India ready to sign Kartarpur Corridor agreement, asks Pakistan to consider waiving fee on pilgrims

NATIONAL NEWS

India ready to sign Kartarpur Corridor agreement, asks Pakistan to consider waiving fee on pilgrims

• The government is ready to sign the Kartarpur agreement on October 23 so that the corridor can be opened on November 12. The government has, however, urged Pakistan to reconsider its stand to levy service fee of $20 on pilgrims.
• In view of the long pending demand of pilgrims to have visa free access to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib and in the interest of operationalisation of Kartarpur Corridor in time before November 12, Govt conveys that we would be ready to sign Agreement on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on October 23.
• The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib.

Uttar Pradesh tops in crimes against women, says NCRB report

• After a delay of two years the annual Crime in India Report 2017 was published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
• As per the report, 3,59,849 cases of crime against women were reported in the country. Uttar Pradesh topped the list with cases followed by Maharashtra with 31,979 cases and West Bengal 30,002.
• Majority of cases under crimes against women were registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or his Relatives’ (27.9%) followed by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (21.7%), ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (20.5%) and ‘Rape’ (7.0%)’.

Union Culture Minister Launches E-Portal, YouTube Channel of CCRT

• Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel launched the E-Portal of Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, CCRT ‘Digital Bharat Digital Sanskriti' and CCRT YouTube Channel in New Delhi.
• This will enable dissemination of cultural education through digital interactive medium into the classrooms all over the country.
• The Minister specifically stressed that each and every child has a latent talent which needs to be identified.
• CCRT should provide a platform for specifically dropout children so that they can join the mainstream and pursue their dreams.

Two-day long manoeuvres by Sudarshan Chakra Vahini of Indian Army begins at Jaisalmer

• Two-day long manoeuvres by Sudarshan Chakra Vahini of Indian Army started at Jaisalmer field firing range in Rajasthan.
• In this war exercise, the army is going to exhibit its strength regarding Agni Missile and artillery.
• Artillery, Arms and mechanized forces, Army air defence and helicopters of army aviation are participating in this exercise to test mutual coordination.
• Endogenously manufactured light helicopter Rudra and self-propelled artillery gun system K-9 vajra are also taking part in this exercise

India's Highest Altitude All-weather Permanent Bridge Inaugurated by Rajnath Singh in Eastern Ladakh

• Col Chewang Rinchen Setu inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is India's highest altitude all-weather permanent bridge, located in eastern Ladakh at nearly 45 km from the country's border with China
• The bridge's superstructure is called 'Extra Wide Bailey Bridge' and it has 10 spans of 140 ft each and its width is 4.25 m.
• The bridge, officially named 'Col Chewang Rinchen Setu' is strategically located on the 255-km Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) section of the road between Leh and Karakoram Pass.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

United Nations WFP launches ''Feed Our Future'' cinema ad campaign

• The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a cinema advertisement campaign ''Feed Our Future'' to raise awareness and take steps against hunger and malnutrition in India.
• The campaign launch event included a panel discussion hosted by TV host Mini Mathur, which had actor-director Nandita Das and filmmakers Neeraj Ghaywan and Anubhav Sinha sharing their perspectives over cinema and social change.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCE NEWS

Total wealth in India touches $12.6 trillion

• Total wealth in India increased fourfold between 2000 and 2019, reaching $12.6 trillion in 2019, making India the fifth globally in terms of the number of ultra-high net-worth individuals, by Credit Suisse Research Institute
• The wealth per adult in India grew by an average of 11% annually over the period 2000–2019 and the wealth per adult is estimated at $14,569 in mid-2019 after a year of moderate growth.
• Prior to 2008, wealth rose strongly, from $2,127 in 2000 to $6,378 in 2007.
• After falling 29% in 2008, it rebounded and grew at an average rate of 12% up to 2019.
• The report while adding that personal wealth in India is dominated by property and other real assets, which make up the bulk of household assets.

NBFCs, HFCs raised Rs 2.4 lakh crore via sale of loans- ICRA

• Non-banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) raised Rs 2.36 lakh crore between October 2018 and September 2019 through the sale of loans, ICRA.
• NBFCs and HFCs sold loan assets via the securitisation and direct assignment route, as traditional channels of funding-bank loans and bond issuances-dried up after IL&FS defaults in September last year.
• Commercial vehicle loans were the most sought after in the securitisation market, while the sale of gold loans increased sharply in the direct assignment segment. However, the share of mortgage loans in overall volumes reduced.

BANKING

SBI launches contactless mobile payment facility for credit card holders

• The SBI Card launched 'SBI Card Pay', a payment feature based on Host Card Emulation (HCE) technology for faster, convenient and more secure card payments using mobile phones.
• SBI Card Pay is aimed at redefining the payments experience for our customers.
• customers can make contactless payments at near field communication (NFC) enabled point of sale terminals with just one tap of their mobiles, without using the physical credit card or entering any PIN.

APPOINTMENT

Shri Upender Singh Rawat concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Nicaragua

• Shri Upender Singh Rawat (IFS-1998), Ambassador of India designate to the Republic of Panama will be concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Nicaragua.

Indian Banks Association elects Rajnish Kumar as chairman

• SBI's head Rajnish Kumar has been elected as the chairman of the banking industry lobby Indian Banks Association for fiscal 2019-20.
• The body, which represents banks' interests with the government and regulators.
• it has three top bankers from various lenders as its deputy chairmen.
• These include Union Bank of India's G Rajkiran Rai, S Mallikarjuna Rao of Punjab National Bank and Madhav Kalyan JP Morgan Chase Bank.
• IDBI Bank's managing director and chief Rakesh Shamra will be the honorary secretary of the body.

OBITUARY

Dalit poet Siddaiah passes away

• Dalit poet and activist K.B. Siddaiah passed away
• He taught English at Sri Siddhartha PU college in Tumakuru, but was best known for his literary works in Kannada, including Bakaala, Daklakathadevi Kavya, Anatma, and Gallebaani, among others.
• Mr. Siddaiah was also a strong voice in the Dalit movement. He was in favour of internal reservation for the Scheduled Castes and fought for the implementation of the A.J. Sadashiva Commission recommendations.

SPORTS

Ronaldo Singh wins gold medal at Asian Track Cycling Championships

• Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh bagged a gold medal in the men’s junior Keirin event at the Asian Track Cycling Championships being held at Incheon in South Korea.
• Apart from Ronaldo, James Singh clinched a bronze medal in the event.
• The men’s and women’s junior sprint team won two bronze medals.