has launched
● Websites of DD News and Akashvani News
● Updated News on Air mobile app
● It will provide news stories in all major Indian languages across fifty categories
PM has recently laid the foundation stone of the Petrochemicals complex of Petronet LNG
including Ethane and Propane handling facilities worth over Rs. 20,600 crores in Gujrat.

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) of the Department of Telecommunications,

Prasar Bharati and Open Network for Digital Commerce has recently signed a tripartite
MoU to proliferate affordable and accessible digital services across the country.

India and Egypt recently signed an MoU to enhance workforce skills, promote
employment, address skill gaps, and foster international cooperation.

Common Fellowship Portal is launched to serve as a single interface between applicants

and various fellowship schemes of the Department of Biotechnology.

Ministry of Corporate Affairs has constituted a Committee on Digital Competition Law

to examine the need for a separate law on competition in digital markets.

Gender Inequality Index 2022

● Released by UNDP as part of its Human Development Report 2023/2024.
● Three dimensions— reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market.
● GII score: It varies between 0 (when women and men fare equally) and 1 (when
men or women fare poorly compared to the other in all dimensions).
● Denmark (Rank: 1st, Score: 0.009); Norway (2nd, 0.012); Switzerland (3rd, 0.018);
Sweden (4th, 0.023); Netherlands (5th, 0.025).
● India has been ranked at 108 out of 193 countries with a score of 0.437. It shows a
significant jump of 14 ranks on GII 2022 vis-à-vis GII 2021
● Bhutan (Rank: 80, Score: 0.334); Sri Lanka (90th, 0.376); and Maldives (76th,
0.328) have performed better compared to India.

Pilot Program for cashless treatment of road accident victims

● To provide cashless treatment to the victims of road accidents caused by the use of
motor vehicles.
● Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
● It has been initiated in Chandigarh.
● Implementing Agency: National Health Authority (NHA)
● Victims are entitled to cashless treatment upto a maximum of Rs. 1.5
lakhs/accident/person for a maximum period of 7 days from date of accident.

Ethanol 100 Fuel

● Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
● It is a blend of 92 to 94% ethanol, 4 to 5% motor spirit to provide colour to flame and
1.5% Co-solvent higher saturated alcohol.
● It is a cleaner and greener alternative to gasoline
"Strengthening of Pharmaceuticals Industry (SPI)”
● Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers
● It aims to addresses requirement for support to existing pharma clusters to improve
productivity, quality and sustainability to make India a global leader in Pharma Sector.
● Tenure: FY 2021-2022 to FY 2025-26 (5 years).
● SPI Scheme has three components
➔ Assistance to Pharmaceutical Industry for Common Facilities (APICF) - It will
be 70% of approved project cost or Rs 20 crore, whichever is less.
➔ Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Promotion and Development Scheme
(PMPDS)
➔ Revamped Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme
(RPTUAS)

Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Fisheries Scheme

● Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
● It has successfully inaugurated the integration of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
Fisheries scheme onto the JanSamarth Portal.
● For revolutionizing access to credit facilities for fishers, fish farmers etc across the
nation.

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has signed a Non-Financial MoU with the
Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited (BFIL) to support the livelihood intervention of
DAY-NRLM by syncing their activities in livestock and fisheries development.

Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food &
Public Distribution has entered into two MoUs for the transformation of Fair Price Shops
with the
• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

E- Vehicle Policy
● To promote India as a manufacturing destination so that e-vehicles (EV) with the
latest technology can be manufactured in the country
● It has following features
▪ Minimum Investment required: Rs 4150 Cr (∼US $500 million)
▪ Maximum Investment: No limit
▪ Timeline for manufacturing: 3 years for setting up manufacturing facilities in
India, and to start commercial production of e-vehicles.
▪ To reach 50% domestic value addition (DVA) within 5 years at the maximum.
▪ Customs duty of 15% will be applicable on vehicles of minimum value of US
$35,000 and above for a total period of 5 years
Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved the proposal for the establishment of the ‘Centre
for Advanced studies in Buddhist Studies’ at the University at an estimated cost of approx.
Rs. 35 crores under its scheme viz. Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and
“Buddhist Development Plan” (BDP)

India and Singapore recently signed an MoU on cooperation in the sphere of Law &
Dispute Resolution.

