NATIONAL:
1. Baiga Habitat Rights
Why in news – Baiga tribe became the 2nd PVTG to get habitat rights in Chhattisgarh (1st – Kamar).
Key Points –
• Benefits - rights over their customary territory of habitation, socio-cultural practices, intellectual knowledge of biodiversity etc.
• Habitat rights are given to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) under the Forest Rights Act 2006.
• PVTG is declared by both central and state governments.
About PVTG –
• According to M/o tribal affairs (MoTA), PVTG are –
(a) technologically backward (reside in isolated and remote areas)
(b) stagnant or declining population growth
(c) extremely low level of literacy (low health indices)
(d) subsistence level of economy
• MoTA has identified 75 PVGTs in 18 states and one Union Territory.
• Only 3 PVGTs have habitat rights, Bharia (1st, MP), Kamar (2nd) and Baiga (3rd) in in Chhattisgarh.
2. Digital India Act 2023
Why in news – Information Technology Act of 2000 will be replaced with a new Digital India Act (DIA) 2023.
Key Points –
• By - Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY).
• Core constituents - online safety, trust and accountability, open internet, and regulations of new age technologies like AI and blockchain.
• It includes the Digital India Goals of 2026 as a $1 trillion digital economy.
• MEITY is also considering reviewing the ‘safe harbour’ principle which protects online platforms like Twitter and Facebook from being accountable for the content posted on them by the users.
• It will additionally comprise –
(a) Digital Personal Data Protection Act
(b) Digital India Act Rules
(c) National Data Governance Policy
(d) IPC amendments for Cyber Crimes.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham
Why in news – The largest Hindu temple outside India, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham, was inaugurated on October 8.
Key Points –
• Venue - New Jersey, United States.
• It is devoted to Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
• Akshardham in New Jersey marks the 3rd such cultural complex globally. (1st - Gujarat,1992 and 2nd - New Delhi, 2005).
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. Electoral Bonds
Why in news – The Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging the electoral bonds scheme on October 31, 2023
Key Points –
• The petition is filed by two NGOs - Common Cause and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
About Electoral bonds –
• Interest-free bond used to donate money (individuals, NGOs, trusts etc) anonymously to political parties.
• Sold in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore.
• Can be bought from authorized State Bank of India (SBI) branches.
• Donor is required to pay the amount via a cheque or a digital mechanism (cash is not allowed) to SBI.
• The political parties can encash such bonds within 15 days of receiving them.
• If not encashed, SBI deposits these into the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
• There is no limit on the number of bonds an individual or company can purchase.
• Political parties could accept in cash from anonymous sources upto Rs 2,000.
2. ‘Status Holder’ Certificate
Why in news – Piyush Goyal unveiled ‘Status Holder’ certificates under Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023.
Key Points –
• It is a computer automatic certification system.
• By - Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Under FTP 2023, M/o Commerce & Industry will recognize about 20,000 exporters as Status Holders.
Value Addition –
• FTP 2023 seeks to take India's exports to 2 trillion dollars by 2030.
• 4 pillars of FTP 2023 –
(a) Incentive to Remission
(b) Export promotion through collaboration
(c) Ease of doing business
(d) Emerging Areas.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
Why in news – Sri Lanka took over the chairmanship of IORA during 23rd Council of Ministers' Meeting in Colombo.
Key Points –
• India assumed the Vice-Chair role of IORA for 2023-25, leading to Chairship in 2025-27.
• The IORA was established in 1997, and comprises 23 member states and 11 dialogue partners.
2. 1st Military Heritage Festival
Why in news – United Service Institution (USI) of India to organize India's first military heritage festival.
Key Points –
• Venue - Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi (October 21-22).
• The United Service Institution (USI) of India is India’s oldest think tank.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. International Girl Child Day 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated on October 11.
Key Points –
• Theme - Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being.
• Beijing Declaration (1995) - Most progressive blueprint for advancing the rights of women and girls.
• SDG 5 - Gender equality.
SECURITY:
1. CHAKRAVAT 2023
Why in news – The Annual Joint HADR Exercise (AJHE) is being hosted by the Indian Navy at Goa.
Key Points –
• It has been conducted by Indian Army, Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Air Force (IAF) in rotation since 2016.
• HADR - Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
• SAGAR - Security And Growth for All in the Region. (India's inclusive vision for the oceans).
BIHAR:
1. Bhim Sansad Raths
Why in news – CM Nitish Kumar flagged off the Bhim Sansad raths on October 10, 2023.
Key Points –
• Aim - to reach out to the vast chunk of socially marginalized and Mahadalits sections of the society.
• Bihar caste survey has found that OBCs and EBCs constitute 63.13% of state’s total population.
• In the caste survey, data has been collected on 13 socio-economic indicators.
POINTERS:
• Indian Air Force held its 91st anniversary celebration on October 8 in which city - Prayagraj (Bamrauli Air Force Station).
• Which state has launched the Mukhyamantri Lok Sevak Arogya Yojana - Assam.
• The 2-day 49th All India Police Science Congress was organized at which place - Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• Which site has earned the distinction of being the first Green Energy Archaeological Site in India - Mahabalipuram Shore Temple, Tamil Nadu.
• Who has recently been awarded the Global Leader Award 2023 for healthcare expansion in Africa - Jayesh Saini (LifeCare Group).
• The Ministry of Education has issued draft guidelines by what name to boost sensitivity and provide support for students at risk of self-harm and suicides in India's schools - UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop).
• India and which country have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the fields of Electrical Interconnections, Green/Clean Hydrogen and Supply Chains - Saudi Arabia.
• In which city is a powerful 'Divya Kala Mela' being organized from 6-15 October 2023 - Secunderabad, Hyderabad.
• In which city of India the 16th Agricultural Science Congress was organized – Kochi.
• Nokia has inaugurated a groundbreaking 6G lab to Pioneer Future Telecom Technologies in which Indian city - Bengaluru.
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