• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the National Animal Disease Control Programme in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura. The programme aims at vaccinating over 500 Million livestock including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs against foot and mouth disease. The government will fund the programme for 12,652 crore for a period of 5 years till 2024.
• National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog)has selected McKinsey & Company to set up India’s first Digital Capability Centre (DCC). DCC is a unique digital manufacturing learning centre offering company leaders and their workforces hands-on experience and workshops in next-generation technology to help them advance their operations, design and productivity. Note: CEO-NITI Aayog: Amitabh Kant; Vice Chairman: Rajiv Kumar.
• The Sports Ministry of India has de-recognised the Paralympic Committee of India for violation of the National Sports Code. The committee violated the code by removing its elected president Rao Inderjit Singh. Note: Ministers of State (I/C) Youth Affairs and Sports: Shri Kiren Rijiju.
• The fresh batch of the newest central government services, the Indian Skill Development Services (ISDS) commenced their training program at the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) in Mysuru, Karnataka. The first batch is joining the ISDS cadre from the Indian Engineering Service Examination conducted by UPSC.
• The State government of Haryana has launched two insurance schemes for registered small and medium traders. The schemes includes “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana” and “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana“. An insurance cover of 5 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana. An insurance cover ranging from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.25 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana.The premium of people under both the schemes would be paid by the State government.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested an indigenously-developed low weight, fire and forget Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in the ranges of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Note: DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) resurrected the Air Force Station (AFS) Ambala-based 17 Squadron ‘Golden Arrows’,which will operate the first squadron of Rafale fighter jets. Note: Motto of the Indian Air Force: Nabha Sprsham Deeptam (The Glory that touches the sky).
• India’s 2nd Scorpene-class submarine, INS Khanderi will be commissioned into the Indian Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2017. Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.
• Thailand became the first Asian nation to unveil plain cigarette packaging to reduce the appeal of smoking and complied with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos.
• India and Thailand organized Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya). Note: Chief of the Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat.
• Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt scripted history by becoming the first woman to claim two hat­tricks in white-ball cricket.
• The tie-up between India and Sri Lanka received a boost when a newly ‘Make In India’ train “Pulathisi Express” rake was flagged off from Colombo Fort Railway station.
• The Haryana Government has appointed cricket legend Kapil Dev as the first Chancellor of Sports University, Rai (Sonepat). Note: Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar; Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya.
• Hindi Diwas was observed on 14^th September.
• Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur has become the only Indian film to feature in“The Guardian” list of 100 Best Films of the 21st century. The film has bagged the 59th position.
• Pankaj Advani defeated Nay Thway Oo to win the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship held in Mandalay,
• Sourabh Vermahas won the Vietnam Open Super 100 title held at the Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• Indian Badminton star, Lakshya Sen has won the Belgian International badminton title.
• Indian shuttler Kaushal Dharmamer won the Myanmar International Series.
• Spain defeated Argentina by 95-75 to win the Basketball World Cup held in Beijing, China.
• The United Nations observed 15^th September as International Day of Democracy. Theme of International Day of Democracy 2019: ‘Participation’.
• The United Nations observed 16^th September as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Theme of the day for 2019: 32 Years and Healing.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)has decided to translate and publish an anthology of the writings of Guru Nanak Devin world languages to mark his 550th birth anniversary.
• India has commenced a special training programme for Maldivian and Bangladeshi civil servants at Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.
• Ministry of Commerce & Industry through Export Credit Guarantee Corporation has introduced a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme called NIRVIK. Under the new scheme NIRVIK, up to 90 per cent of the principal amount and interest will be covered through insurance.
• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019 in Dhaka.
• Meghalaya-based rights activist Agnes Kharshiing, who survived an assault by the coal mafia almost a year ago, received the 11th International Hrant Dink Award.
• Sri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing over $100 million. The 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower, is located in the heart of Colombo city.
• Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the Hyderabad-Karnataka region has been renamed as ‘Kalyana Karnataka’and a separate secretariat would be established for its development.
• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu dedicated the Dikshi Hydroelectric Projectto the people of the state. The 24 Mega Watt Hydroelectric Projecthas been installed at Dikshi Village in West Kameng District. It is constructed on the river Phudung.
• A maiden trilateral exercise SITMEX, involving Republic of Singapore Navy(RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) started at Port Blair.
• Wing Commander Anjali Singh has joined the Indian Embassy in Russia as India’s first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions abroad.
• Moti Bagh,a documentary film based on the struggle of a farmer, Vidyadutt Sharma, in a remote Uttarakhand village, has been nominated for the Oscars.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao has announced his resignation.
• The International Migrant Stock 2019 was released by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs(DESA). As per the report, India was the leading country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with a5 million strong diaspora.
• Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar has been felicitated in the US with a prestigious Education Excellence Award 2019.
• Vinesh Phogat won the bronze medal at the Wrestling World Championships held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• A smiling panda and a walking Chinese lantern will be the mascots for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, China. The mascot, named Bing Dwen Dwen,a chubby giant panda wearing a suit of ice was revealed as the official mascot for Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. Chinese lantern Shuey Rhon Rhon was declared as the official mascot for Winter Paralympics 2022.
• The country’s first central police university will be set up by the Union home ministry off the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida.
• The Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the skill development and entrepreneurship ministry, has signed an agreement with IT major IBMto carry out a nationwide Train-the-Trainer programme in basic artificial intelligence.
• Airtel Payments Bank launched“Bharosa savings account” services, designed for deepening the financial inclusion in the country. This service enables customers to withdraw cash, check their balance or access a mini statement of their account at over 6,50,000 Aadhaar-enabled payment system (AePS) enabled outlets across India. Note: MD & CEO of Airtel Payments Bank: Anubrata Biswas.
• The International Cricket Council has banned Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dananjaya from bowling in international matches for 1 year, after his bowling action was found to be illegal. Note: ICC Chairman: Shashank Manohar. The 13th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in India from February 9 to March 26, 2023.
• World Bamboo Day was observed on 18th of September. Note: India is the world’s second-largest cultivator of bamboo after China.
• The Telangana government has decided to declare 2020 as Artificial Intelligence yearby organising various activities related to the emerging technology.