Current Affairs 03 September 2025

PIB Current Affairs

World Coconut Day – 02 September 2025

The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has its headquarters in Kochi, Kerala. It also maintains regional offices in other cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Guwahati, and Patna.

BHARATI Initiative

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) launched a new initiative named BHARATI.
• Full Form: Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement.
• Objective: Empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups, promote innovation, and create new export opportunities.
• Vision: Achieve $50 billion in agri-food exports by 2030 for APEDA’s Scheduled Products.

Features of the Initiative

• Launch of the pilot cohort in September 2025 to support 100 startups.
• Focus areas: GI-tagged agri-products, organic foods, superfoods, processed foods, livestock products, and AYUSH products.

Exercise MAITREE-XIV

• The 14th edition of Exercise MAITREE (MAITREE-XIV) between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army commenced at the Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi, Meghalaya.
• Dates: 1st to 14th September 2025.
• Previous Edition: The 13th edition was held at Fort Vachiraprakan, Tak Province, Thailand.

20th Global Sustainability Summit

• 20th Global Sustainability Summit, organized by the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
• Highlights:
  • Environment Audit Rules, 2025
  • Revised Green Credit Programme.
  • Amendment to Forest (Conservation and Augmentation) Rules, 2023

Account Aggregator (AA) framework

• RBI celebrated four years of luanch of Account Aggregator (AA) Ecosystem.
• The Account Aggregator (AA) framework was officially launched on 2 September 2021 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• It establishes a secure, consent-based system for financial data sharing across banks, NBFCs, insurers, mutual funds, and pension funds.
• Users can aggregate financial information (bank accounts, investments, loans, insurance, etc.) and share it with service providers for loan applications, wealth management, and financial planning.
• Role of AA framework in Digital Public Infrastructure: Data exchange layer (complements Aadhaar & UPI)

Dr. Ambedkar National Merit Award

• Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organized the Award Ceremony in New Delhi.
• The awards were given to meritorious Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students for Class 10th and SC students for Class 12th, based on results of 29 State/Central Boards and Councils.
• Prize Amounts
  • 1st position: ₹60,000
  • 2nd position: ₹50,000
  • 3rd position: ₹40,000
  • Special Award: ₹60,000 for the highest-scoring girl student if no girl featured in the top three.

Kapas Kisan App

• Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh launched the Kapas Kisan App, developed by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) under the Ministry of Textiles.
• The app is designed to ensure seamless procurement of cotton from farmers under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme.
• Key Features:
  • Self-registration for farmers to sell cotton under MSP.
  • Slot booking & digital scheduling at designated procurement centres to reduce waiting time and crowding.
  • Multi-language support

CCI Approves Acquisition of YES Bank Shares by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of certain share capital and voting rights of YES Bank by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC).
• SMBC is a Japan-based commercial bank.
• Operates in India with branches in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and an offshore branch in GIFT City, Gandhinagar.

Hindu Current Affairs

Governor’s power to assent to State Bills (Article 200)

• A five-judge Presidential Reference Bench of the Supreme Court, led by CJI B.R. Gavai with Justices Vikram Nath and P.S. Narasimha, observed that Governors cannot indefinitely delay assent to State Bills.
• The Bench stressed that Governors cannot impede the functioning of the Constitution or “delay the wisdom of the legislature.”

Background

• The case stems from a Presidential Reference (May 2025) following an April 8 Supreme Court judgment on the Tamil Nadu Governor’s delay in granting assent to 10 Bills since 2020.
• That judgment had fixed a three-month deadline for Governors and the President to decide on State Bills. If left pending beyond three months, they were to be “deemed assented”.

Kerala Governor Moves SC Against CM’s Role in Selecting Vice-Chancellors

• Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, in his capacity as Chancellor of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University and Digital University Kerala, has approached the Supreme Court.
• He moved to Supreme Court to exclude the State Chief Minister’s role in the selection process of Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs).
• UGC Regulations (2018) vest the authority in the Chancellor/Governor, excluding State government or CM participation.

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong

• Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong arrived in New Delhi for a three-day official visit.
• The visit is part of celebrations marking 60 years of India–Singapore diplomatic ties.
• The visit follows the 3rd India–Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) on 13 August 2025 in New Delhi.
• ISMR focused on six areas: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitisation, healthcare, skill development, and sustainability.

30th UN Climate Conference (COP-30)

• The 30th UN Climate Conference (COP-30) will be held in November 2025 in Belem, Brazil, near the Amazon rainforest.
• André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil’s Climate Minister and COP-30 President, said the focus will be on “well-known solutions” rather than big new announcements.

Gig Economy and Workers in India

• The gig economy refers to short-term, flexible jobs often managed through digital platforms like food delivery apps, cab services, and e-commerce.
• NITI Aayog (2022) projected India’s gig workforce to expand from 7.7 million (2020–21) to 23.5 million by 2029–30.
• Books on Gig Economy:
  • OTP Please (2025) by Vandana Vasudevan.
  • Gig Economy in India Rising (2020) – Amitava Ghosh.
  • The Gig Economy in India: Start-Ups, Infrastructure and Resistance (2025) – Pradip Ninan Thomas.

Vikram 32-bit Chip

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a memento containing the Made-in-India Vikram 32-bit Processor Launch Vehicle Grade Chip at the Semicon India 2025 Conference.
• Vikram 32-bit Chip was designed and developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (ISRO) and Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh.
• Used in space flights and advanced avionics systems of launch vehicles.

Mitchell Starc Retires from T20Is

• Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has announced his retirement from T20 Internationals (T20Is).
• Starc is Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, behind Adam Zampa (130 wickets in 103 games).

AP Current Affairs

East Coast Maritime and Logistics Summit

• East Coast Maritime and Logistics Summit was held in Vishakapatnam. It was organised by GFST and Maritime Gateway.
• AP CM announced plans to develop Andhra Pradesh as the “Gateway of East Coast” and a global-standard logistics hub.
• Andhra Pradesh ranks 2nd in sea cargo transport in India.
• Major Plans:
  • Logistics and Civil Aviation Universities to be set up.
  • Increase logistics contribution to GSDP from 1% to 3%.
  • Develop ports and fishing harbours every 50 km along the 1,050 km coastline.
  • New ports coming up at Ramayapatnam, Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, and Kakinada Gateway.
  • Shipbuilding, container repair, and ship recycling units planned at Dugarajupatnam and Machilipatnam.

YSR Memorial Awards

• Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy presented the YSR Memorial Awards in Hyderabad.
• Awardees of YSR Memorial Awards 2025
  • Subhash Palekar – Pioneer of organic farming in India.
  • Dr. Chadalavada Nageswara Rao – Recognised for contributions in healthcare.
  • C. Padma – Honoured for service and excellence in social work.

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