Current Affairs Today 18th October 2024 Daily GK Update

Daily Current Affairs 18th October 2024 Daily GK Update

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National News

Cabinet approves additional instalment of three percent of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a 3% increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees.
• The hike, which takes effect from July 1, 2024, also extends to pensioners, with Dearness Relief (DR) being increased by the same percentage. The Dearness Relief for pensioners has also been revised by 3%.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners w.e.f. 01.07.2024 representing an increase of three percent (3%) over the existing rate of 50% of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate against price rise.
• The total financial burden on the exchequer due to the DA and DR revisions will be ₹9,448.35 crore annually. This increase will benefit around 49.18 lakh central government employees and 64.89 lakh pensioners.
• The DA/DR adjustments, made twice a year on January 1 and July 1, are calculated based on the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW), published by the Labour Bureau.
• With the hike effective from July, employees will receive arrears for July, August, and September along with their revised payments. The revisions aim to protect against the erosion of real pay due to inflation.

Nityanand Rai attends the APMCDRR meeting in Manila, Philippines

• The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, represented India at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in Manila, Philippines.
• The conference is being attended by over 7000 ministers and delegates from across the Asia Pacific region to address the critical need for enhanced action on disaster risk reduction.
• The 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is being organised by the Philippines government in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Theme 2024 – Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction

About APMCDRR

• The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction is the main platform for Asia -Pacific region to monitor and ehnance cooperation in the implemnetation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
• The conference brings together governments, intergovernmental, international, national, and civil society organisations, the private sector, science, academia, and stakeholder groups to accelerate progress in reducing disaster risk.

India hosts the 19th ICDRA meeting for the first time in New Delhi

• India hosts the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) meeting in New Delhi.
• India was to host the event in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and was held in 2024.
• India hosts the ICDRA meeting for the first time.
• The 18th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting was held in Dublin, Ireland in 2018.
• The meeting will bring together drug authorities from World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries to strengthen collaboration and develop international consensus on regulatory priorities.
• The 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities is hosted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDSO comes under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfares.
• Theme 2024 – Smart Regulation: Delivering Quality Assured Medical Products for All
• The 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Parkash Nadda.

Cabinet approves MSP for Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2025-26

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved increasing the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2025-26.
• The absolute highest increase in MSP has been announced for Rapeseed & Mustard at Rs.300 per quintal followed by Lentil (Masur) at Rs.275 per quintal. For gram, wheat, safflower and barley, there is an increase of Rs.210 per quintal, Rs.150 per quintal, Rs.140 per quintal and Rs.130 per quintal respectively.
• In the Union Budget of 2018-19, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a crop’s MSP should be at least 1.5 times the All-India weighted average Cost of Production.
• The expected margin over All-India weighted average cost of production is 105 percent for wheat, followed by 98 percent for rapeseed & mustard; 89 per cent for lentil; 60 per cent for gram; 60 percent for barley; and 50 percent for safflower.

S No.	Crops	MSP 2025-26 (Rs per Quintal)	MSP 2024-25 (Rs per Quintal)	Increase in MSP (Rs per Quintal)	Cost of production (Rs per Quintal)	Margin over cost (in per cent)
1	Wheat	2425	2275	150	1182	105
2	Barley	1980	1850	130	1239	60
3	Gram	5650	5440	210	3527	60
4	Lentil (Masur)	6700	6425	275	3537	89
5	Rapeseed and Mustard	5950	5650	300	3011	98
6	Safflower	5940	5800	140	3960	50

What is the Minimum Support Price (MSP)?

• The government of India introduced Minimum Support Crop (MSP) for selected crops in 1966-67. The government announces it before the Kahrif and Rabi season.
• MSP assures farmers that the government will buy their crops at an assured price; however, the government is not obligated to buy all crops from all farmers at the MSP rates.

