CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Post Day
- World Post Day is celebrated on October 9 every year to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) which was started in 1874 in Switzerland.
- The day aims to spread awareness about the Post’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses and its contribution to global social and economic development.
World Egg Day
- World Egg Day celebrated on second Friday in October every year.
- This year is celebrated on October 9.
- The day is celebrated in order to raise awareness about the benefits of eggs and their importance in human nutrition. The day was established at IEC Vienna in 1996 conference.
National Postal week
- India Post commenced celebration of the National Postal Week from Oct 09 to Oct 15 , starting with World Post Day which is celebrated each year on 9thOctober, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in Berne.
| Date | Day | Description |
| 9th October 2020 | Friday | World Post Day |
| 10th October 2020 | Saturday | Banking Day |
| 12th October 2020 | Monday | PLI Day |
| 13th October 2020 | Tuesday | Philately Day |
| 14th October 2020 | Wednesday | Business Development Day |
| 15th October 2020 | Thursday | Mails Day |
National Postal Day
- National Postal Day is celebrated in India on 10 October every year.
- The day is observed to commemorate the role played by the Indian postal department for the past 150 years.
About India Post
World Mental Health Day
- World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.
- According to World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) the theme for World Mental Health Day 2020 is ‘Mental Health for All: Greater Investment – Greater Access’.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
World Economic Forum shifts annual meeting 2021 from Davos to Lucerne
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) will hold its Annual Meeting 2021 in Lucerne-Burgenstock, Switzerland, from May 18 to 21.
- It was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- 2021 Davos summit, themed as “The Great Reset”.
- The meeting will focus on the solutions required to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
- The WEF aims to be back in Davos for 2022.
About WEF
- Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland
- President: Borge Brende
Argentina becomes 1st nation to approve genetically modified wheat
- Argentina has approved HB4 drought–resistant GMO wheat by biotechnology firm Bioceres, making it the first country in the world to approve a strain of GMO wheat.
- It will only begin marketing HB4 once it’s approved for importation by Brazil.
- The HB4 technology provides seeds that are more tolerant to drought and helps minimize production losses.
About Argentina:
- Capital: Buenos Aires
- Currency: Argentina Peso
- President: Alberto Fernández
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Dr Harsh Vardhan Inaugurates DBT-BIRAC Clean Tech Demo Park In Delhi
- Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the “DBT-BIRAC Clean Tech Demo Park” at Barapullah drain site, New Delhi in a virtual event.
- Clean Tech Demo Park at Barapullah drain site is a Department of Biotechnology (DBT) initiative that will demonstrate innovative waste-to-value technologies.
- This Clean Tech Demo Park would be a good attraction not only for Innovators, Investors but also for students and common public for awareness and popularization of clean technological solution for waste management.
- The novel indigenous technologies developed for the treatment of sewage and industrial wastewaters should be promoted and given wide publicity to ensure their commercialization and adoption for achieving Swachh Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals.
- The DBT-BIRAC Clean Tech Demo Park will be used to demonstrate innovative Waste-to-Value technologies with support from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Government of India, and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a DBT PSU.
- This park will be managed by the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC), a public-private-partnership incubator set up jointly by DBT, BIRAC and Tata Power.
About MoH&FW
- Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Earth Sciences: Harsh Vardhan
- Constituency: Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat launches Saur Swarojgar Yojana to generate self-employment for youth, migrants
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched the Mukhya Mantri Saur Swarojgar Yojana for self-employment by solar energy farming at the Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali auditorium in
- The Yojana aims at creating self-employment for nearly 10,000 youths in the state.
- The beneficiaries will be allocated solar plants of 25 kilowatts each. 10,000 people will get self-employment under this scheme.
- The installation of solar panels for integrated farming, fruits, vegetables and herbs can be produced on the same land. Seeds of climate-based medicinal and spongy plants will be provided free of cost on the land to be set up.
