• HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, became the first bank in the country to issue an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) in partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
• The paper based, time-consuming process has been eliminated with the new electronic bank guarantees that can be processed, stamped, verified and delivered instantly with enhanced security.
• Digitisation of issuance of BG is a transformational step towards increasing the ease of doing business for MSMEs who are major applicants for bank guarantees.
• HDFC Bank will migrate to eBG platform completely in order to expedite the issuance of BGs for our customers.”

What is e-BG?

• Electronic Bank Guarantee eliminates the physical documentation associated with a bank guarantee and it becomes available digitally to the beneficiary.

• This edition marks the 10th anniversary of JIMEX, which began in Japan in 2012
• The sixth edition of Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2022 (JIMEX 22) hosted by Indian Navy began in the Bay of Bengal from Sunday.
• The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships are being led by Rear Admiral Hirata Toshiyuki, Commander Escort Flotilla Four, and Indian Naval ships by Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.
• The Japanese warships in the exercise include JMSDF ships Izumo, a Helicopter Carrier and Takanami, a Guided Missile Destroyer. The Indian Navy is being represented by three indigenously designed and built warships INS Sahyadri, a multi-purpose stealth frigate, and Anti Submarine Warfare Corvettes INS Kadmatt and INS Kavaratti.
• Additionally, Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranvijay, Fleet Tanker INS Jyoti, Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Sukanya, submarines, MIG 29K fighter aircraft, Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a number of ship-borne helicopters are also participating in the exercise.

• FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 is scheduled to be held in India between 11th and 30th October 2022.
• The seventh edition of the biennial youth tournament will be the first-ever FIFA women’s competition to be hosted by India.
• Carrying on the positive legacy from the FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup 2017, the nation is preparing for a seminal moment for women’s football when the best young female footballers from across the world will be showcasing their skills to lift the coveted trophy.
• Financial outlay of Rs. 10 crore assistance to All India Football Federation (AIFF) for Field of play Maintenance, Stadium power, Energy & Cabling, Stadia & Training Site Branding etc will be met from the budgetary allocation for the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs).

• On the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday highlighted the significance of the Hindu language in ‘uniting’ the nation. The Home Minister said that the Modi government was committed to the development of all local Indian languages, including Hindi.
• In 1949, the constituent Assembly of India recognized Hindi as the official language of the country and adopted an Indo-Aryan language written in the Devanagari script as the Hindi language was mostly spoken in most areas in India.
• To promote the Hindi language in every region of the country, from 1953 on September 14, Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year.

Difference between World Hindi Day and National Hindi Day?

• To promote the language at the international level, World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10 while National Hindi Day is celebrated when the constituent Assembly declared Hindi as the official language of India.

• Athletes from the state, who won medals at the Commonwealth Games, will get cash awards as per the new sports policy that was enacted a few months back. As per the policy, the CWG medallists will get Rs 50 lakh for gold, Rs 30 lakh for silver and Rs 20 lakh for bronze.
• “Two athletes won medals while one other participated from the state at the CWG 2022. Renuka Thakur was part of the Indian Women’s Cricket team, which won the silver medal. Weightlifter Vikas Thakur won silver medals.
• Rajesh Bhandari, who was the chef de mission of the Indian contingent to Birmingham, said the increased cash awards would encourage and motivate the sportspersons to perform better.

