Notes:
The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has partnered with Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to create payments network for unorganized retail. FSS is a payments technology company that enables micro-merchants to accept payments online, or via Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Quick-Response (QR) codes, Aadhaar and IPPB accounts. FSS will also provide merchant management and settlement solutions including on-boarding fee calculation, reconciliation and settlement. IPPB has been incorporated as a public sector company under the Department of Posts with 100% government equity and is governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). IPPB offers a range of products such as savings and current accounts, money transfer, direct benefit transfer, bill and utility payments and enterprise and merchant payments. Customers are able to access these products and related services across various channels—counter services, micro-ATM, mobile banking app, text messages and phone calls.

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The 14th edition of the joint military exercise “Yudh Abhyas 2018” will be conducted between India and United States in the foothills of Himalayas at Chaubattia in Uttarakhand from September 16 to 29. The exercise will simulate a scenario where both nations will work together in counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment in mountainous terrain under United Nation charter. The two week exercise will witness participation of about 350 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of the Indian Army. It will witness a Division Headquarter based Command Post Exercise, an Infantry Battalion carrying out Field Training Exercise and discussions on issues of mutual interest by experts of both countries. The training will culminate with a final validation exercise in which troops of both countries will jointly carry out an operation against terrorists in a fictitious but realistic setting.

Notes:
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has recently re-commissioned an upgraded version of nuclear research reactor ‘Apsara-U’ with a higher capacity, which was shut down permanently in 2009 for revamp. The indigenously made reactor ‘Apsara-U’ uses plate type dispersion fuel elements made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). By virtue of higher neutron flux, this reactor will increase indigenous production or radio-isotopes for medical application by about 50% and would also be extensively used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding. This development has re-emphasized the capability of Indian scientists and Engineers to build, complex facilities for health care, science education and research. Apsara was the Asia’s first research reactor that was made operational in Trombay campus of BARC on 4th August 1956. The design of the pool-type reactor using enriched uranium fuel was conceptualised in 1955 by Dr Homi Bhabha himself. The name ‘Apsara’ was coined by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Notes:
Prof. Arul Chinnaiyan, an Indian-American scientist and professor at the University of Michigan, has been awarded an “Outstanding Investigator Award” along with a grant of $6.5 million by the U.S. National Cancer Institute to identify cancer biomarkers. The funding is aimed at identifying cancer biomarkers, which may improve diagnosis and help develop targeted therapies for the deadly disease. The award is designed to support the very best researchers who have a track record of innovation and success. The focus of Prof. Arul’s research is molecular profiling of cancer to discover novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.

Notes:
The book “The Twice-Born – Life and Death on the Ganges” has been authored by Aatish Taseer, who is son of late Pakistani politician Salman Taseer and Delhi journalist Tavleen Singh. The Twice-Born is a deeply individual and acutely perceptive book revolving around questions of culture and politics that are going to define our future as a nation. It is the remarkable account of a personal journey to understand today’s India, and truly a book for our times. He is the author of books like “Stranger to History”, “The Way Things Were”, “The Temple-Goers” and “Noon”. The book, published by HarperCollins India, will release on October 22.

Notes:
Goura Chandra Mohapatra (104), the veteran freedom fighter, educationist and social reformer, has passed away in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on September 11, 2018. He actively participated in the freedom movement and jailed during Quit India Movement in 1942. He dedicated his entire life for promotion of Gandhian values and for social upliftment. Mohapatra was the son of nationalist poet ‘Kantakabi’ Laxmikanta Mohapatra, who penned the famous song “Bande Utkal Janani” .

Notes:
The 2018 G-20 trade and investment ministerial meeting was held at Mar del Plata in Argentina on September 12-13. From India, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu participated in the meeting. Issues including increasing protectionism, challenges to promote global commerce and new industrial revolution were discussed. The meeting assumes significance as countries including the US has significantly raised customs duties on products including steel and aluminium. It has triggered a trade war kind of situation, which is impacting the global trade. The G20 members include India, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Gemaany, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, UK and the US.

Notes:
India has been ranked 130 among 189 countries in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) report 2018, which is released by the United Nations Development Programme. As per report, between 1990 and 2017, India’s HDI value saw a 50% increase from 0.427 to 0.640, an indicator of the country’s remarkable achievement in lifting millions of people out of poverty. During the period, India’s life expectancy at birth increased by nearly 11 years, with the average years of children staying in school increased by 4.7 years. India’s gross per capita income increased by a staggering 266.6% between 1990 and 2017. The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany led the ranking, while Niger, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI’s measurement of national achievements in health, education and income.

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India’s first ‘smart fence’ pilot project was launched by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh along the Indo-Pak border at the BSF Headquarters in Ploura, Jammu on September 18, 2018. The purpose of the project is to make security system more strong and effective.The smart fencing uses a number of devices for surveillance, communication and data storage. The pilot project entails deploying laser-activated fences and technology-enabled barriers to plug vulnerable gaps along frontiers. The system provides for round-the-clock surveillance on the border and in different weather conditions be it dust storm, fog or rain. The initiative is part of the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) proposed to be deployed at these two borders by the Government of India (GoI) as part of its decision to completely seal the two borders to stop infiltration and illegal migration.

Notes:
The Odisha government has launched a ‘Star-Rating’ system for industries to check air pollution. It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state to ensure transparency in compliance to pollution standards. The initiative will help public find out whether industries in their vicinity are fair in their environmental compliance. It will also recognise the efforts of industries that take responsibility to maintain clean environment. The system will rate industries from 1 to 5 based on their efforts to meet the standards set by Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB). It will be implemented with the help of Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC India) researchers and Tata Centre for Development at Chicago (TCD) in a phased manner. The programme will cover 20 industrial plants initially and will eventually cover all the 136 plants with continuously monitored data.