- The targeted beneficiaries, including the youth and migrants who have returned home after leaving their jobs in various parts of the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Sight Day
- World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment.
- This year, World Sight Day will take place on 8 October 2020 with the theme:Hope In Sight.
CURRENT AFFAIRS:
Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurates virtual “International conference on Mental Health: Looking Beyond COVID 19”
- Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot inaugurated the virtual “International conference on Mental Health: Looking Beyond COVID 19” through video conferencing.
- Delivering the inaugural address, Mr. Gehlot spoke about the rising trend of mental health concerns across the globe.
- He also spoke about the recent initiatives of the government including setting up of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation at Sehore in Madhya Pradesh and KIRAN mental health rehabilitation helpline for addressing mental health issues.
- Craig Jeffrey, Director of Australia-India Institute co-chaired the conference.
Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually inaugurates Gyan Circle Ventures
- Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually inaugurated the Gyan Circle Ventures, a MeitY funded Technology Business Incubator (TBI) of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh through Video Conference.
- Speaking on the occasion Mr. Pokhriyal stated that Innovation is the engine that powers the progress of the nation.
- He stated innovation and entrepreneurship needs to be fostered to ensure self-sustainability and remain a global leader.
- The Minister stated that centers like ‘Gyan Circle ventures’ instill entrepreneurship in young minds and steward them to become successful innovators.
Government to launch Ayurveda and Yoga protocols for management of Covid-19
- The National Clinical Management Protocol based on ayurveda and yoga for the management of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) will be jointly released by Union health and family welfare minister Harsh Vardhan and minister for Ayush (ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) Shripad Yesso Naik. The event will be held virtually.
- The government has been promoting medicinal herbs under the Ayush system for people to improve their immunity levels to be able to fight off infections.
- Last month, the Union health ministry issued guidelines on managing post-recovery symptoms of Covid-19 such as fatigue, body ache, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty, etc., which largely promoted medicinal herbs for the purpose.
- “Take immunity promoting Ayush medicine to be practiced and prescribed by a qualified practitioner of Ayush. If health permits, regular household work to be done. Professional work to be resumed in graded manner. Depending on the physical condition, mild to moderate exercise daily such as yogasana, pranayama and meditation… breathing exercises as prescribed by treating physician and daily morning or evening walk at a comfortable pace as tolerated,” the ministry’s guidelines advise.
- The Ayush ministry also approved a clinical study last month to assess the role of medicinal herbs vasa and guduchi in the therapeutic management of symptoms in Covid-19 cases.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin gives country’s top job to a teenager for a day
- Finish Prime Minister Sanna Marin stepped aside to let 16-year-old take her place, with the young campaigner Aaava Murto using the platform to decry online violence and gender stereotypes about technology.
- The teenager also warned of online violence that restricts girls’ access to information.
- This swap was part of an international campaign dubbed Girls Takeover, which comes ahead of the UN Girls Day on Oct 11th .
- During her brief tenure as the country’s top leader, Murto met with Marin, as well the minister for development and trade and the country’s chancellor of justice.
About Finland
- Capital: Helsinki
- Currency: Euro
- President: Sauli Niinistö
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
RBI keeps key interest rates unchanged
- The Reserve Bank of India in its bi-monthly Monetary Policy statement issued has maintained a status quo keeping the key interest rates unchanged.
- The reverse repo rate remains unchanged at 3.35 per cent, the repo rate at four per cent.
- The Monetary Policy Committee has also decided to maintain its accommodative stance as long as necessary at least through the current financial year and next year as Indian economy is entering into decisive phase in its fight against coronavirus.
- He stated, the RBI stands ready to undertake further measures as necessary to assure market participants of access to liquidity and easy finance conditions.
- The new housing loans risk weights to be linked to Loan-to-value ratio and also rationalize risk weights for all new housing loans until March 31, 2022.
- Also the bank will extend scheme for co-lending to all NBFC, HFC. As for GDP, the growth may break out of contraction and enter positive zone by fourth quarter of current fiscal.