• Drone surveys are underway in various cantonment towns like Kasauli, Dagshai and Subathu to identify various land parcels owned by the state government, defence and private individuals. This is part of the nationwide drone surveys going on in 62 cantonments. There are seven cantonments in the state namely Subathu, Kasauli, Dagshai, Jutog, Bakloh, Dalhousie and Yol where the survey was being conducted.
• Dagshai Cantonment was founded in 1847 and is among the oldest cantonments. Subathu and Kasauli were established as cantonments in the year 1850 during the British era. The Kasauli Cantonment is situated on an area spread over 643.96 acres out of which 47.45 acres forms the notified civil area.
• Bengaluru-based Edall Systems has been entrusted the task of conducting this drone survey where various structures like buildings, streets, street lights, sewage scheme, schools, hospitals, etc, are being digitally mapped.
• Governed by The Cantonment Act 2006, the residents have been demanding exclusion of the civilian areas from the cantonment. The stringent building bylaws have stunted growth of these towns.
• The most popular town of Kasauli recorded a growth rate of mere 13.79 per cent. A majority of these towns have recorded low growth rate ranging from -8.99 to 27.13 per cent as per the 2001 Census. Only Subathu and Jutogh Cantonments have witnessed higher growth rates of 54.56 per cent and 47.74 per cent, respectively.
• The civilians residing in the cantonment towns have been demanding their exclusion from the cantonments as they faced numerous problems. Once excluded, the benefits of various state government schemes would be available to the residents. Funds would also be made available for repair of roads and other civic amenities in the civilian areas from the state and central government schemes.

• Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud to win Men’s Singles title at the US Open tennis in New York.
• Alcaraz defeated Ruud in a four-set thriller to clinch his maiden Grand Slam.
• The 19-year-old Alcaraz is the youngest men’s Grand Slam champion since Rafael Nadal won the French Open in 2005.
• The US Open title win also sees him become the youngest world number 1.

• National Forest Martyrs Day is observed on September 11 to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their

lives to protect forests and wildlife.

• The observance of the National Forest Martyrs is marked by several events aimed at creating awareness about protecting forests and the environment at large.
• The day holds a lot of significance in the present scenario when depleting green cover is among the greatest challenges in front of the world.

History:

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change declared in 2013that a day should be set aside in honour of forests and people who protect India’s forests, jungles, and wildlife.
• The tragic Khejarli massacre occurred on September 11, 1730,which is why this day was chosen to be recognised as National Forest Martyrs Day.
• Cutting down the Khejarli trees in the forest was ordered by Maharaja Abhay Singh of Rajasthan.
• Bishnoi community people protested against the order as they considered Khejarli trees to be sacred.
• A woman named Amrita Devi offered her head to save Khejarli trees from being cut down, as a mark of protest.
• The incident turned out to be a tragedy that got written down in history as Khejarli Massacre. Many people sacrificed their lives to save the trees.
• The children of Amrita Devi along with more than 350 people were killed by the soldiers of Maharaja Abhay Singh.
• When the incident became more adverse than the King ordered his soldiers to stop killing the people.
• He pardoned the people of the Bishnoi Community and proclaimed that no trees will be cut down and not a single animal will be killed in the areas surrounded by the people of Bishnoi Community.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Centre-State Science Conclave’, in
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the event via video conferencing, and highlighted the importance of ‘Sabka Prayas’ in the ‘Centre-State Science Conclave’.
• India is leading towards the fourth industrial revolution, and the role of India’s science and people related to this field is very important.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the basic solution, evolution, and innovation of science.

Key Points:

• The ‘Centre-State Science Conclave’ is a great achievement for India and the government urges the Indian citizens to celebrate the achievements of Indian scientists.
• The ‘Centre-State Science Conclave’ is being organized to strengthen the coordination between Centre and state governments and collaboration mechanisms in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized on the increase of innovation laboratories in India.
• There has been a substantial increase in investment in the field of science and technology.
• India has risen to 46th rank in the Global Innovation Index.

• Defense Conclave and Exhibition is being organized for the first time in Rajasthan.

About:

• The two-day National Defense MSME Conclave and Exhibition began in Kota, Rajasthan.
• Defense equipment including T-90 and BMP-2 tanks, artillery guns, various types of sniper and machine guns and military bridges are being displayed in the exhibition.
• Youth innovating in the defense sector, start-ups and MSMEs are also displaying their products.
• More than 50 companies, start-ups and MSMEs working in the defense sector are participating in the event.
• The conclave was formally inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.