Top Current Affairs 14 October 2021

Top Current Affairs 14 October 2021

Top Current Affairs 14 October 2021: This post contains the current affairs for 14 October 2021 that are important for competitive exams like IBPS PO and Clerk, SBI PO and Clerk, RBI Assistant and Grade B, other Insurance exams. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.

National

Centre accords “Maharatna” status to state-owned PFC Ltd.

• The Government of India has accorded  ‘Maharatna’ status to the state-owned Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) on October 12, 2021.
• The new status will give PFC greater operational and financial autonomy.
• PFC was incorporated in 1986, as an Indian financial institution under the ownership of Ministry of Power.
• It is the largest Infrastructure Finance Company in India, exclusively dedicated to Power Sector.

PM Modi inaugurates Rs 100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity

• With the vision of holistic and integrated infrastructure development in the country, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan, from Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on October 13, 2021.
• The Rs 100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan aims to provide multi-modal connectivity to economic zones in the country.
• Under the new project a centralised portal will be set up to bring together the infrastructure schemes (which are to be completed by 2024-25) of as many as 16 Ministries & State Governments on a common platform, for integrated planning and coordinated implementation, instead of planning & designing separately by each ministry and department.
• The PM GatiShakti digital platform is based on six pillars
  1. Comprehensiveness
  2. Prioritization
  3. Optimization
  4. Synchronization
  5. Analytical
  6. Dynamic
• PM Modi also inaugurated the new exhibition complexes of ITPO and reviewed the model of the new exhibition complex at Pragati Maidan.

International

World’s first driverless-automated train launched in Germany’s Hamburg

• The world’s first automated, driverless train has been unveiled in Hamburg in Germany.
• The project for Automated trains is a joint venture between German rail company Deutsche Bahn and high-tech industrial group Siemens.
• The project is part of a 60 million euro ($70 million) ‘Digital Rail Germany’ modernisation plan which includes modernisation of Hamburg’s rapid urban rail system.
• The trains will begin carrying passengers from December 2021.

Loans in News

India approves USD 200 million Line of Credit to support development projects in Kyrgyzstan

• India has approved to provide a USD 200 million Line of Credit (LoC) support to Kyrgyzstan for development projects in the country.
• The two nations also signed an MoU on High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP)” to enable implementation of quick community development projects in various sectors for the benefit of common people under full grant funding by the Government of India.
• It must be noted that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia to further expand bilateral ties with the three Central Asian countries.

GDP Rate

IMF Projects Indian Economy to grow at 9.5% in FY22; Global economy at 5.9% in 2021

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has estimated the Indian economy to grow by 9.5% in the current fiscal year, i.e 2021-22 (FY22) and 8.5% in FY23 (2022-23), in its latest World Economic Outlook report, released on October 12, 2021.
• Meanwhile, IMF expects the global gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 5.9 percent in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022.

Banking & Economy

ADB Raises 2019–2030 Climate Financing Goal to $100 Billion

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced an increase in its climate financing goals 2019-2030 for developing member countries (DMCs) by $20 billion to $100 billion.
• Earlier in 2018, ADB had announced $80 billion goal for climate financing for developing countries in Asia during 2019-2030.
• The additional $20 billion in financing support will be used for climate mitigation efforts including low-carbon energy sources, climate adaptation projects and private sector projects.

Ranking

India Ranks Third in 2021 EY Index; The US Retains Top Position

• India has retained the third position in the 58th Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) released by the consultancy firm Ernst & Young (EY).
• The 2021 RECAI ranks the world’s top 40 global markets (nations) on the attractiveness of their renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities.
• The United States has also retained its top position on RECAI 58, followed by China at the second position.

Awards

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu presents 2021 Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence to AIIMS Director, Dr. Randeep Guleria

• The Vice President of India Shri M Venkaiah Naidu presented the 22nd Lal Bahadur  Shastri National Award for Excellence on October 11, 2021, to Dr. Randeep Guleria.
• Dr. Randeep Guleria is an eminent pulmonologist and Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
• The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award is presented annually since 1999 by Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Delhi.
• The award is given to a business leader, management practitioner, public administrator, educator or institution builder for sustained individual contributions for achievements of high professional order and excellence.
• The award consists of a cash award of Rs 5,00,000, a citation and a plaque.

Appointment

Former I&B and Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare Appointed Advisor To PM Modi

• Former Information & Broadcasting (I&B) and Higher Education Secretary, Amit Khare has been appointed as the new Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 12, 2021. 
• Khare is a 1985-batch IAS officer from Bihar- Jharkhand cadre.
• He has been appointed for a period of two years on contractual basis as Advisor to the Prime Minister in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Arun Kumar Mishra appointed as new CEO of EESL

• State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has appointed Arun Kumar Mishra as the new chief executive officer (CEO)  of the company on deputation, on October 11, 2021.
• EESL is a joint venture of state-owned NTPC Limited, Power Finance Corporation, REC Limited and POWERGRID, set up in 2009, under the Ministry of Power to facilitate energy efficiency projects.

Days

International E-Waste Day: 14 October

• The International E-Waste Day (IEWD) is celebrated on 14 October every year since 2018, to promote the correct disposal of e-waste throughout the world with the aim to increase re-use, recovery and recycling rates.
• 2021 is the fourth edition of the International E-Waste Day.
• The day was developed in 2018 by the WEEE Forum, an international association of e-waste collection schemes, with the support of its members.
• The theme for 2021 IEWD is “Consumer is the key to Circular Economy!”

World Standards Day: 14 October

• The World Standards Day (WSD) (also known as International Standards Day) is celebrated globally on 14 October annually.
• World Standards Day 2021 theme is “Standards for sustainable development goals – shared vision for a better world”.
• Purpose: to raise awareness about the importance of standardisation to the global economy among the consumers, regulators and industry.