World Bank projects India’s GDP to contract 9.6% in FY21
- The World Bank projected India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to plunge in FY21 by 6% revised down since its June forecast of 3.2% drop, reflecting the impact of the nationwide lockdown and the income shock experienced by households and small urban service firms.
- “However, there is substantial uncertainty related to the course and duration of the pandemic; the speed at which households and firm behavior will adjust to the lifting of lockdowns; and a possible new round of countercyclical fiscal policy,” the World Bank stated in its latest South Asia Economic Focus report.
- While the government has signalled it is prepared to support the economy, there is no clarity about the timing or the extent of the next round of stimulus.
- The Indian economy contracted a record 23.9% in the June quarter, underlining the extent of economic damage brought about by the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown. Many forecasters now expect Indian economy to contract in double digits in FY21.
RTGS to be available 24×7 from December
- The Reserve Bank of India announced that the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), which is used for large value fund transfers, will be available round the clock from December this year.
- At present, RTGS, which has a minimum fund transfer of 2 lakh, is available for customers from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm on all working days of a week (except second and fourth Saturdays of the month).
- “With this, India will be one of the very few countries globally with a 24x7x365 large value real time payment system,” RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das stated.
- In December last year, the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system was made available on a 24x7x365 basis.
- Meanwhile, in another measure aimed at easing digital payments, the RBI also announced that it has been decided to grant authorisation for all Payment Service Operators (PSOs) – new applicants as well as existing players, on a perpetual basis, subject to certain conditions.
- This will “reduce licensing uncertainties and enable PSOs to focus on their business and optimise utilisation of scarce regulatory resources,”it noted.
- Authorisation (including renewal of authorisation) of such PSOs has been largely for specified periods up to five years.
LIC Housing launches ‘Project RED’ to improve efficiencies
- LIC Housing Finance Ltd (LICHFL) launched “Project RED” (Reimagining Excellence through Digital transformation) to improve efficiencies at every level of the organisation.
- Project RED aims to create value across the entire spectrum of stakeholders that includes employees, shareholders, business associates, existing and potential customers of LICHFL, as per the housing finance company’s statement.
- To be implemented over the next 21 months, the company stated the initiative is expected to bring transformational changes by organically linking LICHFL’s work culture, strengthening processes across all verticals, deepen customer engagement and adopting the best-in-class technology to build capacity.
- LICHFL has engaged Boston Consulting Group as its consultant for this project and will be setting up a high-level Project Implementation Group which will approve and monitor capacity building plans of every constituent in the company, it added.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Meghalaya partners with Israel to set up centre of excellence on high-value vegetables
- The Meghalaya government has decided to partner with Israel for establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on high value vegetables in the state.
- The CoE is vital to tap the diverse bio-diversity and resources available in the State in terms of its soil and agro-climatic conditions.
- It will also act as an impetus for further research and expansion into multi-fold aspects, including tourism potential considering the State has a gene pool of important vegetables, fruits and plants such as the Citrus fruits in Nokrek, East Garo Hills District.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
Ganga River Dolphin Day
- India celebratesOctober 5 every year as the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’
- As this day Ganga Dolphins were declared national aquatic animals in
Indian Air Force celebrates its 88th Anniversary
- The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October Its first ac flight came into being on April 1 1933. It possessed a strength of six RAF-trained officers and 19 Havai Sepoys (literally, air soldiers). The aircraft inventory comprised of four Westland Wapiti IIA army co-operation biplanes at Drigh Road as the “A” Flight nucleus of the planned No.1 (Army Co- operation) Squadron, IAF stated
- Air Force Day 2020 celebration has begun at 8 am at Air Force Station Hindan. The air display will commence with flag bearing skydivers of the famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of an AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies. The flypast would include the vintage aircraft, modern transport aircraft and frontline fighter aircraft. The ceremony will conclude at 1052 hours with a spellbinding aerobatic display
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Govt launches online startup discovery platform ‘Startup India Showcase’
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) launched an online discovery platform for startups called “Startup India Showcase”.
