WEEKLY

CURRENT
AFFAIRS

SEPTEMBER, 2024
Week-1
1-7 Sept., 2024

Useful for
CSE, ESE, PSUs, State Services Exams,
SSC and Banking Exams
2 Week-1 1st September - 7th September

• The Supreme Court Officers and Servants

  1st SEPTEMBER 2024
(Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1961
contains the rules with respect to the conditions
New Flag & Insignia of Supreme Court of service and conduct of the staff attached to the
• Context: President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the Supreme Court of India.
new flag and insignia of the Supreme Court to mark
the 75th year of its establishment.
Telecommunications (Administration of
Key Facts Digital Bharat Nidhi) Rules, 2024
• Context: The Department of Telecommunication,
• The flag features the Ashoka Chakra, the Supreme
notified ‘Telecommunications (Administration of
Court building and the book of the Constitution of
Digital Bharat Nidhi) Rules, 2024’, the first set of
India.
rules under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
• The new Supreme Court flag is blue in colour. The
insignia has ‘Supreme Court of India’ and ‘Yato
Key Highlights
Dharmastato Jayah’ (in Devanagari script) inscribed
• The Universal Service Obligation Fund created under
on it.
the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 has rechristened as
 The phrase “Yato Dharmastato Jayah” is a Sanskrit
Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications
expression that translates to “Where there is
Act, 2024.
Dharma, there is victory” or “Victory lies where
• It stipulates that fund from the Digital Bharat Nidhi
Dharma (righteousness) prevails.”
will be allocated to projects aimed at improving
 Ashok Chakra represents the dharmachakra or
telecommunication services in underserved and
“wheel of the law”. This symbol is inspired by the
remote areas and for underserved groups of the
Sarnath Lion Capital, which was created by the
society.
3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.

About Telecommunications Rules, 2024

About Supreme Court of India
• The rules provide for powers and functions of
• Article 124 of the Constitution states that “There
administrator, who will be responsible for overseeing
shall be a Supreme Court of India.”
the implementation and administration of the Digital
• On 28 January 1950, two days after India became a
Bharat Nidhi.
Sovereign Democratic Republic, the Supreme Court
• The Implementer, receiving funding from
was inaugurated.
the Digital Bharat Nidhi for operating
• The first President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad
telecommunication network, shall make
inaugurated the present building of the Supreme
available such network/services on an open and
Court of India on 4 August 1958.
non-discriminatory basis.
• The original Constitution of 1950 envisaged a
• The rules also provide for criteria for undertaking
Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and 7 puisne
schemes and projects under Digital Bharat Nidhi
Judges – leaving it to Parliament to increase this
and selection process for implementers.
number.
 Considering the increase in workload, Parliament
Vadhvan Port
increased the number of Judges from 8 in 1950 to
• Context: Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for
11 in 1956, 14 in 1960, 18 in 1978, 26 in 1986, 31
the Vadhvan Port project in Palghar, Maharashtra.
in 2009 and 34 in 2019 (current strength).
 1st September - 7th September Week-1 3

Key Facts suggests that crossing the 1.5°C threshold could

• JNPA, in collaboration with the Government of lead to severe climate impacts, including more
Maharashtra and Maharashtra Maritime Board, frequent and intense droughts, heatwaves, and
proposed the development of Vadhvan Port. extreme rainfall events.

• It will be one of India’s largest deep-water ports. The

project is estimated to cost around ₹76,000 crore.
Emission Reductions
• To achieve these temperature goals, countries
• The port will be developed based on the Landlord
commit to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
Port. In the landlord model, private players take over
the operational aspects, while the port authority acts • The Agreement recognises that emissions must
as a regulator and landlord. peak before 2025 at the latest and decline by 43%
by 2030 to stay on track for the 1.5°C target.
• Capacity: Expected to be among the top 10 ports
globally, with a handling capacity of 23.2 million
Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).
About Nationally Determined Contributions
(NDCs)
• Functionality: Designed to handle large container
• Each country communicates its climate action plan
vessels, offer deeper drafts, and accommodate
through its NDC.
ultra-large cargo ships.
• NDCs outline both mitigation (emission reduction)
and adaptation measures.
  2nd SEPTEMBER 2024
• Countries are encouraged to progressively enhance
the ambition of their NDCs over time.
EU’s 2030 Emission Targets
• Context: Recently, Non-profit groups in Europe
have taken legal action against the European
India Post Payments Bank
Commission, arguing that the European Union’s • Context: Recently, India Post Payments Bank has
(EU) 2030 emission targets are falling short of the established many new dimensions in its journey of 6
ambitious goals set by the Paris Agreement. years by promoting ‘Aapka Bank, Aapke Dwar’.