India has signed a $23 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank to
enhance access to quality fintech education, research, and innovation at the Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City).

With 8% share in global fish production, India is the 3rd largest fish producer, 2nd largest
aquaculture producer, and 4th largest top seafood exporter in the world.

India’s first Oil Palm Processing Mill has been inaugurated at Andhra Pradesh under the
National Mission for Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

Ministry of Communications has unveiled a financial upgradation scheme for 2.56 lakhs
Gramin Dak Sevaks working in the Department of Posts. Every Gramin Dak Sevak will get
three financial upgradations on completion of 12, 24 and 36 years of service amounting to Rs
4,320/-, Rs. 5,520/-, and Rs 7,200/- per annum respectively.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has recently announced a major investment
of more than Rs. 645 crores to develop 10 waterways projects under the flagship
Sagarmala programme. These projects will be implemented with 100% financial assistance
from the central government to enhance terminals and riverine infrastructure along the river
Brahmaputra (National Waterways 2) to boost connectivity and foster economic growth in
Assam.

BhashaNet Portal
● National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology
● For Digital Inclusion across the nation
● It has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing with
the support of NIXI.

International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy

● It is an inter-governmental cooperative initiative founded in 2003 in 24 countries
including India.
● To facilitate the transition to clean and efficient energy and mobility systems using
hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across applications and sectors.
Bima Sugam
● Approved by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
● To promote transparency and efficiency and boost insurance penetration in the
country to achieve the vision of “Insurance for all by 2047”
● It will act as a one-stop solution for all Insurance stakeholder’s vis-a-vis customers,
insurers, intermediaries, or insurance intermediaries.
● It is an insurance e-market with open standards and an interoperable platform.
● It is a part of IRDAI’s Bima Trinity - Bima Vistaar, Bima Vahak, and Bima Sugam.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

● It is a specialised United Nations agency for information and communication
technologies (ICTs), driving innovation in ICTs.
● Established Year: 1865 to manage the first international telegraph networks.
● Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
● India elected as chair of ITU - Digital Innovation Board under the aegis of
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.

Bharat Pashudhan is the dedicated Livestock Data Stack for enabling the field workers
to upload important information related to animal transactions like vaccinations,
artificial inseminations, fresh animal registrations etc. on real time basis using the unique ID
number or Pashu Aadhaar assigned to every animal.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) and Railway Protection Force signed an
MoU for combating human trafficking.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Krishi Jagran recently signed an
MoU for the dissemination & promotion of ICAR’s initiatives for the growth of Indian
Agriculture and farmers' welfare.

GRID-INDIA under the Ministry of Power has been recently conferred with the status of
Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Dhanuka Agritech Limited has
recently signed an MoU to deliver new technology to the farmers.

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare along with the Ministry of

Communications has recently released a Technical Report on “Revolutionizing
Agriculture: The Digital Transformation of Farming.”

South Korea hosted the third Summit for Democracy under the theme 'Democracy for
Future Generations.'
Ministry of Defence & Ministry of External Affairs are organising International Strategic
Engagement Programme (IN-STEP) in New Delhi along with National Security Council
Secretariat.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and NCC signed an MoU to raise
awareness on the peaceful use of nuclear power through various programmes pan India.

Bhutan has recently conferred its highest civilian award 'Order of the Druk Gyalpo' on
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Government's Borrowing plan for 1st half of FY 2024- 25

● Out of Gross Market borrowing of Rs. 14.13 lakh crore projected for FY 2024-25 in
the Union budget, Rs. 7.50 lakh crore (53.08%) is planned to be borrowed in the
first half (H1) through dated securities.
● Portion of this borrowing i.e. Rs. 12,000 crores, will be raised through the issuance
of Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs).
● Government has decided to introduce a new dated security of 15-year tenor based.
● The Reserve Bank of India has set the Ways and Means Advances limit for H1 of
FY 2024-25 at Rs. 1.50 lakh crore.