SECL Becomes First Coal Company to Open Four AMRIT Pharmacies

• South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary of Coal India, has inaugurated the country’s 216th AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacy.
• Located at the Health Centre in SECL’s Indira Vihar Colony, Bilaspur, this new facility makes SECL the first coal company to operate four AMRIT pharmacies.
• The AMRIT pharmacies, part of a flagship initiative launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015, provide a wide range of generic and life-saving branded drugs, implants, and surgical consumables at highly subsidized rates. SECL’s initiative will benefit both inpatients and outpatients, including SECL employees, general public, and especially people from tribal and rural areas within the coal belt.
• The expansion of these pharmacies will ensure easier access to affordable medicines for communities in some of the most underserved areas.
• This pharmacy, along three others located in Central Hospitals in the operational areas of Gevra in Korba district, (CG), Sohagpur in Shahdol district (MP), and Chirimiri in Manendragarh-Chirimiri-Bharatpur district (CG), ensures that a wide array of medications for common and critical conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases are available under one roof.

Dr Jitendra Singh dedicates India’s first Airport based self-powered indoor air quality monitoring facility

• Pavana Chitra embodies a powerful fusion of technology, tradition, and art, presenting an off-grid, self-powered indoor air quality monitor powered by indigenous indoor solar cells developed by CSIR-NIIST. It is crafted from locally available materials and designed to mimic the natural process of photosynthesis.
• Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh unveiled Pavana Chitra, India’s first Airport based self-powered indoor air quality monitoring facility at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
• The off-grid air quality monitor is powered by Indigenous indoor solar cells developed by CSIR-NIIST, crafted from locally available materials.

Justice will no longer be ‘blind’: Supreme Court embraces new symbolism

• The Supreme Court (SC) of India has unveiled a redesigned version of the ‘Lady Justice’ statue, marking a significant departure from its colonial past.
• Traditionally depicted with a blindfold and a sword, the new statue now features ‘Lady Justice’ with open eyes and the Constitution of India in place of the sword, reflecting the judiciary’s commitment to constitutional values and justice that “sees everyone equally”.

Lady Justice’s eyes open, blindfold removed

• The removal of the blindfold from ‘Lady Justice’ is more than a visual change—it symbolises a shift in how the judiciary views justice in modern India.
• The blindfold, long associated with impartiality and equality before the law, has been replaced with open eyes. This change, according to sources in the Supreme Court, reflects an evolving legal identity—one that distances itself from colonial symbols and embraces a uniquely Indian interpretation of justice.
• The updated statue now stands proudly in the judges’ library, embodying a justice system that is aware, vigilant, and inclusive.

Replacing the sword with the Constitution

• Another striking feature of the new ‘Lady Justice’ is the replacement of the sword with the Constitution. While the sword previously represented authority and punishment, its replacement with the Constitution signifies a shift towards a more principled and balanced approach to justice.
• The Constitution, as the foundation of the judiciary’s role, represents the upholding of rights, equality, and fairness over mere retribution.
• The sword is a symbol of violence, but courts deliver justice according to constitutional laws. The new statue aims to reflect this principle.

NITI Aayog organized a two-day International Methanol Seminar and Expo 2024

• NITI Aayog has organized a two-day international methanol seminar and expo in 2024 in New Delhi. The event was held in collaboration with the Methanol Institute of the United States.
• This event highlight the progress of projects, products, and Research and Development initiatives related to Methanol production, application, and allied technological developments in the world.
• The key focus of the seminar highlight the role of Methanol in the world energy transition and the rise of Methanol as a low-carbon fuel in green shipping.

Banking and Financial

PFC Infra Finance IFSC Ltd gets approval to operate from GIFT City

• PFC Infra Finance IFSC Limited (PIFIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC), has received approval from International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to commence business as a Finance Company in IFSC GIFT City Gujarat.
• PFC Infra Finance IFSC Ltd (PIFIL) will be the first finance company in IFSC dedicated to power and infrastructure sector lending.
• PIFIL aims to provide lending in India and other countries in foreign currency, catering to government as well as private players.
• The establishment of PIFIL will position PFC as a global brand and contribute to strengthening India’s position as a global financial hub

Appointment

Omar Abdullah sworn in as CM of Jammu & Kashmir

• Omar Abdullah of the National Conference party was sworn in as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Along with Omar Abdullah, five ministers, four from the National Conference Party and one independent, were also sworn in.
• Surinder Kumar Choudhary, the National Conference MLA from the Jammu region, was sworn in as deputy chief minister.
• Jammu and Kashmir have been under the president’s rule since the fall of the PDP-BJP coalition government in 2018. The President’s rule was revoked after 6 years by the President on 13 October 2024.
• Omar Abdullah has been sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the second time. He became the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in January 2009 and remained till 8th January 2014.

