CURRENT AFFAIRS 01 October, 2024

1. 10 YEARS OF SWACHH BHARAT MISSION: CELEBRATING A DECADE OF CLEANLINESS-

• Marking the completion of a decade of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the Swachh Bharat Diwas 2024 on 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• He will inaugurate and lay the foundation for several projects worth over Rs 9,600 crore related to sanitation and cleanliness, which includes Rs 6,800 crore for urban water and sewage systems under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, Rs 1,550 crore for water quality and waste management in Ganga basin areas under the National Mission for Clean Ganga, and Rs 1,332 crore for 15 Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant projects under the GOBARdhan Scheme.

2. KAZIND 2024 EXERCISE COMMENCES IN THE UTTARAKHAND –

• 8th India-Kazakhstan joint military exercise KAZIND-2024 started at Surya Foreign Training Node, Auli, Uttarakhand. An annual affair, the exercise will end on 13th October. To bid to improve the joint military capability and undertake counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario.
• The aim of the joint exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
• The exercise will focus on operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
• Objectives to be achieved from the joint exercise are high degree of physical fitness, rehearsing and refining drills for operations at tactical level and sharing of best practices.

3. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT WIDENS TO $9.7 BILLION IN APRIL-JUNE QUARTER –

• In the April-June 2024 quarter, India’s current account deficit (CAD) increased to $9.7 billion, or 1.1% of GDP, up from $8.9 billion (1% of GDP) in Q1 FY2024, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• This marginal widening is attributed to a rise in the merchandise trade deficit, which expanded to $65.1 billion from $56.7 billion in the previous year. The CAD had recorded a surplus of $4.6 billion (0.5% of GDP) in the previous January-March quarter.
• The primary factor behind the widening CAD is the merchandise trade deficit. However, net services receipts saw an increase to $39.7 billion from $35.1 billion a year ago, driven by growth in sectors like computer services, business services, travel, and transportation.
• Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows rose to $6.3 billion from $4.7 billion, while foreign portfolio investment (FPI) declined sharply to $0.9 billion from $15.7 billion. Net inflows under external commercial borrowings (ECBs) also dropped to $1.8 billion from $5.6 billion in the same period last year.

4. MITHUN CHAKRABORTY TO RECEIVE DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD –

• Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, known for his versatile contributions to Indian cinema, will be honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on October 8, 2024.
• At 74, Mithun Chakraborty expressed his overwhelming joy, dedicating the honour to his family and fans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw congratulated him on his achievement, highlighting his enduring legacy in Indian cinema.
• Mithun Chakraborty made his debut with the 1976 film Mrigayaa, winning the National Award for Best Actor. He gained immense popularity with the 1982 film Disco Dancer and starred in several other hits such as Surakshaa, Pyar Jhukta Nahin, Dance Dance, and Agneepath.
• He has won three National Film Awards and continues to be a household name, balancing both Bollywood and Bengali cinema.

5. “RAJYAMATA-GOMATA” TAG DECLARED TO DESI COWS IN MAHARASHTRA –

• The Maharashtra government granted the status of Rajyamata-Gomata to desi cows in the state. This is the first time that such a title has been bestowed on any creature.
• In a government resolution (GR) passed by the dairy development department, the state specified that the status of Rajyamata will be extended only to desi cows.
• The government’s official declaration emphasizes the cow’s profound spiritual, scientific, and historical importance, reiterating the role these animals have played in India’s cultural and agricultural heritage for centuries.
• This move, outlined in a government order, also seeks to address concerns over the declining population of indigenous cow breeds.
• The state government stressed the need for cattle rearers to prioritize the breeding and preservation of native species, given their socio-economic importance and religious significance.