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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 29 August 2023 : Headlines

❖ MoD Signs to Acquire Five Indigenously Built FSS from HSL Worthing 19,000 Crore
❖ Ministry of Jal Shakti Releases Report on 6th Census on Minor Irrigation Schemes
❖ Highlights of PM Narendra Modi visit to SA for 15th BRICS Summit; BRICS officially expands from
5 to 11 members
❖ Overview of PM Modi Visit to Greece: Modi Honoured with Grecee’s Grand Cross of the Order of
Honour
❖ Ex BRIGHT STAR-23: Maiden Multilateral Exercise of IAF Held in Egypt from August 27 to
September 16, 2023
❖ Govt of Canada Hosted 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility from August 22-26, 2023
in Vancouver, Canada
❖ DBS Bank and Maptrasco Partnered to Complete First Live eBL Transaction Between India &
Singapore
❖ Yes Bank Partnered with Zaggle to Launch Corporate Credit Card
❖ LIC tied up with Saraswat Cooperative Bank to sell LIC Products under Bancassurance
❖ Emmerson Mnangagwa Re-Elected As President As The Second Term
❖ GRSE Signs MoU with DEMPO Group For Building Commercial Ships
❖ Kunlavut Vitidsarn Wins Men’s Singles Title at the BWF World Championships 2023
❖ Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023
❖ Eminent Indian English Poet Jayanta Mahapatra Passed Away
❖ TN CM Stalin Launches Expansion of Breakfast Scheme for all TN govt School Students

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MoD Signs to Acquire Five Indigenously Built FSS from HSL Worthing 19,000 Crore
Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan
Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) for the acquisition of five indigenously built Fleet
Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy worth 19,000 crore (approximately).

About The Fleet Support Ships (FSS):

• The FSS will be built with a length of 225 metres and a width of 32 metres and will have a
displacement of 44,000 tonnes.
• It will be deployed for restocking ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores
• These ships can also be deployed for evacuation of people and human assistance and disaster
relief (HADR) operations.
• The Fleet Support Ships (FSS) that are signed will carry a cargo of almost 25,000 tonnes
• These vessels is a flag bearer of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in harmoniousness with the ‘Make in India’
initiatives.
• Construction of these ships encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in
production process.
• The 44,000-tonnes FSS will be the first of its kind to be constructed in India by an Indian
Shipyard and will be successfully delivered in eight years.
About Ministry of Defence:
Union Minister – Raj Nath Singh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of States(MoS) – Ajay Bhatt (Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand)
About Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL):
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) – Hemant Khatri
Headquarters – Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Established – 1941

Ministry of Jal Shakti Releases Report on 6th Census on Minor Irrigation Schemes
On 26th August 2023, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), Department of Water Resources (WR), River
Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) released the All India (volume-I) and State-wise
(Volume-II) report on 6th census on Minor Irrigation (MI) schemes.
• This report will be useful for planners, researcher scholars, agricultural and groundwater scientists,
and all concerned with the development of irrigation and the agricultural economy of India.

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Key Points:
i.As per the report, 23.14 million MI schemes have been reported in India, out of which 21.93 million are
Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million are Surface Water (SW) schemes.
ii.The report reveals that, for the first time, information regarding the gender of individual owners of MI
schemes has been systematically collected. Among individually owned MI schemes, 18.1% are owned by
women.
iii.Uttar Pradesh holds the largest number of MI schemes in India followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
and Tamil Nadu.
Ground and Surface Water Schemes:
i.Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
• GW schemes comprise dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and deep tube wells.
ii.In SW schemes Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand have the highest share.
• The SW schemes comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.
iii.There has been increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes during 6th MI census as compared to 5th
Census. At National level, Both GW and SW schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, respectively.
iv.Dug wells have the highest share in MI schemes followed by shallow tube wells, medium tube wells, and
deep tube wells.
• Maharashtra is the leading State in dug wells, surface flow, and surface lift schemes.
• Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab are the leading States in shallow tube wells, medium tube
wells, and deep tube wells, respectively.
v.In GW schemes, the share of private entities in the ownership is 98.3% whereas in SW schemes the respective
share is 64.2%.
Category-wise Analysis:
i.Out of all MI schemes, 97.0% are ‘in use’, 2.1% are ‘temporarily not in use’ and 0.9% are ‘permanently not in
use’.
ii.Shallow tube wells and medium tube wells lead in the category of ‘in use’ schemes. A majority of MI schemes
(96.6%) are under private ownership.
Source of Finance:
i.Around 60.2% of schemes have a single source of finance whereas 39.8% of schemes have more than one
source of finance.
ii.In a single source of finance, the majority of schemes (79.5%) are being financed by own savings of individual
farmers.
About the Census of MI Schemes:
i.A reliable database for MI schemes is essential for effective planning and policy-making in the MI sector.

