Railway Minister Piyush Goyal stated that Railways has planned for 100 percent electrification of its broad gauge routes by 2023. The Minister informed that around 63 percent broad gauge lines have already been electrified as on 1.04.2020.
A total of 23,765 route km lines are yet to be electrified
The Trade and Development Report 2020 by UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts India GDP to contract by 5.9% in 2020 warning that while growth will rebound next year, the contraction is likely to translate into a permanent income loss.
UNCTAD expects South Asia to contract 4.8% in 2020; Formed: 1964
The 1st ever annual ‘India Happiness Report’, which is India specific and studies happiness in the 36 states & UTs of India, has been released. In the happiness rankings of states and union territories, Mizoram, Punjab, A&N Islands are the top three.
Among big states Punjab, Gujarat & Telangana are top 3.
Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. The general election was the first since Bougainville voted to separate from Papua New Guinea in 2019.
Bougainville, mineral rich & lush group of islands in S. Pacific
Former Australia batsman Dean Mervyn Jones passed away. The 59-year-old Jones was part of the 1987 World Cup winning team. He had played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs for Australia. He was in Mumbai with the commentary team for the Indian Premier League.
Australia’s Capital: Canberra; Currency: Australian dollar
Govt. extended the term of Uday Kotak as a non-executive chairman of debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited group by one year. Kotak was appointed by the Government as the head of the lender's board in 2018
MD & CEO Kotak Mahindra Bank: Uday Kotak
Congress MLA B Narayan Rao, who was undergoing treatment for coronavirus passed away. The 65-year-old was the MLA from Bidar district in North Karnataka. In the 2018 elections, he defeated Mallikarjun Khutba of the BJP and PGR Sindhia of the JD(S).
Karnataka CM: B.S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala
UP has launched a unified portal called ‘U-Rise’ to guide students in learning, career counselling, and getting employment in the state. About 20 lakh students, getting vocational and technical education, and technical experts will benefit from this portal
CM Yogi Adityanath launched the portal in Lucknow
Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh, who hails from UP's Varanasi, is set to become India's 1st woman fighter pilot to fly the Rafale aircraft. She's being trained to fly Rafale in Ambala. Singh, one of IAF's 10 women fighter pilots, joined IAF in 2017.
Rafale aircraft was inducted into the IAF on 10th Sept 2020.
RBI brings 5 pillared strategic approach GUARD to deal cybersecurity threats faced by UCB. It comprises Gov. Oversight, Utile Tech. Investment, Appropriate Regulation & Supervision, Robust Collaboration & Developing necessary IT, & cybersecurity skills set
RBI Headquarters: Mumbai
25th Governor: Shaktikanta Das
SBICAP Trustee Co. acquired 56.17% stake in JSL. It is one of the largest integrated manufacturers of stainless steel in India with a capacity of 1.1 MT. JSL’s promoters had pledged shares as collateral to secure a term loan of Rs 400cr from IndusInd Bank
SBICAP Trustee Co. incorporated: 2005
MD& CEO: Arun Mehta
Every year World Pharmacists Day is observed on September 25. It is organised by the International Pharmaceutical Federation(FIP). The aim is to bring attention to pharmacies and the positive benefits they offer. 2020 theme "Transforming global health".
FIP was established on 25th September 1912.
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) announced the appointment of Rajat Sud as its managing director from immediate effect. Sud takes over from S Gopal, director (commercial), who had taken on the additional charge of interim managing director.
EESL Founded: 2009,
Ministry: Ministry of Power
Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, former acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court and incumbent member of Punjab State Human Rights Commission passed away. He was 67 years old. He was appointed as a member of Punjab State HRC in Sept. 22, 2016.
Punjab CM: Capt. Amarinder Singh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore.
Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana- "Saubhagya" was launched on the 25th Sept, 2017 to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas. Scheme aims to achieve universal household electrification.
The scheme was started with an outlay of 16,320 crore rupees
The 51st Edition of the International Film Festival of India, IFFI will be held from 16th to 24th Jan, 2021 in Goa. Earlier it was scheduled to be held from 20th to 28th Nov, 2020. The festival will be conducted in a Virtual and Physical format.
Goa CM: Pramod Sawant; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Citigroup has appointed Arjun Chowdhry as the acting head of its consumer banking business in India. He currently serves as the head of credit cards, payments, and unsecured lending for the American bank in India. He took charge from Shinjini Kumar.
Citigroup CEO-Designate: Jane Fraser; HQs: New York, USA.
Deendayal Upadhyaya was born on Sept. 25, 1916 in Mathura. He was a veteran politician and a social thinker. He started the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh. He was the co-founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (forerunner of Bharatiya Janata Party).
He made buzz in 1940s when started publication of Rashtradharm
In Kolkata, a unique tram library is being introduced by the WB Transport Corp. Library is a special tram with books & magazines that can be read while travelling. In addition to books, free Wifi will be provided to passengers to read online.
WB CM: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.
IIT-Kanpur signed an MoU with Indian Railways for research on railway infrastructure modernisation. MoU will facilitate research in the core areas of electrical locomotive, comm. systems, traction installation, etc. through the Centre for Railway Research.
Founded: 16 April 1853
HQs: New Delhi
Veteran atomic scientist and former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Sekhar Basu succumbed to COVID-19. Dr. Basu was the brain behind the designing, construction, and operation of nuclear recycle plants at Tarapur and Kalpakkam.
Awarded Indian Nuclear Society Award: 2002 & Padma Shri: 2014