NATIONAL NEWS

President Delegates Board Powers to Delhi Lieutenant Governor

• President Droupadi Murmu has delegated powers to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

• These powers include constituting and appointing members to authorities, boards, commissions, or statutory bodies under laws passed by Parliament.

• A notification issued by the Union Home Ministry on September 3, 2024, confirms this delegation.

• The Lieutenant Governor can now establish and staff these entities as required.

• This delegation is based on Article 239 of the Constitution and Section 45D of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.

• The President’s delegation allows the Lieutenant Governor to exercise powers under Section 45D of the Act.

• This authority includes forming any relevant body and appointing government officers or ex officio members.

• Previously, the President approved the creation of the 23rd Law Commission of India.

• The 23rd Law Commission will operate from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2027.

AWARDS

Wokha SAATHI Wins Gold at e-Governance Awards 2023-2024

• The Wokha SAATHI WhatsApp Chatbot won the Gold Award at the National Awards for e-Governance 2023-2024.

• Wokha SAATHI, an initiative by the Wokha District Administration in Nagaland, was recognized for its innovation.

• Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, presented the award at the 27th National Conference on e-Governance in Mumbai.

• This is the first Gold Award won by a Nagaland initiative in e-Governance.

• The chatbot integrates over 40 services into a single platform for the Wokha District Administration.

• It provides timely assistance and a user-friendly interface for residents.

• The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) also won a Gold Award in the category of "Application of Emerging Technologies for Citizen-Centric Services."

• The National Awards for e-Governance recognize excellence and innovation in e-Governance initiatives.

• These awards are presented annually at the National Conference on e-Governance.

• The 27th edition of the conference was hosted by the Government of Maharashtra in Mumbai.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India and Kenya held the 3rd Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting.

• India and Kenya held their 3rd Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting.

• The meeting explored new areas for defence collaboration.

• The Kenyan delegation interacted with Indian defence industry representatives in New Delhi.

• Topics included military cooperation, training, defence industries, and R&D.

• An MoU on Defence Cooperation, signed in July 2016, underpins this collaboration.

• The MoU establishes a framework for mutual defence benefits.

• Discussions aimed to enhance and expand joint defence efforts.

• Both nations are focused on strengthening their defence partnership.

SPORTS

Deepthi Jeevanji won the bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 event at the Paris Paralympics

• Deepthi Jeevanji secured the bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 event at the Paris Paralympics.

• Deepthi clocked 55.82 seconds in the Paralympic final.

• At the World Para-Athletics Championships in May in Japan, Deepthi won first place and set a new world record with a time of 55.07 seconds.

• Aysel Onder, the world record holder, finished second in the World Para-Athletics Championships, behind Deepthi.

• The T20 classification is for athletes with intellectual impairments.

• Deepthi is the second Indian to win a medal in a track event at the Paralympics, following Preethi Pal.

• Her bronze medal at her debut Paralympics contributed to India’s total of six medals in para-athletics.

Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar Win Bronze in Archery

• Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar won bronze in the archery mixed team event at the Paris Paralympics 2024.

• They secured the bronze medal in the compound open archery mixed team category.

• The Indian team defeated Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina with a score of 156-155.

• Sheetal Devi, aged 17 from Jammu, is the only active female archer competing without hands.

• Indian shuttler Suhas Yathiraj earned his second consecutive silver medal in men’s singles SL4.

• Suhas Yathiraj was defeated by Lukas Mazur of France with scores of 9-21 and 13-21.

• Both achievements highlight notable performances by Indian athletes at the Paris Paralympics.

BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

World Bank increased India’s growth forecast for FY25 to 7%.

• The World Bank has upgraded India's growth forecast for FY25 to 7%, up from the previous 6.6%.

• The debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to decrease from 83.9% in FY23/24 to 82% by FY26/27.

• India's current account deficit is projected to remain between 1-1.6% of GDP through FY26/27.

• Protectionism has increased in global trade in recent years.

• India’s strong growth prospects and declining inflation could help reduce extreme poverty.

• Leveraging its global trade potential can further boost India's growth.

• To achieve the $1 trillion merchandise export goal, India should reduce trade costs, lower barriers, and enhance trade integration.

• The World Bank's updated forecast reflects confidence in India’s economic performance.

STATE NEWS

A bill passed by the Punjab Assembly to control the proliferation of illegal colonies

• The Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2024.

• The amendment aims to curb the growth of illegal colonies and ease registration issues for small plot owners.

• It seeks to eliminate problems related to plot registration and prevent unauthorized colony development.

• The bill removes the requirement for a no-objection certificate (NOC) for plots up to 500 square yards in unauthorized colonies.

• Property owners who have signed agreements or transacted value by July 31, 2024, can now register their properties without an NOC.

• Punjab has an estimated 14,000 unauthorized colonies, though the exact number of units and sizes is unclear.

• Non-compliance with the Act's provisions can result in imprisonment from five to ten years.

• Penalties for violations range from ₹25 lakh to ₹5 crore.

• The amendment is expected to provide significant relief to the public and streamline property registration processes.