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ii.With this objective, the Government of India (GoI) has
been conducting a census of MI schemes.
iii.So far, 5 censuses have been conducted with the
reference year 1986-87, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2006-07 and
2013-14 respectively.
iv.The 6th minor irrigation census with reference year
2017-18 was completed in 32 States/ Union Territories
(UTs), and the 6th MI census work was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Parameters of the Census:
i.The census was conducted under the centrally
sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”, a parent
component of Rationalisation of Minor Irrigation
Statistics (RMIS) scheme.
• The scope of the “Irrigation Census” scheme
has been enlarged by the launch of the First
Census of Water Bodies in convergence with
the 6th minor irrigation Census with the objective of developing a national database for all water
bodies.
ii.Detailed information on various critical parameters like irrigation sources such as dug wells, shallow tube
wells, medium tube wells, deep tube wells, surface flow, and surface lift schemes was gathered.
iii.Other parameters like irrigation potential created (IPC), potential utilized, ownership, holding size of land by
owner, devices used for lifting water, sources of energy, energy conserving devices such as sprinkler and drip
irrigation, use of non-conventional energy sources such as solar pumps, windmills, etc were also collected.
Recent related news:
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, launched the Unified Registration Portal for Biogas/
Compressed Bio Gas (CBG)/ Bio CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) plants under Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro
Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme.
About Ministry of Jal Shakti:
Union Minister- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Constituency- Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
Ministers of State (MoS)- Prahlad Singh Patel (Constituency- Damoh, Madhya Pradesh); Bishweswar Tudu
(Constituency- Mayurbhanj, Odisha)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi visit to SA for 15th BRICS Summit; BRICS officially expands
from 5 to 11 members
The Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi visited Johannesburg, South Africa (SA) from August 22-24,
2023 to attend the 3 day annual 15th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit 2023 at the
invitation of Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of SA.
• It should be noted that, the SA President Cyril Ramaphosa is the Chair of 15th BRICS Summit.
The BRICS Story:
i.On August 22, 2023, the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue was held in Johannesburg, SA where
leaders were briefed on the deliberations of the BRICS Business Forum.
• Here Indian side highlighted the it’s various reforms to improve the ease of doing business,
including technology-based solutions to address the social and economic challenges.
ii.The Indian PM also participated in the BRICS Leaders Retreat at the Summer Place in Johannesburg on
August 22, 2023 which was held in a closed format.

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 • Here leaders discussed global developments and ways to utilize BRICS platform to find solutions to
global challenges.
iii.15th BRICS Summit 2023:
On August 23, 2023, PM Narendra Modi attended the 15th BRICS Summit held under SA’s chairship, in Sandton
in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
The theme of 15th BRICS summit was ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth,
Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism’.
• This was the first in-person BRICS Summit since 2019.
• The event reviewed the ongoing initiatives and the identification of future prospects.
• The leaders engaged in fruitful discussions covering global economic recovery, collaborations with
Africa and the Global South, and an assessment of BRICS agenda progress to date.
About Theme:
This theme highlights SA’s five priorities for 2023:
i.Partnering for a fair climate transition and risk management.
ii.Innovating education for future skills.
iii.Utilizing the African Continental Free Trade Area.
iv.Enhancing post-pandemic recovery and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
v.Empowering women in peace processes and global governance reform.
Participants:
India– PM Narendra Modi
Brazil- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Russia– Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; President Vladimir Putin participated virtually
China– President Xi Jinping
SA– President- Cyril Ramaphosa (Host)
Invitations were also extended to 67 leaders across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean
Note:
By mutual agreement, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, did not attended the Summit.
• In March 2023, The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for
alleged war crimes. South Africa, would be required to arrest Putin if he attended the summit.
Highlights by Indian Side:
i.The Indian side called for a strengthened BRICS that will be:
• B – Breaking barriers
• R – Revitalising economies
• I – Inspiring Innovation
• C – Creating opportunities
• S – Shaping the future
ii.The Indian PM emphasized the following points:
• Emphasized the need for clear timelines for UNSC (United Nations Security Council) reforms.
• Advocated the reform of Multilateral Financial Institutions.

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 • Urged for the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
• Encouraged BRICS to find consensus on its expansion.
• Stressed the importance of conveying global unity rather than polarization.
• Suggested the formation of a BRICS Space Exploration Consortium.
• Extended the offer of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (Indian stack) to BRICS nations.
• Put forward the idea of collaborative skill mapping, skilling, and mobility promotion within BRICS
countries.
• Proposed collective efforts by BRICS countries to protect Big Cats through the International Big Cat
Alliance.
• Recommended the establishment of a repository for traditional medicine within BRICS nations.
• Called on BRICS partners to back the African Union(AU)’s permanent membership in the G20 (Group
of Twenty).
NDB & TCTA signed Loan Agreement for Lesotho Highlands Water Project
During the summit, a loan agreement was inked between the New Development Bank(NDB), formerly the
BRICS Development Bank, and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for the implementation of phase
II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), the largest bi-national infrastructure project
between Lesotho and South Africa
• As per it, NDB will provide a project loan of 3.2 billion South African Rand (USD 173 million) to
TCTA under the sovereign guarantee of SA.
About Project:
The LHWP is a multi-phased project to provide water to the Gauteng region of SA from Lesotho’s Orange River,
facilitating electricity generation through dam construction; and to generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho. The
Project will be co-financed by NDB, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other financiers. This is the first
project financed by NDB outside of BRICS countries.
• The project will also benefit North-West, Mpumalanga, and Free State provinces, by enhancing
water supply.
Signatories:
It was signed by Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NDB and Percy Sechemane,
Chief Executive Officer of TCTA.
About Agreement:
TCTA will use the funds to construct the Polihali Dam and reservoir, a 38-kilometre-long water transfer tunnel,
roads and bridges, telecommunications infrastructure, and will extend electricity and other development
infrastructure to Lesotho.
Key Points:
i.Lesotho, is a small landlocked country bordered on all sides by SA, aims to foster sustainable livelihoods and
economic growth for Gauteng province, a major urban center and contributor to South Africa’s GDP.
ii.TCTA, a South African state-owned entity, manages bulk water infrastructure projects.
iii.NDB, formed by BRICS nations and South Africa, mobilizes resources for sustainable development.
• NDB expanded in 2021, welcoming Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and
Uruguay.
BRICS officially expands from 5 to 11 members
SA President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the expansion of BRICS with the inclusion of 6 new members’
viz. Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) as its full time
members.
• The membership will come into force from January 1, 2024.
About BRICS:
The grouping was formed in September 2006 and it originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC).
It was renamed as BRICS after South Africa was accepted as a full member in September 2010.