About the Paris Agreement About the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)
• It was adopted during the UN Climate Change • It is an undertaking of the Department of Posts,
Conference (COP21) in Paris, France in 2015. Ministry of Communication & Technology, launched
nationwide in 2018.
• It represents a collective effort by 196 Parties to
address the urgent challenge of global warming. • It was established with a mission to promote financial
inclusion and contribute to Digital India, and has
Temperature Goals become a vital player in rural areas.

• The overarching goal of the Paris Agreement is to • IPPB targets some of the most financially excluded
limit the increase in the global average temperature and vulnerable sections of society.
to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. • Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks act as mobile
• Additionally, there’s a strong emphasis on efforts to banks, delivering various services like Aadhaar
limit the temperature rise to an even more ambitious enrollment for children up to 5 years old; Mobile
target: 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. updates through CELC service; Digital life
certificates; Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT); Aadhaar-
• Why the Focus on 1.5°C: Scientific evidence from the
enabled payment system; Bill payments; Insurance
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
4 Week-1 1st September - 7th September

services (vehicle, health, accident, and Pradhan About Poshan Maah

Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana); Online deposits • It is promoting community mobilization through
in Sukanya, RD, PPF, and Postal Life Insurance. people’s participation for addressing malnutrition
• Women Empowerment: A remarkable 44% of IPPB amongst young children and women.
customers are women, highlighting its crucial role in  The initiative is ensuring health and nutrition for
empowering women through financial services. everyone.
• It will focus on the themes of Anaemia, Growth
  3rd SEPTEMBER 2024 Monitoring, Complementary Feeding, Poshan Bhi
Padhai Bhi, Technology for better Governance, and
23rd Law Commission Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.
• Context: President Droupadi Murmu has sanctioned
the constitution of the 23rd Law Commission of About Mission Poshan 2.0
India, which will serve from September 1, 2024, to • The Ministry of Women and Child Development
August 31, 2027. through its Mission Poshan 2.0, is committed to
fight malnutrition among children, adolescent girls,
About Law Commission of India pregnant women and lactating mothers across the
• Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body. country”.
• It is constituted by a notification of the Government
• The Poshan Maah aims to intensify efforts to combat
of India, Ministry of Law & Justice, Department of
malnutrition and promote holistic well-being across
Legal Affairs.
the nation.
• It is constituted with definite terms of reference to
carry out research in the field of law.
• The Commission makes recommendations to the
Digital Agriculture Mission
Government in the form of Reports as per its terms • Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet Committee
of reference. However, these recommendations are approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with an
not binding on the Government. outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share
• The first law commission in independent India was of Rs. 1940 Crore.
established in 1955, with its chairman M.C.Setalvad.
• Constitution of the 23nd Law Commission Key Facts
• The Commission will consist of • It aims to nurture agri-tech start-ups by harnessing
cutting-edge advancements in cloud computing,
 A full-time Chairperson
earth observation, remote sensing, data analytics,
 four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary);
and artificial intelligence/machine learning models.
 Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex officio
• It is conceived as an umbrella scheme to support
Member
digital agriculture initiatives, such as creating
 Secretary, Legislative Department as ex officio Digital Public Infrastructure, implementing the
Member; and not more than five part-time Members. Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES),
and taking up other IT initiatives by the Central
Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 Government, State Governments, and Academic
• Context: The Union Minister of Women and Child and Research Institutions.
Development launched the seventh edition of • At its core, DAM seeks to transform India’s
nationwide “Rashtriya Poshan Mah “at Mahatma agricultural landscape by infusing it with digital
Mandir in Gandhinagar. nutrients.
 1st September - 7th September Week-1 5

