Current affairs 18 October 2024

Govt reduces time limit for advance ticket booking from 120 to 60 days.

• The government has decided to reduce the existing time limit for reservations in trains from 120 days to 60 days.
• In a circular, the Ministry of Railway said, the new rule will come into effect from the 1st of next month.
• However, all the bookings done up to 31st October this year will remain intact.
• The Ministry said, there will be no change in the limit of 365 days for Foreign Tourists.

India’s Exports Rise 4.86% to $393.22 Billion from April to September.

• India's exports grew by 4.86% in the April-September period, reaching $393.22 billion, up from $375 billion last year.
• Merchandise exports rose slightly by 1.02%, while services exports grew by 9.81% in the same period.
• The top export destinations were the Netherlands, UAE, US, Brazil, and Japan.

India’s First Self-Powered Indoor Air Quality Quality Monitor Unveiled.

• Dr. Jitendra Singh launched Pavana Chitra, the country’s first self-powered indoor air quality monitor, at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
• Powered by indoor solar cells developed by CSIR-NIIST, it operates off-grid, mimicking the natural process of photosynthesis.
• Pavana Chitra is crafted from locally sourced materials, combining technology, and art to monitor air quality sustainably.

China Becomes India's Leading Import Source (April-September 2024).

• Imports from China reached USD 56.29 billion, a 11.5% increase from last year, making China India's top import source.
• The US remains the top export destination for India, with outbound shipments worth USD 40.38 billion during the same period.
• Other key import sources include Russia (USD 32.18 billion), and the UAE (USD 31.46 billion).
• India's top exports: UAE, the UK, and China.

Supreme Court Unveils New "Lady Justice" Statue.

• The new Lady Justice statue removes the blindfold and replaces the sword with the Constitution, focused on equality under constitutional law.
• This transformation, initiated by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, signifies the judiciary’s commitment to equality under constitutional law.
• The statue was made last year, installed in April 2023 when the new Judges Library was made functional.