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 • At present, the BRICS represents 41% of the global population, 24% of the global GDP and 16% of
the global trade.
• Now, the 11 countries have a combined population of 3.7 billion.
BRICS supports use of national currencies in international, bilateral trade
BRICS members agreed to stand for the use of national currencies in international trade, as well as financial
settlements within the association. This decision will strengthen supply chains and payment systems between
its members.
BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue
The Indian PM participate in a special event ‘BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue’ which was
organized after the BRICS Summit. Te meeting saw participation from the guest countries of Africa, Asia and
Latin America, along with the leaders of the BRICS countries.
Highlights from Indian Side:
i.Stressed reform of global institutions for representation and relevance.
ii.Urged cooperation in counter-terrorism, climate action, cybersecurity, food & health security and resilient
supply chains.
iii.Invited participation in international initiatives like International Solar Alliance One Sun One World One
Grid, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, One Earth One Health, Big Cat Alliance and Global Centre
for Traditional Medicine.
iv.Offered sharing of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure Stack.
Other meetings of PM Narendra in Johannesburg on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit:
i.On August 23, 2023, the Indian PM had a meeting with the President of SA. The leaders discussed
advancements in bilateral relations, particularly in defense, agriculture, trade, investment, health, conservation,
and people-to-people connections.
• They also addressed ongoing collaboration in international organizations and mutual concerns.
ii.On August 24, 2023, the Indian PM also had a meeting with Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, PM of the Republic
of Ethiopia.
• Productive discussions were held covering development partnership, trade, defense, ICT
(Information and Communication Technology), agriculture, youth skilling, and people-to-people
connections. They also discussed significant regional and global matters.
iii.The PM also met Macky Sall, President of the Republic
of Senegal, on 24 August 2023 in Johannesburg where
they held discussions on ways to deepen their bilateral
partnership across various sectors.
iv.The PM met Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of
the Islamic Republic of Iran to discuss ways to strengthen
bilateral cooperation in various fields including trade and
investment, connectivity, energy and counter-terrorism.
Both sides agreed to fast track infrastructure cooperation,
including the Chabahar project.
v.He met Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic
of Mozambique where they held productive discussions
to further the bilateral ties, including in the areas of
parliamentary contacts, defence, counter terrorism,
energy, mining, health, trade & investment, capacity
building, maritime cooperation and people to people
relations.
vi.He met Dr. Himla Soodyall, noted geneticist & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Academy of Science of
SA in Johannesburg.

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 • They discussed human genetic lines and disease screening, and the PM invited Dr. Soodyall to
partner with Indian institutes in genetics.
vii.The PM met Siyabulela Xuza, noted rocket scientist and Founder and Managing Director (MD) of Galactic
Energy Ventures.
• The discussions covered matters related to the future of energy and finding sustainable solutions.
viii.PM Narendra Modi has a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping where both sides agreed to expedite the
border troops disengagement and de-escalation in western sector of Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control
(LAC).
• Indian side highlighted concerns at the unresolved issues along the LAC in western sector of the
India -China border.
PM gifted pair of ‘surahi‘ to President Cyril Ramaphosa
The Indian PM gifted a pair of ‘surahi‘ from Telangana to SA President Cyril Ramaphosa, and a Nagaland
shawl to his wife and first lady of SA. The ‘bidri vase’ is a purely Indian innovation exclusive to Bidar, a
Karnataka city. It is cast with an alloy of zinc, copper and other non-ferrous metals.
• On the other hand, Naga shawls are an exquisite form of textile art that has been woven for centuries
by the tribes in Nagaland in the northeastern part of India.
• These shawls are known for their vibrant colours, intricate designs, and the use of traditional
weaving techniques. Each Naga shawl tells a unique story, reflecting the tribe’s history, beliefs and
way of life.
• He also gifted also carried silver ‘nakkashi‘, whose patterns are first drawn on paper and then
transferred on silver sheets.
The PM gifted a Gond painting from Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Recent Related News:
i.President of India, Droupadi Murmu, paid a visit to Suriname and Serbia from 4th to 9th June 2023. She visited
Paramaribo, Suriname at the invitation of Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname and
Serbia at the invitation of Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia.
ii.PM Narendra Modi made a 5-day visit to the United States of America from 20th to 24th June 2023, at the
invitation of President of USA Joseph Robinette Biden Jr (Joe Biden) and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. So far, PM
Modi has visited the USA 6 times(2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2021) in his capacity as the PM of India.
However, the June 2023 visit marks his first ever ‘state visit’ to the USA, which, as per diplomatic protocol, is
the highest-ranked visit.
About South Africa:
President– Cyril Ramaphosa
Currency– South African Rand
Capital– Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial)

Overview of PM Modi Visit to Greece: Modi Honoured with Grecee’s Grand Cross of the Order of
Honour
Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi embarked on a one-day visit to Greece on 25th August 2023 at the
invitation of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister (PM) of Greece.PM Modi’s visit to Greece marks the first visit
of an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in 40 years.
Note: Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Greece. She travelled to Greece in September
1983.
Overview:
i.Modi arrived at Athens, the Capital of Greece, on 25th August 2023 and he was received by Greek foreign
minister George Gerapetritis.
ii.He paid tributes at the ‘Tomb of Unknown Soldier’, a war memorial dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed
during various wars, in Athens, Greece.

