Daily Current Affairs October 31 2023 | Latest News | Download PDF

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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI Extends Ban on Agricultural Commodity Futures Trading in India for One More Year                                         

• India’s markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has extended the ban on futures trading in agricultural commodities for an additional year, now in effect until December 20, 2024.
• The move came despite opposition from the cabinet secretariat and the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX).
• The ban on futures trading in specific agricultural commodities was initially imposed by the finance ministry through SEBI in 2021.
• It was implemented as a measure to combat rising inflation and initially affected 7 commodities:

1. Non-basmati paddy
2. Wheat
3. Chana
4. Mustard seed and its derivatives,
5. Soybean and its derivatives
6. Crude palm oil
7. Moong (green gram).

• The ban extension in 2022 faced protests and objections from industry players, including commodity exchanges, who argued that it could have adverse effects on farmers and the industry.

About SEBI :

• Established : 12 April 1988 as an executive body and was given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman : Madhabi Puri Buch (first woman to lead the SEBI)
• SEBI is the regulatory body for securities and commodity markets in India under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), GoI.

Arya.ag Introduces Agricultural Loans Using Blockchain Technology

• ag, a grain commerce platform, has introduced agricultural loans that operate on the blockchain.
• These loans are related to warehouse receipt loans disbursed through Arya.ag’s fintech arm and NBFC, Aryadhan.
• The use of blockchain technology is aimed at providing users with trust and transparency.

Key Highlights :

• ag has tokenized commodities stored in its warehouses, which is a process of representing physical assets as digital tokens on a blockchain.
• This development allows the disbursements of agri loans to be managed on the blockchain.
• ag partnered with Newrl, a decentralised trust network blockchain, to build the infrastructure for this blockchain-based system.
• ag’s blockchain ledger currently holds information about 3.2 million metric tons of commodities stored in 894 warehouses.
• CEO of Arya.ag: Prasanna Rao

ADB Grants $200 Million Loan for Strengthening Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management in Assam                  

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million loan to enhance flood and riverbank erosion risk management along the 650-kilometre-long main stem of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India.

Project Leadership and Implementation :

• The Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam will lead, manage, and coordinate the project activities.
• The Water Resources Department of the Government of Assam will implement the project works.
• The Assam Agroforestry Development Board will use nature-based solutions as part of the project.
• The project builds on the success and lessons from the ADB-financed Assam Integrated Flood and Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Investment Program (2010–2020) and similar investments in Bangladesh and will continue to tackle recurrent flooding and continual riverbank erosion of the Brahmaputra River.
• Partners Agencies : Several agencies, including the Brahmaputra Board, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, and the Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society, will collaborate as partner agencies on this project.

About the Project :

• The project will apply a holistic, integrated, and risk-informed approach to scale up investment in flood and riverbank erosion risk management and its long-term planning, while intensifying support for climate and disaster resilience and food security.
• Benefits and Impact : By optimising co-benefits and empowering women through disaster-resilient economic activities, the project will benefit about 1 million people and increase crop production over 50,000 hectares.
• The project’s innovative cost-effective structural and advanced nonstructural measures will strengthen Assam’s capacity to better manage flood and riverbank erosion risks, hence enhancing disaster resilience of the state and affected communities.

Key Project Measures :

• The project will stabilise 60 kilometres of riverbanks, install 32 kilometres of pro-siltation measures, and build 4 kilometres of climate-resilient flood embankments in five high-priority districts (Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Kamrup Rural, Morigaon, and Tinsukia).
• These measures will secure living spaces, support livelihoods, create employment opportunities, and enhance river navigability.
• Capacity Enhancement and Innovation : The project will advance institutional capacity in flood forecasting and warning systems, modern surveys, erosion and embankment breach modeling, asset management, flood risk mapping, land use planning, and pilot nature-based solutions and the graduation approach.

Recent news :

• In Aug 2023, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a USD 40.5 million loan for integrated early childhood development (ECD) and maternal mental health in Meghalaya.