Ways and Means Advances (WMAs)

● It is a facility that allows different arms of the government and centres to
borrow from the Reserve Bank of India.
● These are only administered to finance temporary budget deficits.
● Section 17(5) of the RBI Act, 1934 explicitly states that WMAs can be
availed by state or central governments on the condition that it has to be
repaid within three months and are often issued at the repo rate.

Sovereign Green Bonds

● Introduced in 2022-23 Budget
● These bonds qualify as green government securities (G-Secs) for the
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and Repurchase Transactions (Repo) and are
tradable in the secondary market.
● SGrBs yield lower interest than conventional G-Secs, and the amount
foregone by banks by investing in them is called a Greenium.

CoViNet (Coronavirus Network)

● Launched by WHO
● To facilitate and coordinate global expertise for early and accurate detection,
monitoring and assessment of SARS-CoV2, MERS-CoV and novel coronaviruses
of public health importance.
World's first Nuclear Energy Summit
● Held in Brussels, Belgium.
● To promote nuclear energy
● Organisers: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Belgium Government.
● It was organised in the wake of the historic inclusion of nuclear energy in the Global
Stocktake agreed at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), 2023 in Dubai,
UAE

1MYAC: One Million Youth Actions Challenge

● Promoted by the UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC: Learn)
● To encourage youth aged 10 to 30 years old to take concrete actions for a more
sustainable future.
● It works to promote four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
▪ SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation)
▪ SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production)
▪ SDG 13 (climate action)
▪ SDG 15 (life on land)

MGNREGA: New Wage Rates for FY2024-2025.

● Ministry of Rural Development revises state-wise wage rates for MGNREGA workers
every year, under section 6 of MGNREGA, 2005.
● This revision is based on changes in CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index- Agriculture
Labor).
● Features
➔ 3-10% increase in the wage rate
➔ Goa has witnessed the highest hike of 10.56% over the current wage rate
➔ The wages have seen an average increase of about 7% from the existing
all-India average wage rate of Rs 267.32 per day to Rs 285.47 per day.
➔ Goa, Karnataka (10.4%), Andhra Pradesh (10.29%), and Telangana (10.29%)
have seen a significant hike of over 10% increase.
➔ Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have recorded the lowest raise of 3.04% each.
➔ Haryana has the highest MNREGA wage rate at Rs 374 per day
➔ Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have the lowest at Rs 234 per day.

Food Waste Index (FWI) Report 2024

● Released by: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WRAP (Waste
and Resources Action Programme).
● It tracks the global and national generation of food and inedible parts wasted at
retail and consumer (household and food service) levels.
● It assesses progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3, which is to
be achieved by 2030.
● India's per capita waste at 55 kg per year.
● The economic cost of food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at
approximately $1 trillion.
 ● There is an increase in per capita household food waste globally (from 74 kg to 79
kg) and in India (from 50 kg to 55 kg) in 2022.
● Maldives had the highest per capita household food waste at 207 kg in 2022.
● 60% of food waste occurred at the household level, 28% at food services, and 12% at
retail.

Gujarat has started the Telecom Facilitation Centre aimed to support the telecom sector's
growth by assisting various stakeholders in navigating regulatory processes and handholding
for various schemes of the department and fostering innovation.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently released recommendations on

‘Usage of eSIM for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Communications’. (eSIM - embedded SIM)

The G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) is mandated to address labour, employment
and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced and job-rich growth for all. The 2nd EWG
meeting under the Brazilian Presidency recently commenced in Brasilia. As India is a
member of the G20 Troika, it is co-chairing the 2nd EWG meeting, along with Brazil and
South Africa.

The Media Facilitation Portal is launched by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) for
information on the General Election 2024.

The closing ceremony of the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 has been organised
by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.

India is hosting the 4th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum to catalyze
innovation and collaboration among startups.