Daily Current Affairs 18th Sept, 2024: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation
Dear Readers,
This post contains important current affairs of 18th Sept, 2024. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 18th Sept, 2024. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 18th Sept, 2024 Current affairs test.
National News
Rashtrapati Nilayam to Host Bhartiya Kala Mahotsav in Late September
The Rashtrapati Nilayam, in partnership with the Ministry of Development of North-East Region and the Ministry of Culture, is set to hold the inaugural edition of the Bharatiya Kala Mahotsav. This cultural festival will take place from September 29 to October 6, 2024.
Swachh Bharat Mission poised to enter its next decade and SHS launched
In 2014, the Honorable Prime Minister of India initiated the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which has brought about significant societal transformation. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the mission, and the 2024 “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign has adopted the theme ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata,’ emphasizing both behavioral and cultural cleanliness.
International News
Lebanon Pager Explosions: At Least 9 Killed, Thousands Injured
A series of explosions occurred in Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least nine individuals and causing injuries to approximately 2,800 others. The blasts, which affected Hezbollah fighters, medics, and Iran’s envoy to Beirut, took place at around 3:45 PM local time and lasted for an hour. The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have attributed the attacks to Israel, describing them as a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict.
India and US Explore Enhanced Energy Cooperation
India and the United States have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the energy sector. This agreement was reached during a meeting between India’s Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, Geoffrey Pyatt, at GasTech 2024 in Houston. Their discussions focused on advancing both conventional and renewable energy industries, with an emphasis on a fair and orderly transition in energy usage.
Banking News
Banks and Financial Institutions to Invest Rs 32.5 Trillion in Renewable Energy by 2030
At the 4th RE-Invest Summit, jointly organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), key renewable energy developers, manufacturers, banks, and financial institutions committed to investing close to $386 billion (Rs 32.45 trillion) by 2030. India has set a target of building 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with solar power commitments alone exceeding this, reaching 570 GW. Reliance Industries leads the charge with a pledge of 100 GW, followed by NTPC at 41.3 GW and ReNew at 40 GW.
Economy News
Haryana Overtakes Punjab in GDP, West Bengal’s Economic Decline
A working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), authored by EAC-PM member Sanjeev Sanyal, outlines the relative economic performance of Indian states from 1960-61 to 2023-24. Titled “Relative Economic Performance of Indian States: 1960-61 to 2023-24,” the paper highlights that West Bengal, once the third-largest contributor to India’s GDP at 10.5% in 1960-61, has experienced a significant decline, now accounting for just 5.6% of the national GDP in 2023-24. The report notes that, with the exception of West Bengal, most coastal states have outperformed others economically.
Windfall Tax on Crude Petroleum Slashed to Zero
The Indian government has eliminated the windfall tax on domestically produced crude oil, effective from September 18, 2024. The Ministry of Finance made this announcement in an official notification.
Appointments News
Atishi Marlena Set to Be New Chief Minister of Delhi
Atishi Marlena, a 43-year-old leader from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is slated to become the next Chief Minister of Delhi. She will replace Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s current supremo. This decision was made during a meeting with the members of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
Business News
India’s Exports Shrink by 9.3% in August, Trade Deficit Hits 10-Month High
India’s exports in August 2024 declined by 9.3% to $34.7 billion. Meanwhile, the trade deficit surged to a 10-month high of $29.7 billion as imports increased to $64.4 billion. The drop in exports is attributed to factors like falling oil prices, reduced demand from China, and a broader global economic slowdown. The 3% growth in imports was mainly driven by a sharp rise in gold imports ahead of the festive season and a reduction in gold import duties.
Schemes News
Centre Directs Platform Aggregators to Register Workers on e-Shram Portal
The Indian government has mandated that platform aggregators, along with their gig workers, register themselves on the e-Shram portal. This initiative is aimed at providing unorganized workers with access to various social security schemes and maintaining an accurate database of beneficiaries to ensure they receive appropriate welfare benefits.
Sports News
Indian Men’s Hockey Team Wins 2024 Asian Champions Trophy
India’s men’s hockey team secured its fifth Asian Champions Trophy title in 2024. Jugraj Singh’s decisive goal helped India defeat China 1-0 in the final match of the tournament.
ICC Introduces Equal Prize Money for Men’s and Women’s Cricket World Cups
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that both men’s and women’s cricket teams will receive equal prize money in all future World Cup tournaments. This change will take effect starting with the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held next month in the UAE. Cricket will become the first major team sport to offer equal prize money across genders.
