Current Affairs (18th September, 2023)

Current Affairs

The Swachhata Pakhwada 2023 initiative was officially launched by the Ministry of Railways on 15^th September 2023.
Its aim is to promote cleanliness and raise environmental awareness.
Ministry of Railways is observing Swachhata Pakhwada from 16^th September 2023 to 2nd Oct 2023.

Srinivasan K. Swamy, the Executive Chairman of R.K. Swamy Hansa Group, has been chosen as the Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for the 2023-2024 term.
Mr. Swamy currently serves as Chairman of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations.

Rahul Navin, a senior IRS officer has assumed the role of acting director of the ED until further orders.
Rahul Navin succeeded Sanjay Kumar Mishra, a veteran IRS officer.

Enforcement Directorate

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated with investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws.
It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
It was originated on 1^st May 1956, when an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), 1947.
- It was headquartered in Delhi, headed by a Legal Service Officer as the Director of Enforcement.
- It had two branches – at Bombay and Calcutta.

The government has introduced the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg) which aims to Revolutionize Indian Agriculture Data Management.
The portal has been inaugurated by Ramesh Chand, a member of NITI Aayog.
This portal will empower stakeholders with real-time, reliable, and standardized information, paving way for more responsive and efficient agricultural policies

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has honoured the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India with the "Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar" for its exemplary adherence to the Rajbhasha Policy.
The State Home Minister presented this accolade to the Director General (Rajbhasha) of the CAG office in Pune, Maharashtra.
The award recognizes the exceptional execution of the Official Language Policy in the category of Ministries/Departments with over 300 staff members for the fiscal year 2022-23.

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)

CAG is an independent authority under the Constitution of India.
CAG is the head of the Indian audit & account department and chief Guardian of public purse.
It is the institution through which the accountability of the government and other public authorities (all those who spend public funds) to Parliament and State Legislatures and through them to the people is ensured.
Shri Girish Chandra Murmu is the incumbent CAG of India.

India has achieved the status of being an OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) certificate-issuing authority.
Legal Metrology Division, Department of Consumer Affairs, has been granted the authority to issue OIML certificates.

International Organization of Legal Metrology (OMIL)

The OIML stands for International Organisation of Legal Metrology.
Established in 1955 and headquartered in Paris, the OIML is an international standard-setting body.
It develops model regulations, standards and related documents for use by legal metrology authorities and industry.

The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World Ozone Day is annually observed on 16^th September.
This occasion serves as a poignant reminder of the pivotal role played by the ozone layer in safeguarding our planet, Earth.
The theme for World Ozone Day 2023 is “Montreal Protocol: Fixing the Ozone Layer and Reducing Climate Change.”
On September 16^th, 1987, an environmental treaty known as the Montreal Protocol was established in Montreal, Canada. This protocol marked a significant milestone in the global endeavour to combat the depletion of the ozone layer.