GI Tags Awarded to Eight Products from Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and
Kashmir, Odisha, and Goa
GI Tagged products are:
Geographical Indications Registry, operating under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Chennai, has
recently awarded geographical indication (GI) tags to a collective of 8 distinct products. Among these, 3
originate from Arunachal Pradesh, 1 from Tamil Nadu, 2 from Jammu and Kashmir, 1 from Odisha, and 1
from Goa.
India Signs Two MoUs on Ocean Sciences, Medical Product Regulation with Dominican
Republic
India and Dominican Republic have signed two Memorandum
of Understandings (MoUs) in ocean sciences and medical
product regulation.
The 2 MoUs were signed between,
Central Drug Control Organization of India (CDSCO) and
the General Directorate of Medicines, Food, and Health
Products of the Dominican Republic (DIGEMAPS).
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, National
Institute of Oceanography of India (CSIR–NIO) and the
National Authority for Maritime Affairs of the Dominican
Republic (ANAMAR).
Key Points:
- Under the bilateral cooperation MoU on ocean science,
India and Dominican Republic have agreed to work towards exploring solution to the problem of the
massive proliferation of the sargassum seaweed afflicting the Caribbean beaches, affecting the livelihood of
coastal populations and the tourist industry.
- The Dominican Republic is set to support the presence of Indian pharmaceutical companies in its territory
and India aims to partner in healthcare sector, including the supply of generic drugs.
- This partnership aims to improve healthcare access for both countries
About Dominican Republic:
President – Luis Abinader
Capital – Santo Domingo
Currency – Dominican Peso
New Drone (Amendment) Rules 2023 by MoCA: Citizens can Become Drone Pilots
- Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), under the authority of section 5, sub-section 2 of section 10, and
sections 10A, 10B, and 12A of the Aircraft Act, 1934 (22 of 1934), has introduced significant amendments
to the Drone Rules in 2023 for drone
pilots. The rule is effective from the 27th
of September 2023.
- As per the new Drone (Amendment)
Rules 2023, the mandatory requirement
of a passport has been waived to further
liberalise, promote and facilitate drone
operations across India.
- After the amendment, government-issued
proof of identity and address, such as
Voter ID, Ration Card, or Driving
License, can now be accepted to apply
for a Remote Pilot Certificate if the drone
pilot does not have a passport
- It aligns with the government of India’s vision to position India as a global drone hub by 2030.
ADB Approves USD 200 Million for Flood & Riverbank Erosion Risk Management
Project in Assam
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 200 million loan to strengthen flood and riverbank
erosion risk management along the 650-kilometer (km) long main stem of the Brahmaputra River in
Assam, India.
The Project activities will be led, managed,
and coordinated by the Flood and River
Erosion Management Agency of the Assam
Government.
The Water Resources Department of the
Government of Assam will implement the
works and the Assam Agroforestry
Development Board will use nature-based
solutions.
Key Points:
- ADB’s commitment to collaborating with
the Assam state government is to transform
Assam into a disaster-resilient region.
- This initiative particularly focuses on
mitigating the risks posed by the Brahmaputra River, one of the world’s largest river systems
- The project’s innovative and cost-effective approach combines structural and nonstructural measures to
strengthen Assam’s ability to manage flood and riverbank erosion risks effectively.
- ADB’s initiative aims to enhance disaster resilience in Assam, benefiting both the state and its vulnerable
communities.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Established in– 1966
Jon Olav Fosse Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 2023
- Jon Olav Fosse of Norway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
2023 “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the
unsayable”. Fosse is the 4th Norwegian writer to win the Nobel Prize in
Literature
- The Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy
of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
- Fosse writes in Nynorsk, one of the two official written versions of the
Norwegian language, the other being Bokmaal
India re-elected as President of AIBD General Conference for
3rd term
India has been re-elected as President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development
(AIBD) General Conference (GC) for the 3rd successive term. Previously India served as President of
AIBD GC in 2018-2021 and 2021 to 2023.
India is set to lead the international organisation and will leverage
itself as the broadcasting and media hub across the Asia Pacific.
Mayank Kumar Agrawal, Director General, Doordarshan is the
president of AIBD GCKey Points:
Key Points:
- AIBD is a regional inter-governmental organisation servicing
countries of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media
development.
It was established under the auspices of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- The AIBD currently has 26 Full Members (countries), represented
by 43 organisations, and 50 Affiliate Members (organisations) with a total membership of 93 representing 46
countries and regions and over 50 partners in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, Arab States, and North America.
- The 26 full members of AIBD are the governments of the respective countries. The full member countries
are represented by their broadcasting authorities and broadcasters
About Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD):
Secretary to the GC & Director (AIBD)– Ms Philomena Gnanapragasam (ex-officio)
Headquarters– Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Established in-197
Supreme Court Appoints Sign-Language Interpreter to Help Hearing-Impaired
Lawyers
- Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud announced the appointment that the Supreme Court of
India has allowed the appointment of a signlanguage interpreter. This will ensure that
hearing-impaired lawyers and litigants, can fully
comprehend and participate in judicial
proceedings.
- On 22 September 2023, the CJI presided over a
bench heard with the hearing-impaired lawyer
Sarah Sunny through sign-language interpreter
Saurav Roy Chowdhury in a case related to the
rights of persons with disabilities (PwD).
- Sarah Sunny had earlier filed an application before the Supreme Court Registry requesting a court-appointed Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpreter to
assist her.
- In 2022, the CJI constituted a Supreme Court committee on accessibility dedicated to addressing the
challenges faced by specially-abled individuals
World Cotton Day 2023 – October 7
United Nations (UN)’s World Cotton Day (WCD) is annually observed across the globe on 7th October to
highlight the role of cotton in creating jobs and maintaining economic stability in cotton-producing
countries, particularly in least-developed countries (LDCs).
7th October 2023 marks the observance of the 5th World Cotton
Day.
The theme of World Cotton Day 2023 is “Making cotton fair and
sustainable for all, from farm to fashion”.
The first World Cotton Day was observed on 7th October 2019
and hosted by World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva,
Switzerland
About World Trade Organization (WTO):
Director-General – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Eastablished in – 1995
Yogi Adityanath Declared Gangetic Dolphin as State Aquatic Animal of UP
Chief Minister(CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Yogi Adityanath has declared the Ganges River Dolphin
(Platanista gangetica) as the state aquatic animal.
Key Points:
- Gangetic dolphins live in the Ganga,
Yamuna, Chambal, Ghaghra, Rapti, and
Gerua rivers in UP
- Gangetic Dolphin are listed as
Endangered in the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Red
List
- The Gangetic dolphin is a sensitive
species that can tell us about the overall
health of the Ganga ecosystem and the
other species that live there.
It is very vulnerable to changes in water
quality and flow.