- The website will feature startups handpicked by experts that have gone through multiple rounds of screening and evaluation.
- The website will also feature companies that have won national competitions, are successful sellers on the Government e-Marketplace portal, are solving critical problems, and have shown exceptional innovation in their sectors.
- The website will include startups from across sectors such as fintech, enterprise tech, social impact, healthtech, and edtech, among others.
About DPIIT
- Founded: 1995
- Parent organization: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- MoC&I: Piyush Goyal
Union Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of cooperation in field of cyber-security between India & Japan
- The cabinet also gave its approval for signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of cyber-security between India and Japan.
- The MoC will enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which includes capacity building in the area of cyberspace, protection of critical infrastructure, cooperation in emerging technologies, sharing information on cyber security threats and malicious cyber activities. Another MoU was signed between Zoological Survey of India and its Canadian Counterpart on bar coding of faunal Genomes.
- The Cabinet also approved the ratification of seven chemicals listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs, which are identified chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms, adversely affect human health and have the property of long-range environmental transport
About Japan:
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
- Prime minister: Yoshihide Suga
PM Modi launches ‘ Jan Andolan’ campaign for COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign by way of a Tweet on Jan Andolan for COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour. The campaign has been launched in view of the upcoming festivals and winter season as well as the opening up of the economy.
- In a tweet, Mr Modi appealed to the people to unite to fight Corona. He urged the people to always remember to wear a mask, wash hands, follow social distancing and practice ‘Do Gaz Ki Doori.’ He stated, together, we will succeed and win against COVID-19.
- The Prime Minister stated, India’s COVID-19 fight is people driven and gets great strength from our COVID warriors. He stated, our collective efforts have helped saved many lives. Mr Modi stated, we have to continue the momentum and protect our citizens from the virus.
Smriti Irani launches first ever Brand & Logo for Indian Cotton on 2nd World Cotton Day
- Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani launched the first ever Brand and Logo for Indian Cotton on Second World Cotton Day through video conferencing
- Now India’s premium cotton would be known as ‘Kasturi Cotton’ in the world cotton trade. The Kasturi Cotton brand will represent Whiteness, Brightness, Softness, Purity, Luster, Uniqueness and Indianness.
- The Minister recounted the importance of cotton in Indian economy. She stated, cotton is one of the principal commercial crops of the country and it provides livelihood to about six million cotton farmers. She stated, India is the second largest cotton producer and the largest consumer of cotton in the world.
- It produces about six million tonnes of cotton every year which is about 23 per cent of the world cotton. She stated, India produces about 51 per cent of the total organic cotton production of the world, which demonstrates India’s effort towards sustainability.
- Ms Irani also stated that Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) made ever highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation of cotton. She hoped that during the new cotton season, the procurement under MSP will be increased. She stated, CCI has opened 430 procurement centres in all cotton growing states and payments are being made digitally to farmers’ account within 72 hours.
About Ministry of Textiles:
- Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister of Textiles
- Constituency: Amethi
NITI Aayog, MNRE and Invest India hold symposium on solar PV manufacturing
- NITI Aayog, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and Invest India organized a symposium on solar PV manufacturing, “India PV Edge-2020“, on 6 October to inform the global PV industry of opportunities in India.
- In addition to the vision of 450 GW installed renewables capacity by 2030, India has a plan not only for grid-connected solar and renewables but also an ambitious vision for mobility, followed by electricity-based cooking. As a result of the government’s measures to achieve Aatmanirbhar Bharat, already EoIs for 20 GW of the module and cell manufacturing have been issued. India will continue to be the fastest and largest-growing market for investment in renewables.”
