• National

National Khadi Festival 2018 held in Mumbai

• The National Khadi Festival 2018 is being organized by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to promote Khadi products.
• The main objective of the festival is to promote the products of cottage industry and create awareness regarding the art of states.
• It is also aimed at providing employment to weavers and workers who are involved in the cottage industry.

• National

The union Cabinet hikes MSP of Rabi crops

• According to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all Rabi crops for the current financial year.
• The MSP of wheat has been raised by 105 rupees per quintal, Safflower by 845 rupees per quintal, Barley by 30 rupees a quintal, Masur by 225 per quintal, Gram by 220 per quintal & rapeseed and mustard by 200 rupees per quintal.
• The decision will give additional return to the farmers of 62,635 crore rupees by way of increasing the MSP of notified crops to at least 50% return over cost of production.

• Economy and Business

RBI imposes the penalty on Federal Bank for non-compliance of certain directions

• The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of five crore rupees on Federal Bank for non-compliance of certain RBI directions among other deficiencies.
• According to RBI, Federal Bank had failed to report large borrower exposure for assessment under risk-based supervision.
• The bank had also failed to pay compensation to customers for the delay in resolution of ATM related complaints.

• Economy and Business

SIDBI launches a national level entrepreneurship awareness campaign

• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has launched a six-days national level entrepreneurship awareness campaign ‘Udyam Abhilasha’ in 115 aspirational districts, identified by NITI Aayog in 28 States reaching to around 15,000 youth.
• SIDBI will join to contribute to the transformation mission unleashed for the districts.
• It would create and strengthen cadre of more than 800 trainers to provide entrepreneurship training to the aspiring youths, encouraging them to enter the admired segment of entrepreneurs.

• Science and Tech

Arnold, Smith, Winter win 2018 Nobel Chemistry Prize

• Two American scientists (Frances Arnold & George Smith) and a British researcher (Gregory Winter) have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for evolution research.
• Arnold (California Institute of Technology) was recognized for performing the first-ever “directed evolution” of enzymes.
• George P. Smith (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA) and Sir Gregory P. Winter (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK) for the phage display of peptides and antibodies.

• Awards

PM Modi receives UN's Champions of the Earth award

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented the United Nations highest environmental honor award “Champions of the Earth” to Prime Minister Mr. Modi at a special ceremony in New Delhi.
• PM Narendra Modi was awarded the UN honor along with French President Emmanuel Macron.
• The two leaders were recognized in the Policy Leadership category “for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of levels of cooperation on environmental action”.

• Awards

Swachh Survekshan Grameen awards 2018 announced

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the top-ranked State, District, and State with maximum citizen participation based on the National Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre in New Delhi.
• Haryana state was ranked as the best State while Satara District (Maharashtra) was ranked as the best district as per the ranking undertaken by Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018.
• The award commissioned by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

• Appointments

Justice M B Lokur appointed Executive Chairman of NALSA

• Senior judge of the Supreme Court, Madan Bhimarao Lokur, is now the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA).
• President Ramnath Kovind nominated Justice Lokur to the post.
• Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who is set to become the head of the apex court, is the outgoing chairman of the NALSA.

• Important Days

4th October: World Animal Day

• The World Animal Day is celebrated annually on 4th October to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.
• The World Animal Day was originated by Heinrich Zimmermann, organized the first World Animal Day on 24 March 1925 at the Sports Palace in Berlin, Germany.

• Science and Tech

Establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation approved

• The Central government gave its nod to establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) in Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh.
• The NIMHR will serve as an institution of excellence for capacity building in human resource and research in the area of mental health rehabilitation.
• The institute will also serve as recommending body suggesting models and protocols for effective rehabilitation of persons with mental illness.

• Agreements

India & the ADB sign USD 150 Million loan agreement to support India’s first Global Skills Park

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a USD 150 million loan agreement in New Delhi to establish a Global Skills Park (GSP) in Madhya Pradesh.
• It will be the First Multi-Skills Park in India to enhance the quality of Technical and Vocational Education And Training (TVET) System in the State and create a more skilled workforce.