Daily GK Update: 17th October 2023

 Honours & Awards

1. Rocketry has been adjudged as the Best Feature Film in 69th National Film

• 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' directed by R Madhavan has been adjudged as the Best Feature Film in the 69th National Film Awards.
• President Droupadi Murmu will confer the 69th National Film Awards in New Delhi.
•  Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur will be the Guest of Honour. 
• Allu Arjun has won the Best Actor Award for 'Pushpa: The Rise'. Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon will share the Best Actress Award for 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' and 'Mimi'.

 National Affairs

2. Female Labour Force Participation Rate Jumps to 37.0%

• According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey Report 2022-23, the Female Labour Force Participation Rate in the country has improved significantly by 4.2 percentage points to 37.0% in 2023.
• It is an outcome of the decisive agenda set by the Government for ensuring women’s empowerment through policy initiatives aimed at their long-term socio-economic and political development.

 Important Dates

3. International Day for Eradicating Poverty is observed on 17th October

• The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty  is celebrated on 17th October to serve as a reminder that poverty is a complicated, multifaceted problem
• This year's theme is 'Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting Dignity in Practice for All.'
• Aim: To promote understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and society at large. 
• The day highlights the value of cooperation, human rights, and social justice in the fight against poverty.

 State Affairs

4. Bhopal’s Mahila Thana become country’s first to get ISO certification

• The Mahila thana of Bhopal became the first women-centric police station across the entire country to be conferred with the International Organization for Standardization certificate. 
• Bhopal Mahila thana has been improved a lot on its part in registering grievances of the complainants, comforting them and probing cases.
• The ISO certification is a testament to the station’s commitment to improving its services and facilities, ensuring quality, safety, and efficiency.

 Schemes

5. Odisha CM launches LAccMI public transport system

• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of Odisha launched the Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme from Malkangiri to connect panchayat and block headquarters with district headquarters by bus.
• The chief minister had launched schemes like rice at Rs 1 per kg and Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) from Malkangiri. 
• Aim: To enhance health insurance for women to Rs 10 lakh had been received from Malkangiri.

 Defense

6. Army establishes first-ever BSNL BTS on Siachen Glacier

• The Indian Army has established the world's first mobile tower and base transceiver station (BTS) on the Siachen Glacier
• It is the highest battlefield on Earth, with the help of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). 
• Aim: To provide mobile communication services to soldiers at an altitude of over 15,500 feet.
• A base transceiver station is a radio transceiver that connects mobile devices to a cellular network.

 Honours & Awards

7. Indian Railways’ PSUs, RITES Ltd and IRCON granted Navratna status

• Ircon International Limited (IRCON) and RITES Ltd both Central Public Sector Enterprise have been announced as 15th and 16thNavratna respectively among CPSEs. 
• The Ministry of Finance conferred ‘Navratna’ status on RITES and IRCON.
• Entering its 50th year of incorporation, RITES Ltd is a leading transport infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm in India
• The companies should benefit in enhancing the market credibility and in undertaking larger size PPP projects

 Banking & Finance

8. ADB Invests $181 Million to Improve Ahmedabad’s Peri-urban Areas

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 181 million loan to build quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban livability and mobility in the peri-urban areas of Ahmedabad
• ADB will help strengthen the capacity of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and urban local bodies in technology-based urban planning, including climate change
• Aim: To promote environmental and social safeguards, gender equality and social inclusion

 Defense

9. India, UK Hold Inaugural '2+2' Foreign, Defence Dialogue In Delhi

• The inaugural India-UK '2+2' foreign and defence dialogue saw the two sides focusing on ways to boost cooperation in a range of key areas such as trade and investment, defence, critical technologies, civil aviation, health and energy.
• Aim: To discuss and review all aspects of the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.
• Discussed international developments including in the Indo-Pacific region and considered the possibility of enhancing anti-terror collaboration

 National Affairs

10. Union Minister launches dashboard for Data on Adoption and Forecasts

• Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh launched the EV-Ready India Dashboard in New Delhi.
• Addressing the occasion, the Minister asserted that the future is going to be electric.
• The dashboard has forecast a 45 per cent growth in electric vehicles by 2030.
• According to the Power and New and Renewable Energy Ministry, the dashboard is a free digital platform focusing on near real-time electric vehicle adoption and forecasts