1. National Affair
‘Direct Port Entry Facility’ inaugurated
Direct Port Entry Facility was inaugurated by The Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C), Mansukh Mandaviya.
The facility is in V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust in Tamil Nadu.
The facility will help in increasing the Ease of Doing Business for the exporters, as it will bring efficiency and reduce dwell time, lower the tariff cost and improve the competitiveness of the shipper in international trade.
The Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility would enable direct movement of containers from factories, without intermediate handling.
Quick Fact: The facility has been developed in an area of 18,357 sqm inside the Truck Parking Terminal.
2.Miscellaneous
International Animation Day: 28 October
International Animation Day is observed worldwide on 28 October.
The day celebrates the art of animation and also recognises the artists, scientists and technicians behind animation.
The day was created in 2002 by the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA), the International Animated Film Association, a member of UNESCO.
The day honours the birth of animation at the first public performance of projected moving images: Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique in Paris, on the 28th October 1892.
3.India and the World
India Post and United States Postal Services sign agreement regarding Electronic Exchange of Data
The agreement is regarding electronic exchange of data related to postal shipments
The electronic exchange of data would ensure custom clearance of packages before their arrival.
This would ease the process of exports through postal channels.
Quick Fact: Indian post is the most widely distributed postal system in the world
4.Science and Technology
Low Cost Technology anti-ageing Compound developed by IIT Guwahati
Low-cost technology that will produce anti-ageing compounds has been developed by researchers at IIT Guwahati.
The technology has been developed from agricultural resources including pulses, tea, orange peels, onion, berries, sea buckthorn and parsley.
The product is made using the size-based pressure driven membrane separation process.
As per the process, the extracts of the plants or fruits are first passed through fabricated membranes that are capable of separating selected flavonoids.
Quick Fact: The product does not use any organic solvents that are included in other products by the commercial industry, due to this, it is low cost.
5.National Affairs
DST-IIEST Solar PV Hub inaugurated
DST-IIEST Solar PV Hub inaugurated by Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
The hub was inaugurated at Shibpur in Howrah District of West Bengal .
It was in 2018 that the concept of establishing the Solar PV hub was first put forward.
The objective of the hub is to establish itself as world-class research facility and act as a central node to disseminate the knowledge in the field of solar energy, fabrication, solar photovoltaics, research and development.
Quick Fact: The solar power stations in the North Eastern region is operated by the North Eastern electric power corporation limited (NEEPCO).
6.Science and Technology
NISAR Satellite To Be Launched in 2022
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite is to be launched by 2022.
This decision was taken after India and the US decided to share Space Situational Awareness Information with each other.
The countries have also expressed the intent to continue the India-US Space Dialogue.
The joint statement regarding the scheduled launch was issued after the 2+2 strategic dialogue between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and their US counterparts.
7.National Affairs
Two New Regulations approved IFSCA authority Board
The International Financial Services Centre Authorities (IFSCA) approved two new regulations during the board meeting.
The two regulations are: The International Financial Services Centre authorities Bullion exchange regulations, 2020 and the International financial services Centre authorities Global inhouse centres regulation, 2020.
These two regulations pave the way to set up an entire ecosystem for bullion trading including the bullion exchange, depository, clearing house, and vaults in the Gift City of Gujarat.
Gift city is India’s sole international financial services centre (IFSC).
8. National Affairs
‘Eminence’ tag of institutes to be assessed on parameters of international rankings
A decision was taken by the centre to assess the institute with eminence tag on the basis of parameters used in top international ranking such as QS and Times rankings.
The prestigious ‘institute of eminence’ (IoE) tag has been provided to 20 higher education institutes to assess the progress.
This decision was taken on the basis of recommendation by a panel comprising of IIT directors.
The panel was asked to recommend ways to improve perception and international rankings of the institutes with the tags.