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture: It Key Highlights

aims to provide authenticated demographic details, • The forest department has initiated an innovative
land holdings, and crop information for cultivators effort of using colourful teddy dolls soaked in
and tenant farmers. children’s urine as bait to capture them.
 It’s like giving each farmer a digital identity (akin to • The recently swelling Ghahghara river surfing
Aadhaar) – a trusted ‘Kisan ki Pehchaan’ (a digital jungles have disrupted their original habitat.
Farmer ID) – while connecting them to relevant • Year 1997 saw the biggest-ever wolf attack in UP
state and central government databases. that led to the deaths of 42 children in Jaunpur.
 This data-driven approach promises innovative, • Indian wolves have been known to act as scavengers,
farmer-centric services. preying on dead livestocks.
 However, they are known to feed on livestock when
natural prey is scarce. The animals also have a
  4th SEPTEMBER 2024
history of preying on children.
• The exact numbers of the Indian wolf are not known,
AgriSURE Fund & Krishi Nivesh Portal though estimates suggest there are between 2,000
• Context: The Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and 3,000 individuals across Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Minister launched the AgriSURE Fund and Krishi Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Nivesh Portal in New Delhi.  IUCN Status: Least Concern
 Wolf is categorised as Schedule-I under the Wildlife
Key Highlights Protection Act 1972.
• AgriSURE Fund: It aims to support start-ups and
agripreneurs in the agriculture and allied sectors.
Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2024
 The fund will provide both equity and debt support.
• Context: Hayao Miyazaki, the acclaimed Japanese
 The fund will support sector-specific, sector-
animator and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has been
agnostic, and debt AIFs.
honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award of 2024.
 It will also offer direct equity support to start-ups.
 Focus: Investments will target high-risk, high-impact
About the Ramon Magsaysay Award
activities within the agriculture value chain.
 The initiative aims to foster innovation and • It is Asia’s premier prize and highest honour which
sustainability in India’s agricultural sector. recognises greatness of spirit shown in selfless
• Krishi Nivesh Portal: It aims to boost agricultural service to the peoples of Asia.
investment in India. • It is often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize that
 The portal will serve as an integrated, centralized recognises outstanding contributions to various
platform. fields, including environmental protection and
 It aims to provide a one-stop solution for agri- peace.
investors. • Awardees are annually selected by the Ramon
 The portal will help investors access various Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) board of
government schemes and benefits. trustees
• It recognises and honours individuals and
Operation Bhediya organisations in Asia, regardless of race, creed,
• Context: The Uttar Pradesh government has gender, or nationality, who have achieved distinction
launched Operation Bhediya to capture a pack of and have helped others generously without aiming
wolves in Bahraich district. for public recognition.
6 Week-1 1st September - 7th September

About Vishanu Yudh Abhyas

  5th SEPTEMBER 2024
• The drill took place over five days in Ajmer district,
Rajasthan.
Aparajita Bill
• It is conducted under the National One Health
• Context: The West Bengal Legislative Assembly
Mission (NOHM).
unanimously passed the Aparajita Women and
• It aims to assess pandemic preparedness and
Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill,
response to zoonotic disease outbreaks.
2024.
 Zoonotic Diseases include infections spread
Major Highlights between people and animals, such as avian
influenza, Nipah, and Zika, caused by viruses,
• It seeks changes in several sections of the Bharatiya
bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 so that 10 or 20-year
• Objective: To evaluate the readiness and response
jail terms in rape, gangrape and murder cases are
of the National Joint Outbreak Response Team
replaced with death penalty or imprisonment for
(NJORT), which includes experts from human
remaining life of the convict.
health, animal husbandry, and wildlife sectors.
• The Bill introduces three critical elements —
• Outcome: The drill provided valuable insights
increased punishment, speedy investigation, and
to improve India’s preparedness and response
rapid dispensation of justice, specifically targeting
to zoonotic disease outbreaks and promoted a
cases of sexual assault under the Bharatiya Nyay
coordinated and efficient approach across relevant
Samhita, and the Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act.
• The State government will form a special ‘Aparajita
Smart Cities Mission
Task Force’ from among the State police to ensure • Context: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
time-bound completion of the probe. has said that 90% of the total projects under the
Smart Cities Mission have been completed.
• The Bill has provisions for capital punishment for
those convicted of rape if their actions resulted in
Key Highlights
the victim’s death or left her in a vegetative state.
• The remaining 10% of the projects which are at the
• The legislation also requires that investigation into
implementation stage have been delayed due to
rape cases must be concluded within 21 days of the
legal issues, delays in obtaining clearances from
initial report.
different departments, land acquisition challenges,
• The bill will require Presidential assent under Article
construction in hilly areas, and challenges in vendor
254(2) of the Constitution to become law within the
and resource availability in small and medium cities.
geographical jurisdiction of West Bengal.
• Out of the total 100 smart cities, 17 cities have
 According to Article 254(2), a state legislature can completed 100% of their projects.
seek to amend an existing Union law on a subject
• While 75% of projects have been completed in 75
mentioned in the Concurrent List, but it cannot
smart cities, 34 cities have completed more than
become law without assent from the President.
90% of the projects.