About ADB : 

• Established : 1966
• Headquarters : Manila, Philippines
• President : Masatsugu Asakawa
• Membership : 68 members, including 49 regional members (countries in Asia and the Pacific) and 19 non-regional members (countries outside the region)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

CVC observes Vigilance Awareness Week 2023 from 30th Oct-5th Nov 2023

• Central Vigilance Commission is observing the Vigilance Awareness Week 2023 from 30th October to 5th November 2023 with the following theme: “Say no to corruption; commit to the Nation, भ्रष्टाचार का विरोध करें; राष्ट्र के प्रति समर्पित रहें”
• Vigilance Awareness Week 2023 commenced with the administering of the integrity pledge to the officials of the Commission by the Commission – Shri Praveen Kumar Srivastava, Central Vigilance Commissioner and Shri Arvinda Kumar, Vigilance Commissioner at Satarkata Bhawan, New Delhi.
• As a prelude to Vigilance Awareness Week 2023, the Commission had earlier issued instructions detailing a three-month campaign period (16th August 2023 – 15th November 2023)
• As part of Vigilance Awareness Week 2023, the Central Vigilance Commission will also be having a panel discussion on Disciplinary Proceedings on the 2nd of November, 2023.

PM inaugurates lays foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 5800 crores in Mehsana, Gujarat

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 5800 crores in Mehsana, Gujarat.
• The projects include multiple sectors such as rail, road, drinking water and irrigation.
• Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Member of Parliament, Shri C R Patil and Union Minister of State, Smt Darshana Jardosh were present among others.

Key Highlights

• The Prime Minister highlighted the potential of tourism in Gujarat and mentioned the world-famous Kutch Rann Utsav.
• He also mentioned Dhordo village of Kutch which was recently recognized as the best tourist village in the world.
• He also expressed confidence that North Gujarat is becoming a major tourist destination in the country.
• Central Government has developed many places here under the Heritage Circuit at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore
• Scope of irrigation in North Gujarat has increased manifold in 20-22 years owing to irrigation projects
• Water conservation scheme started in Gujarat has now taken the form of Jal Jeevan Mission for the country

Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates the first Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters (GCCEM) in New Delhi

• Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman presided over as Chief Guest at the inaugural session of the first-ever three-day-long Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters (GCCEM) in New Delhi.
• Union Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary was the Guest of Honour and Secretary General, World Customs Organisation, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, was the Special Guest at the Inaugural Session.
• Shri Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairman, CBIC, along with Members of the Board and other senior officers of the Department and various Law Enforcement Agencies / Organisations of India also graced the occasion.
• The genesis of the GCCEM lay in the suggestion made by the Union Finance Minister at her last year’s address at the Inaugural function of DRI Foundation Day in 2022, emphasising the importance of greater cooperation and collaboration among international enforcement agencies for timely intelligence sharing and directed that in the year of India’s G20 Presidency, CBIC and DRI must hold an international conference towards this end.
• Against this backdrop, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), in consultation with the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Brussels, is hosting the global conference from 30th October to 1st November 2023 with the theme ‘It takes a Network to fight a Network’.
• The aim of the international conference is to facilitate the sharing of insights, best practices and to serve as a catalyst for enhancing collaboration with Indian Customs’ partner Administrations and for building new partnerships.
• The WCO has collaborated with Indian Customs to ensure wide participation by Member Administrations and international organisations, including WCO’s Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILOs) and senior representations from the WCO Secretariat.