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iii.PM Modi and Katerina Sakellaroupoulou, President of Greece discussed various issues including ways to
strengthen the India-Greece friendship and to increase sustainable development.

The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour:

Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece honoured PM Narendra Modi with The Grand Cross of the
Order of Honour. He became the first Indian PM to receive the honours.
• He is also the 1st foreign head of government to be awarded the honour since 2017.
• The Order of Honour, established in 1975, is the second-highest civilian honour in Greece.
• The citation of the honour says “In the person of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an honour is
bestowed upon the friendly people of India.”
About the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour:
i.The front side of the Star features the head of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft,
with the inscription “ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS SHOULD BE HONOURED”.
ii.The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour is conferred by the President of Greece to PMs and eminent
personalities who by reason of their distinguished position, have contributed to enhancing the stature of
Greece.
Target to Double Bilateral Trade between India and Greece by 2030:
During his visit to Greece, PM Modi highlighted India and Greece’s plan to double the bilateral trade between
India and Greece by 2030 and announced an agreement in the field of agricultural production.
• The bilateral trade stood at nearly USD 2 billion in 2022-23.
Points to be noted:
i.India’s top exports to Greece include aluminium, organic chemicals, fish and crustaceans and iron and steel
while major exports of Greece to India include minerals fuels, mineral oils and products, sulphur and
aluminium foil.
ii.Both India and Greece have also signed a migration and mobility agreement to improve the flow of people
and talent between the two countries.
India & Greece Bilateral ties to “Strategic Partnership:
India and Greece have decided to strengthen their bilateral relations into a strategic partnership for the benefit
of the people of India and Greece.
• PM Modi met with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, PM of Greece and discussed various dimensions of the
bilateral partnership, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology,
infrastructure, digital payments, shipping, pharma, agriculture, migration and mobility, tourism, skill
development, culture, education and people to people ties.
• Both Prime Ministers highlighted the significance of broadening and strengthening bilateral
relations in key sectors like cyberspace and agriculture.
• They acknowledged the signing of an MOU on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture, which involves
the creation of a Hellenic-Indian Joint Sub-committee on Agriculture. This sub-committee aims
to facilitate sectoral collaboration for the mutual benefit of both parties.

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PM Modi’s special gifts for Greek leaders:
i.PM Modi presented the offered Meghalaya shawls and Dokra art, crafted by artisans from Chattisgarh, to
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
• Meghalaya shawls were initially woven for the Khasi and Jaintia royalty, who considered them a
symbol of their power and status.
• Dhokra is one of India’s prehistoric art forms. The dancing girl found in Mohenjo-Daro and
Harappan excavations was one of the earliest expressions of the artefact.
ii.PM Modi presented the Bidri surahi (Bidri work Vase) Pair to the President of Greece, Katerina N
Sakellaropoulou.
• Bidri vase is an Indian innovation of a 500-year-old Persian exclusive to Karnataka’s Bidar.
• It is cast with an alloy of Zink, Copper and other non-ferrous metals.
About Greece:
Prime Minister– Kyriakos Mitsotakis
President– Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou.
Capital– Athens
Currency– Euro

Ex BRIGHT STAR-23: Maiden Multilateral Exercise of IAF Held in Egypt from August 27 to
September 16, 2023
Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent will be participating in Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23, a biennial multilateral
tri-service exercise scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt, from August 27 to September 16,
2023, towards encouraging global defense cooperation with Egypt. This is the first time that IAF is
participating in Ex Bright Star-23.

• The participation of IAF showcases India’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships and
enhancing joint operational capabilities. IAF contingents engaging in flying exercises abroad make
them true Diplomats in Flight Suits.
Aim of Ex Bright Star-23:
The objective of the exercise is to practice planning and execution of joint operations. Besides leading to the
formation of bonding across borders, these exercises allow nations to plan and execute complex operations
together.
Indian Participants:
i.The IAF contingent will consist of five MiG-29, two IL-78, two C-130 and two C-17 aircraft.
ii.Personnel from the IAF’s Garud Special Forces, as well as those from the Numbers 28, 77, 78, and 81
Squadrons, will be participating in the exercise.
iii.The IAF transport aircraft will also provide airlift to approximately 150 personnel from the Indian Army.
Other Participants:
Ex BRIGHT STAR-23 will also see the participation of contingents from the United States of America (USA),
Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Qatar.

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Key Points:
In the 1960s, India and Egypt fostered a remarkable relationship and deep cooperation that encompassed the
development of aero engines and aircraft, along with extensive pilot training.
About Egypt:
Prime Minister– Mostafa Madbouly
Capital– Cairo
Currency– Egyptian Pound (EGP)

Govt of Canada Hosted 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility from August 22-26,
2023 in Vancouver, Canada
The Government of Canada hosted the 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in
Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 22-26 August 2023. The assembly
gathered environmental leaders from 185 countries.

• Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development of Canada, was the chair and co-host of the
7th Assembly of GEF.
• The GEF Assembly coordinated financing for international efforts to address the recent diplomatic
achievements in areas such as biodiversity conservation, toxic chemical management, and ocean
health.
• It underscored the importance of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which include ending pollution and nature loss, combatting climate
change, and promoting inclusive, locally-led conservation efforts.
Note: The 6th GEF Assembly was held in 2018 in Da Nang, Viet Nam. The 7th GEF Assembly was delayed by 1
year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Points:
i.The Assembly brought together Ministers, government officials, business leaders, environmentalists, leaders
of international agencies and environmental conventions, and so on.
ii.The assembly discussed environmental solutions under the overarching theme of “Healthy Planet, Healthy
People“, which signifies the need to work together in new ways, within and across countries and across
sectors, to heal the planet.
iii.The assembly included the launch of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, a new source of funding for
protecting species and ecosystems globally.
iv.The Assembly’s agenda also included high-level roundtables, a Partnership Forum, side events, and
opportunities to visit environmental activities.
About GEF Assembly:
i.The GEF Assembly is the highest governing body of the GEF, composed of 185 member countries.
ii.Every 4 years, the GEF Assembly meets at the ministerial level to review: general policies; and evaluate GEF’s
operations based on reports submitted to the Council; the membership of the Facility; and consider, for
approval by consensus, amendments to the Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global
Environment Facility on the basis of recommendation by the Council.

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About GEF:
i.GEF is a family of funds supporting developing nations’ action on interrelated environmental challenges,
including biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health.
ii.It is a unique partnership of 18 agencies, including UN agencies, multilateral development banks, national
entities, and international Non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
iii.It is a financial mechanism for 5 major international environmental conventions: the Minamata Convention
on Mercury; the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); the UN’s Convention on
Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN’s Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Note: Canada is a founding member of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). GEF is Canada’s primary
mechanism for assisting developing nations in tackling environmental issues.
GEF launched New Global Biodiversity Framework Fund
On 24th August 2023, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched the new Global Biodiversity Framework
Fund (GBFF) designed to mobilize and accelerate investment for the conservation and sustainability of wild
species and ecosystems globally.
• Representatives from 185 countries ratified and launched the fund during the 7th Assembly of
the GEF held from 22nd to 26th August 2023 in Vancouver, Canada.
• The new fund for biodiversity will attract funding from governments, philanthropy, and the private
sector.
Points to note:
i.This fund is intended to support the implementation of the goals outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted during the Conference of the Parties(COP) to the CBD held in
December 2022 in Canada.
ii.This will support the action to halt and reverse the biodiversity loss by 2030 and put nature on a recovery
path by 2050.
Background:
i.The GEF was selected to manage the new fund and the
decision was made during the 2022 UN Biodiversity
Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) summit in December 2022 in
Montreal, Canada.
ii.This fund’s establishment was formally approved by the
GEF’s governing Council in June 2023, during a meeting
held in Brasilia, Brazil.
Initial contribution:
i.The initial contributions for the GBFF are set at USD 200
million from at least 3 donors by December 2023.
ii.Canada has contributed CAD(Canadian dollars) 200
million and the United Kingdom(UK) has contributed 10
million pounds.
Key Points:
i.More than a third of the fund’s resources will be used to
support the Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.
ii.Around 20% of the resources will be used to support the Indigenous-led initiatives to protect and conserve
biodiversity.
iii.With a focus on the sustainability of biodiversity and the ecosystem, the fund will mobilise and disburse new
and additional resources from public, private and philanthropic sources.

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Funding:
i.At COP15, Canada made a substantial financial commitment to support the GEF’s eighth replenishment. Over
the span of 4 years, from 2022 to 2026, Canada announced to provide USD 219 million.
• This financial support is aimed at empowering developing nations to address global environmental
challenges and enables them to fulfill their commitments under international environmental
conventions.
ii.Canada also committed USD 350 million in new and additional funding to support developing countries in
conserving biodiversity and to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Winners of Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program announced
On 23rd August 2023, GEF selected 23 civil society organizations as winners of its Inclusive GEF Assembly
Challenge Program, and the winning projects were announced during the 7th GEF Assembly held at the
Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, Canada.
• Each awardee received a grant of up to USD 100,000 and gained access to networking, training, and
knowledge exchange opportunities through the GEF.
Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program:
i.It is a novel initiative reflecting a commitment to support and elevate community-driven climate and nature
projects and the unique contributions of Indigenous Peoples, women, girls, and young people across the GEF
partnership.
ii.It is funded by the Global Environment Facility’s 2 climate change adaptation funds, the Least Developed
Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).
Award Ceremony:
i.The GEF recognised the winning organisations during its Partnership Forum.
ii.The winning organisations showcased their experiences and insights through engaging panels and sessions.
iii.The event underscored the GEF’s commitment to fostering environmental progress via a comprehensive
“whole of society” strategy.
Selection Panel:
23 winners were chosen from nearly 600 applications, and the selection was made by a diverse panel
consisting of the following:
• GEF’s Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Network; Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel;
Indigenous Peoples’ Advisory Group; Gender Partnership; and youth representatives associated
with international environmental conventions.
• They span 26 countries.
Complete Winners’ List of the Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Program 2023
About Global Environment Facility (GEF):
Chief Executive Officer & Chairperson– Carlos Manuel Rodriguez
Headquarters– Washington, District of Columbia (DC), United States of America (USA)
Established in 1991 and started operations on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit

BANKING & FINANCE

DBS Bank Partners with Maptrasco to Complete First eBL Transaction Between India &
Singapore
DBS Bank Ltd (formerly known as Development Bank of Singapore Limited) in collaboration
with Maptrasco (Khaitan International Private Limited – KIPL), a Singapore-based commodities trader, has
completed the first “live” transaction of electronic Bills of Lading (eBL) for shipments between Singapore and
India.
• The transaction was implemented under the TradeTrust framework, an initiative by the Infocomm
Media Development Authority (IMDA) and supported by Enterprise Singapore.