- Around 60 prominent Indian and global CEOs attended the event, along with a number of global PV manufacturers, developers, investors, think tanks, and top policymakers. An investor’s roundtable was also organized after the pitching sessions to deliberate on ways to mobilize affordable capital into solar manufacturing.
- India now has the third-largest solar installed capacity in the world. It is one of the few countries on track to meet its three key NDC targets – achieve 40% non-fossil-fuel-based installed power capacity, reduce 33%–35% emissions, and create a carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide – by 2030. India is likely to achieve these goals much earlier.
About Niti Aayog:
- Headquarters:New Delhi
- Narendra Modi, (Chairperson)
- Rajiv Kumar, (Vice Chairperson)
- Amitabh Kant, (CEO)
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy:
- Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- Constituency: Arrah
- Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, IAS, Secretary
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Cotton Day
- The World Cotton day is celebrated on 7 October as a global celebration of cotton and its stakeholders, from field to fabric and beyond.
- World Cotton Day also aims to highlight the challenges faced by the world’s cotton economies, as cotton is significant for the least developed, developing and developed economies worldwide.
- This is the second edition. The first-ever World Cotton Day (WCD) was hosted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva on October 7, 2019.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Piyush Goyal Inaugurates Renaming Of Naugarh Railway Station To Siddharthnagar
- Railway Minister Piyush Goyal through a video link inaugurated the renaming of Naugarh railway station to Siddharthnagar railway station situated at Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh.
- The approval has been given for the construction of a new railway line of 240 km from Khalilabad to Bahraich via Dumariyaganj-Utraula-Balrampur-Shravasti. With the completion of this project, the development of Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthnagar, Shravasti, Bahraich and Gonda districts will be accelerated.
About Uttar Pradesh
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
India’s first 5 Animal bridges to come up on this greenfield expressway
- The road infra structure development is currently one of the major focuses of the government as various expressway projects are underway in the country. The construction of one such highway project and also the most awaited is Delhi-Mumbai greenfield expressway. This upcoming expressway is tipped to be the longest greenfield expressways that is expected to be completed by 2024
- While there are many features of this upcoming expressway that will lead to better connectivity between the two metropolis, one such highlights of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway is going to be animal bridges or animal overpasses.
- The upcoming expressway project will have India’s first animal bridges or animal overpasses that will be designed keeping in mind not to disturb the environment and wildlife section that comes up on way of over 1,200 km long expressway.
- In total, the Delhi-Mumbai expressway will have 5 such animal overpasses with a combined length of over 2.5 km.
- These bridges have been planned to abide by the concerns of not disturbing the wildlife movement on a section of Ranthambore Wildlife Corridor that comes on way connecting Ranthambore and Mukundra (Darrah) wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
Integration between PM SVANidhi & SBI portals ‘API’ launched to ease processing of loan applications
- Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra launched the Application Programming Interface, integration between the PM SVANidhi Portal and the State Bank of India portal to ease processing of loan applications.
- This integration will facilitate seamless flow of data between the PM SVANidhi Portal and SBI’s e-Mudra Portal in a secure environment and expedite the loan sanctioning and disbursement process, which will benefit the street vendors seeking working capital loan under the scheme.
- The Ministry is implementing Prime Minister Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi, PM SVANidhi Scheme since 1st June this year, for providing affordable working capital loan to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to COVID-19 lockdown.
- This scheme targets to benefit over 50 lakh Street Vendors who had been vending on or before 24th of March this year, in urban areas. Under the scheme, the vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to ten thousand, which is repayable in monthly installments in the tenure of one year.
About MoHUA:
- Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri
- Constituency: Amritsar
About SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 July 1955
My Ganga My Dolphin campaign launched at six sites across river Ganga
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga, the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Department launched the My Ganga My Dolphin campaign on the occasion of Ganga River Dolphin Day.