Indian Oil launches country’s first reference fuel; to fully meet domestic demand

• The Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched the ‘Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels’ produced by IndianOil for the first time in India.
• Reference fuels (Gasoline and Diesel) are premium, high-value products used for calibration and testing of vehicles by auto OEMs and organisations involved in testing and certification in the automotive field.
• IndianOil has successfully commenced the production of Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels for the first time in India.
• These fuels are used for calibration and testing of vehicles by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like ICAT (International Centre for Automotive Technology) and ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India).
• These indigenously developed products will lead to import substitution at better price and a shorter lead time for the vehicle manufacturers.
• Reference Gasoline fuels will be available in E0, E5, E10, E20, E85, and E100 from Flagship Paradip Refinery.
• Reference diesel fuel shall be available in B7 grade from Panipat Refinery.
• The demand for Reference Fuels in India is currently met by imports from other countries.
• The indigenously developed product by IndianOil meets Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) specifications, substitutes imports, and is available at better price with reduced lead time.
• Indian Oil Corporation Limited has established facilities for the production of Reference Gasoline Fuels (E-5, E-10 and E-20) at its Paradip Refinery and Reference Diesel Fuel (B-7) at its Panipat refinery.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

World’s first AI Safety Institute to be set up in United Kingdom – Prime Minister Mr Rishi Sunak

• The United Kingdom (UK) (Britain) is set to become the headquarters of the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) Safety Institute, as announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
• The establishment of this institute indicates the UK’s leadership in examining and testing new forms of artificial intelligence (AI).
• The announcement comes ahead of the first Global AI Safety Summit, scheduled to take place on November 1 and 2 at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.
• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed a strong belief in the transformative potential of AI, comparing it to past groundbreaking innovations like the Industrial Revolution, the advent of electricity, and the birth of the internet.

Key Highlights :

• The AI Safety Institute aims to advance global knowledge of AI safety.
• It will meticulously examine, evaluate, and test various AI models to understand their capabilities.
• The institute’s focus extends to exploring risks associated with AI, ranging from social issues such as bias and misinformation to extreme risks.

About UK :

• Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak
• Capital: London
• Currency: Pound sterling

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

International Sand Art Festival to Take Place at Chandrabhaga Beach                                      

• The International Sand Art Festival is scheduled to take place at Chandrabhaga Beach in Konark, Puri, Odisha, India.
• The festival will run from December 1st to December 5th, 2023, coinciding with the famous Konark Festival.
• The sand art festival will be held at Chandrabhaga Beach, which is situated approximately 1 kilometre from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site, Konark.

Key Highlights :

• The International Sand Art Festival is a celebration of sand sculptures created by skilled sand artists.
• It features not only traditional sand sculptures but also various exhibits, including sculptures made from sand, stone, bronze, or wood, all crafted by talented sand artists.
• The sand festival is open to spectators and is free to attend, allowing people to enjoy and appreciate the artistry of the sand sculptures.

History :

• The International Sand Art Festival was started in 2015 on the Chandrabhaga beach, a short distance from Konark.
• It was a part of the Konark Dance Festival that was organized during the same time.

About Odisha :

• Governor : Ganeshi Lal
• Chief Minister : Naveen Patnaik
• Capital : Bhubaneswar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Kumar Sangakkara Appointed as New Chair of MCC’s World Cricket Committee; Mark Nicholas to Take Over as President                                          

• Former Sri Lanka cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has been appointed as the new Chair of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee.
• He takes over from former England captain Mike Gatting as the Chair of the committee.
• Meanwhile former Hampshire captain-turned-broadcaster Mark Nicholas would be taking over as the new President of the club.
• Nicholas will be replacing Stephen Fry in the role of MCC President.

About Kumar Sangakkara :

• He has been named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 7 times, and in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 4 times.
• He had been awarded honorary life membership of MCC in 2012 and joined its World Cricket Committee the same year.
• Sangakkara became the first non-British President of the MCC in 2019, holding the position for two years, before handing over the role to the now immediate past president Stephen Fry.
• In January 2021, Sangakkara was named the director of cricket of Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL 2021, and subsequently the team’s head coach.