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 • This was announced by Gan Kim Yong Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore during the G20
Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Partnerships:
i.This project was implemented in close partnership between government agencies (Ministry of Trade and
Industry (MTI), Singapore), the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog (India), Enterprise
Singapore, and IMDA (Singapore).
ii.Industry partners of the project includes DBS (Singapore), ICICI Bank (India), Maptrasco (Singapore), Jindal
Stainless (India), and A.P. Moller-Maersk (APMM), Singapore.
TradeTrust Framework:
TradeTrust aims to streamline the process of document handling, reduce the reliance on physical paperwork,
and enhance transparency and security in cross-border transactions.
i.The framework can be used for the transmission of any digital trade document including Certificates of Origin,
Preferential Certificates, and transfer of Electronic Transferrable Records (ETRs) like eBLs.
ii.TradeTrust meets United Nations Commission On International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on
Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) requirements. Incorporated into Singapore legislation in 2021.
iii.It utilises blockchain-powered technology to ensure the singularity and provenance of transactions,
enhancing trust, security, and accuracy.
Details of First Shipment Using TradeTrust Framework:
i.Maptrasco shipped a container of scrap metal from Miami, Florida, the United States of America (USA) to
Gujarat, India.
ii.Maersk issued an eBL using the TradeTrust portal, a reference implementation of the TradeTrust framework,
to Maptrasco.
iii.Jindal Stainless applied for a Letter of Credit (L/C) from ICICI Bank as the Issuing Bank of the LC.Jindal
Stainless is the first Indian company in a partnership between India and Singapore.
iv.Maptrasco utilised DBS as the Presenting Bank and transferred the title ownership of the eBL via the
TradeTrust portal.
v.DBS checks and confirms the supporting documents as per the terms of the L/C, including the
TradeTrust eBL. DBS uses the Singapore Trade Data Exchange (SGTraDex) platform to transfer the title
ownership of the eBL to ICICI Bank.
vi.ICICI Bank receives the eBL and uses its own advanced platform, TradeChain, powered by EdgeVerve which
is TradeTrust-enabled by GUUD to transfer the title ownership of the eBL to Jindal Stainless.
vii.Jindal Stainless as ICICI Bank’s customer, utilises the TradeChain platform to Surrender the eBL to Maersk
and complete the shipment.
viii.Maersk then issues an electronic Delivery Order (DO) for Jindal Stainless to collect the cargo at the port of
discharge.
Bills of Lading:
i.Bills of Lading(BL/BoL) are essential documents in shipping and logistics and serve as legal proof of
ownership for goods during transit, as well as receipt of goods.

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 • A bill of lading is issued by the carrier (typically a shipping company or a freight forwarder) to the
shipper (exporter) as a confirmation that the goods have been received and will be transported to
their destination.
ii.However, only about 1.2% of bills of lading globally are issued electronically due to limitations in platforms
that are not interoperable or use variations in rulebooks and standards, which makes scalability challenging.
iii.eBLs are expected to improve the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of information required for trade financing.
Key Points:
• The project supports MLETR and aims to drive cross-border document and title exchanges.
• The successful transaction paves the way for more efficient, interoperable digital bills of lading, and
is a key milestone in the digital transformation of trade financing.
• The project demonstrates the real-world applicability of the Group of 20 (G20) HighLevel Principles
on Digitalisation of Trade Documents, particularly Interoperability, Scalability, Data Privacy, and
Voluntary Sharing of Data.
Recent related news:
DBS Bank India launched an investment solution ‘digiPortfolio’ on its digibank platform, to create a set of
investment options curated by Morningstar that match the risk preferences of different investors.
About DBS Bank Ltd:
Chief Executive Officer– Piyush Gupta
Headquarters– Marina Bay Financial Centre, Singapore
Established in– 1968
Tagline – Live more, Bank less

Yes Bank Partnered with Zaggle to Launch Corporate Credit Card

Yes Bank Ltd launched a co-branded Corporate Credit Card named ‘YES BANK Zaggle Corporate Credit
Card’ in partnership with Zaggle, a spend management platform, to empower businesses to redefine their
corporate payments, expenditure management, and cash flow optimisation.
• The card provides a solution by granting businesses direct authority over company expenses. This
includes setting individual spending limits, applying merchant category restrictions, and
implementing diverse controls.
• The card will facilitate businesses to bring in greater cost efficiencies by facilitating integration with
Zaggle’s ZatiX, a spend management and analytics platform, allowing corporates to optimise cash
outflows.
• Yes Bank’s partnership with Zaggle allows businesses to enhance their operational efficiency by
consolidating banking transactions, managing business expenses, and offering a centralized solution
for tracking all business-related overheads.
• The Co-branded cards are a compelling proposition for businesses, offering a dual benefit of upfront
savings on spending and the privilege of earning rewards on both spending and repayments across a
large range of business expense categories.
Note: Zaggle collaborated with Yes Bank for prepaid cards in 2016, before the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-
initiated restructuring in 2019.

LIC tied up with Saraswat Cooperative Bank to sell LIC Products under Bancassurance
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) tied up with a Mumbai
(Maharashtra) headquartered Saraswat Cooperative Bank Ltd., India’s largest urban cooperative bank, to
increase the distribution of life insurance products through the Bancassurance channel.
• Citizens and Customers of Saraswat Bank can now purchase LIC insurance products directly through
Saraswat Bank.

