Daily Current Affairs (17 - Sep - 24)

Daily Current Affairs (17 – Sep – 24)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail on September 16, 2024, which will operate between Ahmedabad and Bhuj. Known as the Vande Metro, this new train covers a 360-kilometre distance in 5 hours and 45 minutes, making stops at nine stations along the route.
Alongside, Modi also flagged off several Vande Bharat Express trains on new routes, including Nagpur-Secunderabad, Kolhapur-Pune, and Pune-Hubballi, and introduced a 20-coach Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to Delhi.
The Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, previously known as the Bhuj-Ahmedabad Vande Metro, will start its service with departures from Bhuj at 05:05 am and arrive at Ahmedabad Junction at 10:50 am. It will travel at a top speed of 110 km/h and stop at nine stations along the way.
Train No. 20673 (Kolhapur to Pune)- Begins September 19, 2024, tri-weekly on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. Departure: 08:15 hrs; Arrival: 13:30 hrs.
Train No. 20674 (Pune to Kolhapur)- Starts September 18, 2024, tri-weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Departure: 14:15 hrs; Arrival: 19:40 hrs.

Typhoon Yagi recently struck Southeast Asia, the government of India has launched Operation Sadbhavana, a humanitarian initiative aimed at providing crucial assistance to affected countries.
This operation exemplifies India’s commitment to its Act East Policy and its role as a first responder in providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to nations in need.

As part of Operation Sadbhavana, the Indian government has announced a substantial aid package for Vietnam-

In a significant policy shift, the Indian government has removed the $950 per tonne minimum export price (MEP) on basmati rice. This decision, made in response to falling domestic paddy prices and trade pressures, aims to enhance export opportunities and support farmers’ incomes. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will now oversee basmati rice exports without a floor price to ensure fair pricing and transparency.
The MEP of $1,200 per metric ton (MT) was initially set in August 2023 to address rising domestic rice prices and prevent the misclassification of non-basmati rice as basmati. It was later reduced to $950 per MT in October 2023 following concerns from trade bodies that high prices were impeding exports.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the removal of the floor price is expected to boost exports and improve farmers’ earnings. APEDA has been instructed to implement this change immediately and to monitor export contracts for realistic pricing.
India’s basmati rice exports amounted to $4.8 billion in 2022-23 by value and 45.6 lakh tonnes by volume. This increased to $5.9 billion in 2023-24. APEDA remains responsible for registering export contracts and issuing the Registration-cum-Allocation Certificates (RCAC) as per the Foreign Trade Policy.

To honor the contributions of engineers and commemorate the birth anniversary of M. Visvesvaraya, National Engineer day was celebrated on the 15th September.
India observes National Engineers’ Day on September 15th each year to honor the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, a pioneering figure in engineering. Declared in 1968, this day celebrates his monumental contributions to the field.
Born on September 15, 1861, in Karnataka, Visvesvaraya was a distinguished civil engineer known for his transformative work on major irrigation projects, including the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam and the Khadakwasla Dam.
His influence also extended to education with the establishment of the Bangalore Engineering College, later renamed Visvesvaraya Technological University in his honor.
Sri Visvesvaraya’s visionary engineering and dedication to development have left an enduring legacy in India.
His pioneering work earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955.
National Engineers Day 2024, celebrated on September 15th, will focus on the theme “Innovating for a Sustainable Future”.

An olympic champion, Neeraj Chopra finished second in the Diamond League (DL) final by throwing the throw of 87.86m in Brussels. He just missed first place by just 0.01m to Andersen Peters. Neeraj Chopra finished the 2024 season with silver in the last competition.
Neeraj Chopra came mighty close but finished second at the Diamond League Final title by a mere centimeter, with a throw of 87.86 meters.
Chopra, who had clinched the DL trophy in 2022, achieved his best throw of the day in his third attempt but was outdone by Anderson Peters’ 87.87-meter effort.
Peters, a two-time world champion from Grenada, delivered his best throw in his opening attempt.
Julian Weber of Germany secured third place with a throw of 85.97 meters.

Daily Current Affairs (17 – Sep – 24)