Mudra loans log a record 30% growth in H1 FY23

• It is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, launched on 8th April, 2015.
• It is a Financial Inclusion (FI) programme in the country based on three pillars - Banking the Unbanked, Securing the Unsecured and Funding the Unfunded.
• Shishu - Covering loans up to Rs 50,000;
• Kishor - Covering loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh;
• Tarun - Covering loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh.
• Any Indian Citizen who has a business plan for a non-farm sector income generating activities such as manufacturing, processing, trading or service sector.
• They can avail from all Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Cooperative Banks, Private Sector Banks, Foreign Banks, Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) up to Rs 10 lakhs Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) loans under PMMY.

Over 69% houses constructed under PMAY in rural India are owned by women, says government

• Over 69% of houses constructed under the Prime Minister’s special housing scheme are either wholly or jointly owned by women in rural areas.
• As on September 29, 2022, a total of two crore houses had been constructed out of the 2.46 crore houses that were sanctioned.
• The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) was launched by the Prime Minister in 2016 with the aim of constructing 2.95 crore houses.
• Beneficiaries are identified using parameters from Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data and verified by Gram Sabhas.
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.

The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for 2022 will be awarded to Yunqing Tang

• Yunqing Tang is an Assistant Professor with the University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.
• According to SASTRA Ramanujan Prize Committee Ms. Yunqing’s works display a remarkable combination of sophisticated techniques, in which the arithmetic and geometry of modular curves and of Shimura varieties play a central role, and her results and methods are bound to have major impact on future research in this area.
• The award, instituted by the Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) in 2005 with a cash prize of $10,000, is presented annually to individuals aged 32 and below, who made outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics, influenced by Srinivasa Ramanjuan in a broad sense.

Nobel winner Svante Paabo’s discoveries show what makes us human

• He has spearheaded the development of new techniques that allowed researchers to compare the genome of modern humans and that of other hominins — the Neanderthals and Denisovans.
• He spent decades trying to extract DNA from 40,000-year-old bones, culminating in the unveiling of the Neanderthal genome in 2010.
• The research helped establish that modern humans and Neanderthals share a common ancestor that lived some 600,000 years ago. Paabo and his team also found genetic evidence that, during periods of coexistence, modern humans and Neanderthals had children together.
• His seminal research gave rise to an entirely new scientific discipline; paleogenomics.
• His research led to the understanding that archaic gene sequences from our extinct relatives influence the physiology of present-day humans.
  • One such example is the Denisovan version of the gene EPAS1, which confers an advantage for survival at high altitude and is common among present-day Tibetans.
  • Other examples are Neanderthal genes that affect our immune response to different types of infections.

4th Foreign Office Consultations between India and Ethiopia

• During the consultation, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including political engagements, trade and economic matters, development partnership projects and cooperation in higher education.
• They also agreed to work to expand engagement in fields such as defence, Science and Technology, education, agriculture and allied sectors and civil aviation.
• India and Ethiopia have also agreed to continue high-level political exchanges and regular meetings of the joint institutional mechanisms to keep the relationship vibrant and mutually beneficial.
• The next round of Consultations will be held in New Delhi.

India''s merchandise export grew by over 15 % from April to September this year

• India’s merchandise export has grown by over 15 per cent to 229 billion US dollar from April to September this year in comparison to the same period last year.
• The country has achieved merchandise export of over 32 billion dollars in September this year with a decrease of 3.52 per cent in comparison to the same month last year.
• The export of non-petroleum and non-gems and jewellery from April to September this year was over 158 billion dollars, an increase of 5.53 per cent over the same period last year.

National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme

• The last date for submission of application for ‘National Means cum Merit Scholarship scheme for the year 2022-23 extended till 15th October, 2022’.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme that was launched in 2008.
• Objective: Award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage.
• **Features:**One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students of class IX every year and their continuation / renewal in classes X to XII for study in State Government, Government-aided and Local body schools under the scheme. The amount of scholarship is Rs. 12000/- per annum from 1st April 2017 (earlier it was Rs. 6000/- per annum).
• The Cabinet has approved continuation of the Scheme from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 with total allocation of Rs.1827 crores.

United Nations observes the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day.

• This year, World Habitat Day will be observed on October 3.
• Theme: “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”.
• It seeks to draw attention to the growing inequalities and vulnerabilities in cities and human settlements that have been exacerbated by the triple ‘C’ crises — COVID-19, climate and conflict.
• The day came into existence with a resolution by the UN General Assembly in 1985.
• World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 in Nairobi, Kenya, with the theme ‘Shelter is my right’.

PM Modi pays tribute to Shyamji Krishna Varma

• Shyamji Krishna Varma (1857 – 1930) was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer and journalist.
• Indian Home Rule Society (IHRS):It was an Indian organisation founded in London in 1905 that sought to promote the cause of self-rule in British India. The organisation was founded by Shyamji Krishna Varma, with support from Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji and S.R. Rana.
• India House:He founded India House in London. It was a student residence that existed between 1905 and 1910 which was opened to promote nationalist views among Indian students in Britain.
• Indian Sociologist:He founded Indian Sociologist in London. The monthly Indian Sociologist became an outlet for nationalist ideas.