- A Dolphin-based ecotourism programme was launched at various sites along the Ganga River. It was started in six sites across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
- “This is a joint venture of WII, NMCG and the State Forest Departments, for sustainable tourism linking livelihood through Dolphin Conservation for ecotourism along the Ganga river,”
- The Ganga Praharis in all the sites have been trained in biodiversity-based eco-tourism and will take the tourists on boat rides to view Dolphin and another biodiversity present in the Ganga River.
- “In the My Ganga My Dolphin campaign, Dolphin census will be conducted in the 250 km stretch from Bijnore to Narora, many community awareness campaigns will be carried out and young volunteers will be encouraged to enrol as Ganga Mitras,” the statement added
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
ICICI Bank offers debit card to borrowers availing Loan Against Securities
- ICICI Bank has introduced a debit card facility for those borrowers who are availing the Loan Against Securities (LAS) from the Bank. The card is available on the Visa platform.
- It can be used by customers across all domestic merchant establishments to make seamless POS and online transactions like payments on e-commerce portals among others, using their sanctioned LAS amount.
- The ICICI Bank is the first bank in the country to launch the facility after the RBI allowing banks to issue electronic cards to customers who avail an OD facility, which is of the nature of a personal loan with no specific end-use restriction.
- Customers get a digital debit card within one business day of availing LAS, which can be accessed on the Bank’s mobile app
Key benefits of the debit card include:
- Transaction limit: The card offers a maximum daily transaction limit of Rs. 3 lakh each for POS and online transactions.
- Digital card: The Bank provides a digital card to customers, which is made available on iMobile app within one business day.
- Automatic renewal: The card is automatically renewed upon renewal of the LAS account.
About ICICI Bank
- CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Sebi introduces very high risk category in mutual fund schemes
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has introduced detailed guidelines for determining the place of a mutual fund on its risk o meter tool.
- The new system introduces a fresh category of ‘very high’ risk. It replaces the old model based simply on a scheme’s category without adequately considering its actual portfolio.
- The circular goes into effect on 1st Jan 2021.
- Mutual Funds have to update the riskometer on a monthly basis on their websites and the AMFI website, within 10 days from the end of the month. In case of a change in riskometer position, they have to send out communications to investors. Mutual Funds also have to publish a history of riskometer changes every year.
- Separately, Sebi introduced labelling norms for the dividend options of mutual funds which will come into effect from 1st April 2021. Under the new norms, mutual funds will have to rename dividend options as income distribution cum capital withdrawal.
- Under the new riskometer, there are six categories of risk, going from low to very high.
About SEBI
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Teachers’ Day
- World Teachers’ Day, also known as International Teachers Day, is an international day held annually on 5 October.
- This year amid the COVID-19 crisis, the theme of World Teachers’ Day is – “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future”.
World Habitat Day
- The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. This year it falls on October 5th.
- 2020 Theme: Housing For All — A Better Urban Future.
Wildlife Week
- Wildlife Week is observed every year from 2 October to 8 October, there are some places in India that start celebrating it from 1 October onward.
- The week is celebrated under the Theme: RoaR (Roar and Revive) – Exploring Human-Animal Relationships.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Foreign Ministers of all four Quad countries- India, US, Japan, Australia to meet in Tokyo
- Foreign ministers of all four Quad countries will meet in the Japanese capital Tokyo.
- External Affairs Ministry said, Foreign Ministers will discuss the post-COVID-19 international order and the need for a coordinated response to the various challenges emerging from the pandemic.
- Four ministers will also discuss regional issues and collectively affirm the importance of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
- The foreign ministers of all four Quad countries – External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will be present for the face to face meeting, a first amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- This is the second such Quad foreign ministers In 2019, all the foreign ministers of Quad countries met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
- On the sidelines of the meet, Mr Jaishankar will also have bilaterals with his Quad counterparts, including the US Secretary of State.
- It takes place even as India and the US are getting ready for 22 foreign and defence ministers meeting that will take place later this month.
India and Myanmar agree to operationalise Sittwe port in the first quarter of 2021