Vishanu Yudh Abhyas About Smart Cities Mission

• Context: The central government conducted a five- • It is an initiative of the Union Housing and Urban
day mock drill named Vishanu Yudh Abhyas (Virus Affairs Ministry, launched in 2015. The Mission is
War Exercise) operated as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
 1st September - 7th September Week-1 7

• Objective: To promote cities that provide core • The Accord set March 24, 1971, as a cut-off. Anyone
infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment who had come to Assam before midnight on that
and give a decent quality of life to their citizens date would be an Indian citizen, while those who
through the application of ‘smart solutions’. had come after would be dealt with as foreigners.
• 100 cities have been selected to be developed as • The same cut-off was used in updating the National
Smart Cities through a two-stage competition for five Register of Citizens (NRC).
years. • The Assam Accord’s Clause 6 says, “Constitutional,
legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be
appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve
  6th SEPTEMBER 2024
and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity
and heritage of the Assamese people.”
Project Strawberry  Clause 6 focuses on protecting the cultural, social,
• Context: OpenAI is reportedly planning to release and linguistic identity of the Assamese people.
its most powerful AI model (codenamed Project
Strawberry), and could integrate it into ChatGPT-5.
  7th SEPTEMBER 2024
Key Facts
• Earlier known as Project Q* (Q-star), it has been Africa Urban Forum
billed as OpenAI’s push to create Artificial General • Context: African bureaucrats and development
Intelligence with capabilities similar to that of the experts have gathered in Ethiopia for the inaugural
human brain. African Urban Forum (AUF)
• It will be able to solve math problems even if it has
never been trained on them, perform high-level About Africa Urban Forum
tasks like designing market strategies and solving • It is a continental platform that promotes sustainable
complex word puzzles and do “deep research.” development in African human settlements.
• It will also help the AI firm develop their next large • It is a platform through which governments
language model (LLM) called Orion. collaborate to enhance African cities, enabling them
to fulfill their potential as centers of hope, growth,
Assam Accord and prosperity.

• Context: The Assam government has decided to • The African Union Commission and its member-
fulfill most of the recommendations of the high- states established the Africa Urban Forum in 2022
powered committee appointed by the Union Ministry in response to the rising consciousness of the
of Home Affairs to implement Clause 6 of the Assam rapid urbanization in Africa, its opportunities, &
Accord, 1985. challenges, and the need to create a continental
scale forum to support an inclusive and holistic
Key Facts approach to unlocking the potential of urbanization
• The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 amongst in the continent.
Union of India, Govt. of Assam, All Assam Student
of Union, All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad. National Awards for e-Governance
• To implement the various Clauses of Assam Accord • Context: Open Network for Digital Commerce
a new Department has been established in the name (ONDC) has received the The national awards for
of “Implementation of Assam Accord Department” e-governance by the Department of Administrative
during the year 1986. Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
8 Week-1 1st September - 7th September

Key Facts • The National Exit Test (NeXT) is required to

• The objective of the award is to recognise be conducted by the Commissions under the
and promote excellence in implementation of provisions of National Commission for Indian
e-Governance initiatives and to encourage System of Medicine (NCISM) Act 2020 and the
innovation in successful e-Governance solutions. National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH)
• ONDC is an initiative of the Department for Promotion Act, 2020.
of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• It aims to promote an open platform for all aspects of Eastern Economic Forum
e-commerce retail and help small retailers expand • Context: The Eastern Economic Forum 2024 was
their business through e-commerce medium and held in Vladivostok, Russia.
reduce dominance of giants in the sector.
• The network is now enabling more than 12 million About Eastern Economic Forum
orders per month, spread across categories ranging • It is an annual international event held in Vladivostok,
from fashion to electronics in products, and ride- Russia, since 2015.
hailing to metro ticketing in services. • Its primary aim is to promote economic development
• Over 6 lakh sellers across India have been on- in the Russian Far East and to encourage investment,
boarded so far. collaboration, and cooperation between Russia and
Asia-Pacific nations.

National Exit Test (NExT) • The forum brings together government officials,
business leaders, investors, and policymakers
• Context: National Exit Test (NExT) for Ayush to be
to discuss key economic issues, opportunities
Effective from 2021-2022 Batch.
in various sectors, and enhance regional
connectivity.
Key Facts
• It plays a vital role in shaping economic diplomacy
• The test is mandatory for licensing and enrollment in
and fostering partnerships in the Asia-Pacific
State or National Registers after completing a one-
region.
year internship.
• It borders two oceans, the Pacific and the Arctic,
• This will grant license to practice as medical
and five countries (China, Japan, Mongolia, the
practitioner of respective discipline of Indian system
United States and North Korea).
of medicine