About MCC World Cricket Committee :

• Established : April 2006
• The MCC World Cricket Committee serves as a complementary body to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its member nations.
• The committee meets twice a year to discuss and address prevalent issues in the sport of cricket.
• The committee includes prominent cricketing figures like Kumar Dharmasena, Sourav Ganguly, Jhulan Goswami, Heather Knight, Suzie Bates, Clare Connor, Justin Langer, Eoin Morgan, Ramiz Raja, Graeme Smith, and Ricky Skerritt.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Softbank Sells 1.09% Stake in Zomato for Rs 1,040 Crore via Open Market Transaction

• Japanese conglomerate Softbank divested a 1.09% stake in online food delivery platform Zomato for Rs 1,040 crore through an open market transaction.
• Softbank through its affiliate SVF Growth (Singapore) Pte Ltd offloaded shares of Zomato on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
• Bandhan Mutual Fund (MF), Motilal Oswal MF, Axis MF, Max Life Insurance Company, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs (Singapore), Societe Generale, and Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore, among others were the buyers of shares of Zomato.

Recent News :

• In Aug 2023, SoftBank Vision Growth Fund sold a 1.17% stake in food delivery firm Zomato in a deal valued at ₹947 crore ($114.7 million).

About Zomato :

• Founded : 2008
• Founders : Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah
• Zomato is an Indian multinational restaurant aggregator and food delivery company.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Army’s First Vertical Wind Tunnel Installed at Special Forces Training School in Himachal Pradesh                      

• The Indian Army has installed its first Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS) in Himachal Pradesh (HP).
• The inauguration of the Vertical Wind Tunnel was carried out by the Army Chief, General Manoj Pande.

Key Highlights :

• The VWT is designed to simulate real-life free fall conditions, providing a controlled environment for military trainees.
• This facility will enable military trainees to enhance their skills in combat free fall (CFF), a critical aspect of special forces training.
• A controlled environment with specific air velocities, enabling trainees to practice different CFF scenarios will be provided by the vertical wind tunnel.
• The installation of this vertical wind tunnel is part of the Indian Army’s efforts to modernize its training infrastructure and improve operational readiness.
• The VWT will be integrated into the CFF training curriculum at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS).
• The facility will assist trainees in acclimatising to free-fall conditions in the air and during parachute opening.

About Indian Army :

• Chief of Defence Staff : General Anil Chauhan
• Chief of the Army Staff : General Manoj Pande

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Jio demonstrates India’s first satellite-based giga fibre service

• Reliance Jio had successfully demonstrated India’s first satellite-based gigabit internet service called
• JioSpaceFiber has connected four of the remotest locations in India: Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha, and ONGC-Jorhat in Assam.

Key Highlights : 

• Jio in partnership with SES, would access the world’s latest in medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite technology, the only MEO constellation capable of delivering truly unique Gigabit, fiber-like services from space.
• The company claims that SES’s O3v and o3b mPOWER networks are the only MEO constellation capable of delivering fiber-like internet services from space.
• Satellite Internet works similarly to satellite TV.
• It begins with an internet service provider sending satellites into space to orbit around the earth.
• That ISP then relies on a signal routed through one of those satellites in low- or high-Earth orbit and a receiver dish that picks up that signal.
• The receiver is typically placed on your home or business in a spot with as much unobstructed access to the sky as possible.
• The more common method of delivering high-speed satellite internet usually involves constellations of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
• LEO satellites orbit at a height of between 250 and 2,000 kilometres above the planet.
• Both Starlink, the service provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and the solution by OneWeb, a company backed by India’s Bharti group, use LEO satellite technology for low-latency, high-speed internet.
• Currently, there are over 5,000 Starlink satellites in LEO, with SpaceX currently planning to deploy another 7,000. The total number could later be expanded to 42,000. OneWeb, in comparison, only plans to have about 630 satellites in orbit.
• Project Kuiper, which falls under Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, plans to have over 3,000 satellites in orbit.

China successfully launched the youngest crew to its Tiangong space station

• China launched the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft, or “Divine Vessel” carrying the country’s youngest-ever crew to the Tiangong Space Station.