Nayab Singh Saini sworn in as CM of Haryana for 2nd time

• Nayab Singh Saini of the Bharatiya Janata Party was sworn in as the chief minister of Haryana for the second consecutive time.
• Nayab Singh Saini is the 11th chief minister of Haryana. The state governor, Bandaru Dattatreya, administered the oath of Office to Nayab Singh Saini and his 13 ministers at a ceremony in Panchkula, Haryana.
• Nayab Singh Saini became the chief minister of Haryana for the first time on 12 March 2024 after Manohar Lal Khattar’s resignation. Manohar Lal Khattar was the first-ever chief minister of Haryana from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
• The BJP successfully retained its decade-long power in Haryana with a third straight win in the 2024 Assembly election by winning 48 seats in the 90-member Haryana State Assembly.

About Haryana

• Capital – Chandigarh
• Chief Minister – Nayab Singh Saini(11th)
• Governor – Bandaru Dattatreya
• Legislative Assembly Seats- 90

CJI Chandrachud nominates Justice Khanna as successor

• Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has officially initiated the process to appoint his successor by recommending Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the Supreme Court’s senior-most judge, to the Union government.
• Justice Khanna is set to take over as Chief Justice of India (CJI) on November 11, following Justice Chandrachud’s retirement on November 10.
• Justice Khanna, who will serve as the 51st CJI, is expected to remain in office until his retirement on May 13, 2025, giving him a tenure of around six months.
• Under the current memorandum of procedure (MoP), the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, deemed fit, is appointed as the CJI. Justice Khanna’s name has been recommended based on this convention.

About Justice Khanna

• Justice Khanna has a distinguished legal career, marked by a wealth of experience and significant contributions to India’s judicial landscape.
• He began his legal journey by enrolling with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983, practising initially at the Tis Hazari district courts before moving on to the Delhi high court.
• Justice Khanna was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi high court in 2005, and by 2006, he became a permanent judge.
• During his tenure, he also contributed to the Delhi Judicial Academy, Delhi International Arbitration Centre and District Court Mediation Centres.
• Justice Khanna also joined a five-judge bench that earlier this year declared the electoral bond Scheme unconstitutional, siding with the view that anonymous donations through electoral bonds violate the public’s right to information, a core element of informed voting.
• As a part of the five-judge bench, Justice Khanna upheld the abrogation of Article 370, determining that this article, though a unique aspect of India’s federal structure, did not imply sovereignty for Jammu and Kashmir.

Important day

17 October – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

• The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world.
• The day tries to promote dialogue and understanding about poverty within governments and policymakers.
• Theme 2024 – Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Together Towards Equality and Inclusion
• In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

15 October – Global Handwashing Day

• Global Handwashing Day is celebrated every year on 15 October.
• The day was established to raise awareness about the benefits of washing hands with soap, particularly in preventing illnesses like diarrhea and respiratory infections, which claim millions of lives annually.
• Theme 2024 – Why are clean hands still important
• In 2008, over 120 million children across 70 countries washed their hands with soap on the first Global Handwashing Day. Since then, leaders in communities and nations have used this day to promote handwashing, build facilities, and stress the importance of clean hands. It has become a global event, supported by governments, schools, organizations, and individuals.

16 October – World Anesthesia Day

• World Anaesthesia Day is observed annually on October 16th to commemorate the first successful use of ether anaesthesia in surgery, which took place in 1846.
• It also aims to raise awareness about the importance of anaesthesia in various medical procedures and highlight the ongoing progress and innovations in this field that continue to enhance patient care globally.
• Theme 2024 – Workforce Well-Being
• On this day in 1846, American dentist Dr. William T.G. Morton administered ether to a patient at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, allowing a painless surgery to take place.

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