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 • LIC, being the premier insurer of India, has insurance products for all segments of society, from
annuity, Unit-Linked Insurance Plans (ULIP), and term insurance to savings plans.
• Saraswat Bank Bank has a vast network of 294 Branches (as of March 31, 2023) spread over 6 states
and is serving over 2 million customers.
Note: Bancassurance refers to the partnership or relationship between a Bank and an insurance company
whereby the insurance company leverages the Bank’s sales channel in order to sell insurance products.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Emmerson Mnangagwa Re-Elected As President As The Second Term
Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, re-elected to the post for the second term of 5 years(ie., 2023-
28) and final term. He belongs to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–
PF) political party.

• He secured 52.6 percent of the vote against his opponent Nelson Chamisa of political party Citizens’
Coalition for Change (CCC) who secured 44 percent votes.
• He is known as ‘The Crocodile’ for his ruthlessness.
About the election:
i.This election occurs after six years (last in 2017) after the overthrow of longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in a
military coup.
ii.In the election ZANU-PF obtained 136 out of the available 210 seats through a first-past-the-post mechanism;
CCC secure 73 seats.
Additional info:
• The country is struggling with high unemployment and poverty.
• Nearly 3.8 million individuals are projected to experience food insecurity within the current
year(2023-24).
About Zimbabwe:
Capital – Harare
Currency – Zimbabwe Dollar

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

GRSE Signs MoU with DEMPO Group For Building Commercial Ships
The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, West Bengal has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with V.S.Dempo Holdings Private Limited (Dempo Group) for building commercial
vessels.
• The vessels will be built at the 3 shipyards of the Dempo Group, including two in Goa and one in
Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

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 • It marks the GRSE’s first attempt to build commercial vessels.

Note:
Dempo Shipbuilding & Engineering Pvt. Ltd wholly-owned subsidiary of V.S.Dempo Holdings Private Limited, is
responsible for ship building and ship repair.
Dempo Group has two shipyards in Goa, one at Mandovi in Bainguinim, Old Goa, and the other at Undir,
Bandora, on the banks of the Zuari River in Goa.
About the Partnership:
i.The partnership will create a very helpful ecosystem that will draw advantages from one another’s knowledge
and use resources to secure more domestic and international shipbuilding orders.
ii.This is GRSE’s first attempt to significantly broaden its commercial shipbuilding operations in order to
capture a significant market share in the building of both domestic and foreign commercial vessels.
Indian Shipbuilding Market:
i.According to a recent study, the Indian shipbuilding market is worth USD 7.1 billion in 2023 and is predicted
to grow to USD 8.76 billion by 2028.
ii.Globally, the shipbuilding market is expected to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.45%
from USD 170 billion to USD 230 billion by 2028.
• It also indicates India currently contributes less than 1% to the global commercial shipbuilding
sector.
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd:
GRSE is a Category 1 Mini Ratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Company under the Ministry of
Defence(MoD).
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Commodore (Retd) P R Hari
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
Incorporated in 1934

SPORTS
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Wins Men’s Singles Title at the BWF World Championships 2023
Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand and An Se-young of South Korea won the men’s singles and Women’s singles
titles respectively in the Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Championships 2023.
• The TotalEnergies Badminton World Federation(BWF) World Championships 2023 held in Royal
Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark from 21st to 27th August 2023.
• India’s HS Prannoy won the bronze medal in the men’s singles at the BWF World Championships
2023.
Highlights:
i.Men’s Singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand won the men’s singles title by defeating Naraoka Kodai of
Japan.

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 • It marks Thailand’s first men’s singles title at the BWF World Championships.
• The final match lasted about 109 minutes marking the the second-longest World Championship
men’s singles final after the 124-minute match between China’s Sun Jun and Denmark’s Peter
Rasmussen in the inaugural World Championships in 1977.

ii.Women’s Singles: An Se-young of South Korea won the women’s singles title by defeating the
2016 Rio Olympics gold medalist Carolina Marin of Spain.
• It marks South Korea’s first women’s singles title at the BWF World Championships.
iii.Men’s Doubles: South Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae won the men’s doubles title by defeating
Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark.
iv.Women’s Doubles: China’s Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan won the women’s doubles title by defeating
Apriyani Rahayu and Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia.
• This marks their fourth BWF World Championships women’s doubles title
including 2017,2021,2022 and 2023.
v.Mixed Doubles: Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung of South Korea won the mixed doubles title by defeating
Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong of China.
• Seo Seung Jae won two titles in the 2023 BWF World Championships including men’s doubles along
with Kang Min Hyuk.
HS Prannoy wins bronze medal:
i.Prannoy Haseena Sunil Kumar (HS Prannoy) settled for a bronze medal after losing to Kunlavut Vitidsarn in
the semifinals.
• This marks India’s 14th medal at the World Championships including 1 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze.
ii.He was also the 5th Indian men’s player to win the BWF World Championships after Prakash Padukone, Sai
Praneeth, Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen.
• PV Sindhu was the only Indian to win a gold at the BWF championship in Basel, Switzerland in 2019,
which makes her total medal count to 5 in BWF championship.
iii.Prannoy won his first BWF world tour title at the Malaysia Masters in May 2023.
• He also clinched the silver medal in men’s singles at the Australian Open in August 2023.
Winners of BWF World Championships 2023:
Championship Winner Runner
Kunlavut Vitidsarn Kodai Naraoka
Men’s Singles (Thailand) (Japan)
An Se Young Carolina Marin
Women’s Singles (South Korea) (Spain)
Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen
Men’s Doubles (South Korea) (Denmark)
Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan Apriyani Rahayu and Silva Ramadhanti
Women’s Doubles (China) (Indonesia)

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 Seo Seung Jae and
Chae Yu Jung Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong
Mixed Doubles (South Korea) (China)
About BWF World Championships 2023:
i.The 28th edition of the BWF World Championships was held in Copenhagen, Denmark for the 5th time.
• Around 365 players from 56 countries participated in the event.
ii.It was held every three years up to 1983 since the first edition was held in Malmö, Sweden in 1977. From
1983 – 2005 it was a biennial event, later it became an annual event from 2005.
About the Badminton World Federation (BWF):
President – Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Established – 1934

Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has won the gold medal in the men’s javelin with an
88.17 meter (m) throw in the World Athletics Championships 2023.