Key Highlights :

• Leading the six-month mission was former Air Force pilot Tang Hongbo, 48, who was on the first crewed mission to the space station in 2021.
• By contrast, his fellow Shenzhou-17 crew members Tang Shengjie, 33, and Jiang Xinlin, 35, both travelling to space for the first time, joined China’s third batch of astronauts in September 2020.
• The Tiangong Space Station, whose name means “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese, is a modular space station under construction by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
• It is the first space station built by China.
• The Tiangong Space Station is currently in low Earth orbit (LEO) and is expected to remain operational until 2028.
• The space station consists of three modules: Tianhe (core module, launched in April 2021), Wentian, and Mengtian (experiment modules, launched in 2022)
• Tiangong is significantly smaller and lighter than the International Space Station (ISS), with only three modules compared to the ISS’s 16 modules
• It can accommodate up to three astronauts at a time for 6-month stays.
• It can also support six astronauts at a time during crew handovers.
• The station will have its own power, propulsion, life support systems, and living quarters.
• The new space station is planned to share its orbit with the Xuntian space telescope to allow astronauts to easily repair and upgrade the telescope.
• China is only the third country to have put both astronauts into space and built a space station, after the Soviet Union (now Russia) and the United States (US).
• China is excluded from the International Space Station (ISS) program, primarily due to U.S. concerns about the Chinese space program’s connections with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
• In 2011, the U.S. Congress prohibited NASA from substantial cooperation with its Chinese counterpart without express prior authorization.

About China:

• President: Xi Jinping
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Coal Ministry, MNRE collaborate for green energy expansion

• The Coal Ministry has joined hands with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) to work together for the promotion of green energy.
• The central public sector undertakings of the Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited, NLCIL and SCCL have already embarked upon a net zero plan in furtherance of the Panchamrit targets.
• Over 1600 MW solar Energy generation capacity have been installed.
• Work on another 500 MW solar projects is at different stages.
• In the high-level meeting, it was decided that coal companies have de-coaled and surplus land masses and such land can be offered for setting up of green hydrogen projects by the private investors.

Key Highlights

• Coal CPSEs also have de-coaled land mass in the open cast mines where there is naturally available water storage reservoir and head of average 100 meter height. By construction of top reservoirs, such de-coaled mines can be converted into pump storage projects.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will support the Ministry of Coal and its CPSEs of capacity-building training of engineers, technicians and other functionaries through the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).
• It was also decided that suitable knowledge partnerships through IIT Roorkee, Solar Energy Corporation of India and other resource agencies associated with MNRE shall also be provided.
• CPSEs under the Ministry of Coal will create a generation capacity of about 12GW by year 2030.
• The Ministry of Coal is in the process of identifying about 10 patches of land of more than 300 acres each so as to offer to private investors for setting up green hydrogen projects under the policy of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Paytm subsidiary inks pact with Startup Bihar to offer banking solutions

• One97 Communications, which owns the Paytm brand, announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Payment Services Limited (PPSL) has signed a pact with Startup Bihar to promote the state’s startup ecosystem.
• Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), PPSL will help startups grow their businesses with the Paytm Startup Toolkit, which offers solutions in payments, payouts, banking, and distribution.
• Paytm Startup Toolkit will aid, simplify, and accelerate business ventures of youth in their early stages of growth.
• Startup Bihar is the state government’s ambitious initiative to promote startups.
• Since its inception in 2016, it has fostered a startup and innovation ecosystem in Bihar on a large scale.
• The Bihar Startup Policy 2022 is aimed at making the ecosystem more inclusive, holistic, and beneficial for all stakeholders. The Department of Industries is the nodal department for the startup ecosystem in the state.

