1) World Patient Safety Day: 17 September
•World Patient Safety Day is observed on September 17 to create a global awareness for patient safety and urge people to show their commitment to making healthcare safer. The Day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, health care leaders and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety. The theme for 2021 WPSD is ‘Safe maternal and newborn care’.
2) Defence Ministry constitutes High Level Expert Committee to review NCC
•The Ministry of Defence has constituted a High-Level Expert Committee, for a comprehensive review of the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Former Member of Parliament (MP) Baijayant Panda will be the Chairperson of the Committee. The 15-member committee will also include Cricketer MS Dhoni and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra as members.
3) J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha launches ‘One Gram Panchayat-One DIGI-Pay Sakhi’
•In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has launched a new mission called ‘One Gram Panchayat-One DIGI-Pay Sakhi’. The mission was launched at Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Pampore. He outlined that DIGI-Pay Sakhi has introduced financial inclusion within the UT’s Self Help Group (SHG) ecosystem, creating much needed financial access points with greater transparency even in the remotest of the areas.
4) NITI Aayog Launches Report on ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’
•NITI Aayog has launched a report titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’ which presents measures to ramp up urban planning capacity in India. The report was released on September 16, 2021, jointly by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, CEO Shri Amitabh Kant and Special Secretary Dr K. Rajeswara Rao.
5) Power Finance Corporation issues India’s first-ever Euro Green Bond
•The leading power sector NBFC, Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), successfully issued its maiden Euro Green Bond. The 7-year Euro 300 million Bond has been priced at 1.841 per cent. This Euro Green Bond is the first-ever Euro denominated Green bond issuance from India. It is also the first-ever Euro issuance by an Indian NBFC. With the issuance, PFC has also forayed into the European market for its international fundraising.
•PFC is witnessing a marked shift in its lending portfolio owing to stress in thermal power generation, with no new private investment in the sector. It is expected that renewable energy and transmission & distribution (T&D) would attract the bulk of the lending by PFC going forward, along with newer sectors such as lift irrigation, electric mobility and energy efficiency.
6) Cabinet approves Rs 26,058 crore PLI Scheme for Auto and Drone Industry
•The Union Cabinet has approved a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for auto, auto-components and drone industries to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities. The PLI scheme will incentivise the emergence of advanced automotive technologies’ global supply chain in India. Incentives worth Rs. 26,058 crore will be provided to industry over five years, the minister told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
7) Cabinet approves 100% FDI under automatic route in Telecom Sector
•The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a number of structural and process reforms in the Telecom sector, to provide relief to ailing telecom service providers, struggling with high levels of debt. A total of 9 structural and 5 process reforms have been approved by the Union Cabinet.
•The relief package is expected to protect and generate employment opportunities, promote healthy competition, protect the interests of consumers, infuse liquidity, encourage investment and reduce the regulatory burden on Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
8) Ayaan Shankta named as “2021 International Young Eco-Hero”
•A 12-year-old environmental activist from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Ayaan Shankta has been named as “2021 International Young Eco-Hero”. He won the 3rd prize under the Age Group: 8-14 for his project “Conservation and Rehabilitation of Powai Lake” and became one of the 25 global winners of the Young Eco-Hero Award 2021. The award presented by “The Action for Nature”, San Francisco based NGO, recognize young people (8 to 16 years old) for their environmental achievements.