• The 19th edition of the World Athletics Championships (2023) was held in (Venue – The National
Athletics Centre) Budapest, Hungary from 19th to 27th August 2023.
Neeraj Chopra – Gold Medal:
i.Neeraj Chopra finished first followed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (87.82m) in the second and Jakub
Vadlejch (86.67m) of the Czech Republic in the third.
• Other Indian athletes Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu (84.14m) finished fifth and sixth
respectively in the finals.
• This marks India’s third medal at the World Athletics Championships after Anju Bobby George’s long
jump bronze at Paris 2003 and Neeraj’s silver at Oregon 2022.
ii.He became the first Indian to win gold at the World Athletics Championships.
Note:
National Javelin Day is annually celebrated across India on 7th August to commemorate the day on which
Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Indian men’s 4x400m relay team finishes fifth in the finals:
i.Indian men’s 4x400m relay team comprising Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amob Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal and
Rajesh Ramesh finished fifth in the finals.
• The United States of America(USA) finished first followed by France and the United Kingdom in
second and third place respectively in the finals of men’s 4x400m.
• They also became the first Indian men’s 4x400m relay team to reach a World Championship finals.
• They set an Asian record in the men’s 4x400m relay event in the qualifying round by taking 2:59.05
seconds and surpassed Japan(2:59.51 seconds).

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Overall Medal Tally:
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 United States of America(USA) 12 8 9 29
2 Canada 4 2 0 6
3 Spain 4 1 0 5
18 India 1 0 0 1
Note:
India shared the 18th position with five other countries including Bahrain, Dominican
republic,Serbia,venezuela and Burkino Faso.
Highlights:
i.The biennial multi-nation competition witnessed the participation of 2100 athletes from 195 countries for the
49 medal events across track and field and road races.
• Around 27 Indian athletes participated in 15 medal events including 11 for men and four for
women.
ii.India’s Parul Chaudhary finished 11th in the finals of the Women’s 3000m steeplechase.
• She has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after setting a national record-breaking run of 9:15:31
in the finals.
iii.India’s Jeswin Aldrin finished 11th in the Men’s long jump finals with a 7.77 m Jump.
• He became the second Indian male long jumper to qualify for the finals after M Sreeshankar in 2022.
• He set the national record with an 8.42m jump in March 2023.
Note:
The 20th edition World Athletics Championships is set to held in Tokyo, Japan in 2025.
About World Athletics(Formerly The International Amateur Athletic Federation):
President– Sebastian Coe
Headquarters– Monaco, Europe

OBITUARY
Eminent Indian English Poet Jayanta Mahapatra Passed Away
Jayanta Mahapatra, an Eminent Indian English poet and Litterateur, who was the first recipient of Sahitya
Akademi award for English poetry(1981), passed away in Cuttack, Odisha. He was born on 22nd October 1928
in Cuttack, Odisha.

About Jayanta Mahapatra:

i.Jayanta Mahapatra has served as the professor of Physics at various government colleges in Odisha from 1949
to 1986(retired).
ii.He published his 1st book of poems “Svayamvara and Other Poems” in 1971.

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iii.He has authored around 27 books which also includes 7 written in Odia and the remainder in English.
iv.He is will known for his poems like “Indian Summer” and “Hunger,” which are considered classic in modern
Indian English literature.
Other Noted works:
Poetry: Bare Face, Shadow Space
Prose: Green Gardener(an Anthology of short stories); Door of paper: Essays and Memoirs.
Awards:
i.He received the Sahitya Akademi Awards in 1981 for Relationship(poetry), the first Akademi Awad for
English poetry.
ii.Government of India honoured him with Padma Shri in 2009 for Literature and Education.But he returned
the award in 2015 to protest against “rising intolerance in India”.
iii.He won the prestigious SAARC(South Asian Association Regional Cooperation) literary Award for the year
2009.

STATE NEWS
TN CM Stalin Launches Expansion of Breakfast Scheme for all TN govt School Students
On 25th August 2023, Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister (CM), MK Stalin inaugurated the expansion of the state
governments’ free breakfast scheme to all state-run primary schools from classes 1 to 5. With this scheme,
TN has now become the first state in India to provide free breakfast to students in all government schools.
The scheme was inaugurated at a government school at Tirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district, the birthplace of
M Karunanidhi, former CM of TN and DMK patriarch.
• Nearly 17 lakh students across approximately 31,000 government schools in the state will benefit
from the extension of the scheme. For this initiative, a sum of Rs 404 crore has been allocated.
• This scheme is viewed as an extension of the mid-day meals, the CM’s Free Breakfast Scheme is
aimed at reducing malnutrition and increasing attendance by providing nutritious breakfast.
• The CM’s breakfast scheme was first inaugurated on September 15, 2022, on the occasion of the
birth anniversary of C N Annadurai, former CM of TN, in Madurai, TN.
Note: TN was the first to introduce the mid-day meal scheme in India in 1922 in the then-Madras
Presidency(Now Tamil Nadu). Former CM Kamarajar launched the full-fledged mid-day meal programme for all
panchayat and government-run primary schools in Tamil Nadu in 1956-57.

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