About Paytm

• Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
• Founded: August 2010
• CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Savings Day: 31st October

• World Savings Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023. (30th October in India)
• World Savings Day, also called World Thrift Day, was first established in the year 1924 during the first International Savings Bank Congress.
• The Congress started on October 24.
• On the last day of Congress exactly on October 30, the Congress decided to celebrate World Savings Day every year to insist on the importance of saving money and also to insist on the method of saving money through banks and other modes.
• However, the Establishment lost its importance after the First World War.
• Then later the Day gained importance after the Second World War.
• The Congress decided to promote the agenda in Schools, Colleges, and Private and Government Offices too.
• The Day is officially celebrated on October 31st every year.
• But in India, it is celebrated on October 30 since the former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi died on October 31st.
• Hence in precise World Savings Day is one of the Oldest Days celebrated across the globe.

National Unity Day: 31st October

• National Unity Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023.
• The National Unity Day 2023 was first started in the year 2014 by our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31st October 1875.
• He made a huge contribution to bringing all the scattered states into one nation after independence.
• He was also the first deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.
• The credit for bringing this National Unity Day goes to our Honourable Prime Minister of India. National Unity Day is also called Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Day.
• The same day the Statue of Unity was opened in 2018 by our Prime Minister in remembrance of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• It was the highest statue in the world.
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation announced the Statue of Unity as the eighth World Wonder.
• Hereafter 31st October National Unity Day 2023 will also be called and celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Day 2023.

Halloween Day: 31st October

• Halloween Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023.
• Halloween had its origin in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland.
• The Observance of Halloween is mainly non-religious.
• The Next day, November 1 is believed to be a new calendar year.
• That date was considered the beginning of the winter period.
• On this Day People set a campfire on the hilltop to show that bad evils are burnt and the people wear different kinds of masks to show that ghosts will go back from their place after seeing them.
• People who died on the day of the Samhain festival believed that their souls returned to their homes.
• People who died that year believed that they would go to another world.

Daily CA One- Liner: October 31

• Central Vigilance Commission is observing the Vigilance Awareness Week 2023 from 30th October to 5th November 2023 with the following theme: “Say no to corruption; commit to the Nation, भ्रष्टाचार का विरोध करें; राष्ट्र के प्रति समर्पित रहें”
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for projects worth around Rs 5800 crores in Mehsana, Gujarat
• Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman presided over as Chief Guest st the inaugural session of the first ever three-day-long Global Conference on Cooperation in Enforcement Matters (GCCEM) in New Delhi.
• The Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched the ‘Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels’ produced by IndianOil for the first time in India.
• The Coal Ministry has joined hands with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) to work together for the promotion of green energy
• One97 Communications, which owns the Paytm brand announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Payment Services Limited (PPSL) has signed a pact with Startup Bihar to promote the state’s startup ecosystem
• India’s markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has extended the ban on futures trading in agricultural commodities for an additional year, now in effect until December 20, 2024.
• ag, a grain commerce platform, has introduced agricultural loans that operate on the blockchain.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $200 million loan to enhance flood and riverbank erosion risk management along the 650-kilometre-long main stem of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India.
• The United Kingdom (UK) (Britain) is set to become the headquarters of the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) Safety Institute, as announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
• The International Sand Art Festival is scheduled to take place at Chandrabhaga Beach in Konark, Puri, Odisha, India.
• Former Sri Lanka cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has been appointed as the new Chair of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) World Cricket Committee.
• Japanese conglomerate Softbank divested a 1.09% stake in online food delivery platform Zomato for Rs 1,040 crore through an open market transaction.
• The Indian Army has installed its first Vertical Wind Tunnel (VWT) at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS) in Himachal Pradesh (HP).
• Reliance Jio had successfully demonstrated India’s first satellite-based gigabit internet service called
• China launched the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft, or “Divine Vessel”carrying the country’s youngest-ever crew to the Tiangong Space Station.
• World Savings Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023. (30th October in India)
• National Unity Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023.
• Halloween Day 2023 is observed on the 31st of October 2023.